When the tangerine tree blooms. tangerine tree

Planting one on your windowsill seems like an impossible task for many. We are constantly afraid of what is required for the family unique care which will consume all our time and finances. Indeed, some of these plants require careful supervision, but this does not particularly concern the tangerine. This fruit is quite unpretentious and hardy enough for our climate. Therefore, after reading our article, choose the best cultivation method for you and feel free to start planting an overseas fruit. And how to choose and grow a tangerine from a stone at home, we will describe below.

Choosing a place for a tangerine

If you still decide to grow a tangerine, the first step is to choose a place for the tree. Indoor can grow both on the windowsill and on the balcony. To date, many dwarf plants have been bred by breeders, but also ordinary trees tangerine can be given the desired shape.

A place for planting a tree at home is chosen in the same way as on. The site must be well lit with little direct sunlight. With insufficient lighting, the tangerine will slow down its growth and may not bloom at all. Therefore, to grow a tangerine, choose the southern part of the room, but so that at noon the tree can be slightly shaded.

Temperature

For indoor maintenance of mandarin, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature. IN summer period optimal temperature indicators when growing a tree should be +20...+25°C. When the plant begins to bloom or buds appear on it, it is advisable to warn them against falling flowers by lowering the temperature no higher than +20 ° C.

In winter, to improve future flowering, citrus mandarin is better leave without much movement. Temperature in winter period content can vary from +5 °C to +10 °C. Observing such temperature conditions, you can easily grow a tangerine from a stone at home.

Mandarin is a very important point in its growth. With insufficient light the tree is retarded and there is a great risk of getting a modest bloom. In the summer, a young tangerine can be gradually exposed to open air so that the plant gradually gets used to the environment. But at noon you will have to hide it from direct sunlight.

In winter, when the daylight hours are rather short, the tangerine must be placed in the brightest place in the room. It happens that a young tree may not have enough lighting. Here a phytolamp will come to the rescue, which is screwed into an ordinary table lamp or chandelier. Start off you need to highlight the tangerine gradually otherwise, with a sharp change in the length of daylight hours, the plant may shed foliage.

Air humidity

Mandarin does not tolerate dry air. Therefore, to maintain sufficient humidity, it is recommended to place water containers around the container. With an increase in temperature, the plant needs to be additionally moistened, sometimes several times a day. In winter, it is better to apply spraying, but only as it dries.

Choice of dishes or container for planting

Dishes for planting mandarin are recommended to choose based on its size. Remember, for the best growth of the tree, it will need to be replanted every year. Do not immediately choose a large pot, as too much space can lead to root rot.

The best containers for tangerines are small wooden boxes or pots made from natural materials. When landing, do not forget about the good. Pebbles, expanded clay, remnants of broken ceramic dishes and even polystyrene are excellent for this role. Mandarin does not like stagnant moisture in the soil, which can also lead to root rot.

Important! Every week, inspect the shoots, as well as the trunk and leaves of the tree for infection with bacteria or pests.

Soil for mandarin

As with outdoor cultivation, indoor tangerine dislikes acidic soils. Therefore, when choosing a ready-made mixture for planting in a store, pay attention to the substrate.

If you do not trust purchased substrates, you can independently prepare the soil for planting. To do this, take turf and leaf soil, washed river sand and a little. Observe the proportions 1:1:0.5. From these components, a light, well-permeable soil is obtained, which the mandarin loves so much.

Planting, propagation and transplanting mandarin

When growing mandarin citrus at home, there are several ways to propagate it: cuttings, grafting, and the most popular method today - a bone. But how to plant and grow a tangerine from a stone so that the tree bears fruit?

First of all, it is necessary to understand that when using this method, the result should not be expected earlier than in six years. An even more complicated method of propagation is cuttings, since when using it, it is extremely rare to grow a tangerine at home.

At the same time, mandarin grafting is considered one of the proven options. At home, it is grafted onto seedlings of orange or grapefruit. In addition, many flower growers are interested in how much mandarin grows? This citrus tree very durable and with proper care will live more than thirty years.

Mandarin roots are actively growing every year, which is why the plant needs an annual transplant. After 5-6 years, they are transplanted less often - once every two years. Transplantation must be carried out in the spring, before the active growth of the rhizome, and each time a flowerpot or pot is selected slightly larger than the previous one. The best thing for a mandarin will be a transshipment method of transplantation: try not to destroy the formed earthen clod.

Important! Do not wash the roots of the plant. Only when they become infected, rinsing is allowed.

Vegetative propagation methods

As we mentioned above, the reproduction of mandarin at home, using the usual planting of cuttings, is almost impossible. Therefore, in order to grow a fruitful tree, tangerine cuttings graft to any other citrus plant.

To do this, you need a bush aged from one to two years and a stalk of your choice. We take a citrus seedling and make a T-shaped incision at a distance of up to 10 cm above the soil. Then, slightly pressing the tip of the knife, we get a recess into which we insert our cutting.

After that, you need to coat the cut with garden pitch and rewind with PVC film or electrical tape. After grafting tangerines, you need to place them in or simply cover with a plastic bag. You can ventilate once a day, making sure that an eye has not appeared after vaccination.

Usually the stalk is grafted within a month, after which the greenhouse is removed and the electrical tape is weakened. After rooting, the overstretched film can be completely disposed of. By growing mandarins in this way of reproduction, you have every chance of getting sweet and juicy fruits.

Did you know? For best tangerine growth, spray its leaves daily. warm water from a spray bottle.

seed method

The easiest way to grow a tangerine is to plant a seed, and you already know this. Therefore, in advance, buy a few fruits that have been properly stored, without freezing and direct sunlight, and select a dozen seeds from them. Then, rinse them thoroughly running water and place on a windowsill or other flat surface to dry.

When the seeds dry, they must be soaked for further germination: we take a cotton cloth and wrap the bones in it. For several days, the fabric should be damp, but not floating in water.

After the seeds swell and sprouts begin to hatch, they can be transplanted into previously prepared soil. As soon as you plant a mandarin seed and the seedling grows a little, it must be transplanted into a container with a volume of about 4 liters.

Important! Be sure to take several grains for planting at once, as some of the mandarin seeds usually do not germinate.

plant care

If you no longer have questions about how to plant a tangerine, then all that remains is to provide it with proper care and wait for fragrant fruits. For good growth tree do not forget about sufficient humidity in the summer. Give more light, but shade in the sun, as tangerine leaves burn easily.

Some varieties of indoor tangerines can bloom up to a whole year, but to ensure their comfortable growth, cut off most of the flowers and ovaries. If you do not want to give the tangerine tree a special look, then you need to remove only dried or strongly elongated branches.

Breeding indoor citruses at home - though troublesome, but worthwhile. By growing a tangerine tree on a windowsill, you get not only a fragrant and colorful plant, but also tasty, useful fruits. You are required to properly plant and provide the plant with competent and timely care.

Mandarin looks great as an ornamental plant

Features of citrus

Mandarin belongs to plants of the Rut family. Homeland of growth - China. Today, citrus is grown in many tropical countries - Israel, Turkey, Africa, Thailand, Spain.

An evergreen tree reaches 2-4 m in height. The leaves are dense, leathery, with a glossy surface, dark green. The leaf plate is lanceolate in shape with a pointed end.

Citrus blooms in early spring and lasts throughout the growing season. Mandarin flowers are snow-white, small, formed singly or in groups of several.

Shoots are smooth, erect, dark green. Crown of medium density, oval or spherical shape.

Fruits with a thick orange skin, taste in no way inferior to industrially grown citrus fruits.

Growing at home dwarf species, the maximum height of which is 1-1.3 m.

Indoor varieties

There are several varieties of tangerine tree for home growing.

1. Winshiu. Seedless hybrid form, in the wild reaches 2-3 m in height, in apartment conditions - from 0.8 to 1.3 m. It belongs to frost-resistant crops, is characterized by early ripeness and productivity. Mandarin blooms at home profusely, with small white flowers. Gives the first fruits at the age of 3-4 years.
2. Forged Vasya. In this dwarf mandarin, fruiting occurs in the second year of life. undersized plant with a compact crown at home it reaches 40-70 cm in height, therefore it is grown in a pot on the windowsill. Blooms profusely with white flowers. Cowano-Vase citrus is valued for its long flowering that lasts throughout the year. Indoor mandarin gives juicy, orange fruits that are well preserved on the tree and may not crumble for several months.

Growing Secrets

In order to achieve high decorativeness and high-quality fruiting, the plant should be provided with growth conditions that are as close as possible to natural growing conditions.

Soil selection

For a tangerine tree, which is grown mainly in a tropical climate, it is necessary to choose a balanced soil composition. In a specialized store, you can purchase ready-made soil mixture for indoor tangerines. You can also prepare it yourself by mixing several components:

• sod land - 2 parts;
• leaf ground - 1 part;
• rotted manure - 1 part;
• river sand - 1 part.

In such a nutritious and loose soil, the plant takes root well and grows intensively.

Material preparation

To grow a full-fledged tangerine tree at home, you will need a ripe fruit pit. The seed is removed from the pulp, washed and wrapped in a damp gauze cloth. Every day, the fabric is irrigated with warm water to prevent the seed from drying out.

First, the bone should swell, then hatch and release a small sprout. This is a sign that the time has come to plant it in the ground.

The best option for planting tangerine - clay pot for 3 liters

Landing features

An ornamental plant is best planted in a pot of natural material- ceramics or clay. The container is filled with a nutrient mixture, the recipe for which is described above. Then they make a small depression - 2-3 cm and lower the bone into the hole with the sprout up. After the seed is instilled and plentifully sprayed from a spray bottle.

Care rules

After planting, mandarin at home needs careful care, especially in the first years of life. Indoor citrus does not require much cost and effort, so even a novice grower can grow it.

Lighting

This is one of the main conditions for caring for a mandarin at home. Tropical culture requires good and long daylight throughout the year. Therefore, a tub or flowerpot with a tree is placed on the southern, southwestern or southeastern window sill.

Homemade tangerine reacts poorly to sudden changes in temperature and does not tolerate drafts. Under such conditions, the plant massively sheds foliage and may die.

With the onset of warm spring days, the plant can be placed on a balcony or loggia, in summer - put on the street, where there is protection from the scorching sun.

Temperature

Mandarin at home requires a certain temperature regime- from +16 to +18 °C. Then the plant begins to bloom and successfully bear fruit.

In the summer, indoor tangerines easily tolerate heat and temperatures up to +40 ° C.

IN winter time years, the plant is given the opportunity to rest - it is moved to a room with a temperature not higher than 14 ° C. Under such conditions, the growth and flowering of citrus is suspended until spring.

Humidity

The basis of caring for a mandarin at home is the optimization of the humidity level - at the level of 65-70%. To provide high humidity, you should regularly irrigate the tree, put pallets with water or containers with moistened expanded clay next to the pot.

Watering

In winter, for a mandarin indoor plant, settled water at room temperature should be used. Water the tree no more than 1 time in two weeks. In spring and summer, the frequency of watering is increased and moisture is produced as the earthen coma dries out.

Indoor tangerine does not respond well to overflows, so the plant should be watered in small doses. Water flowing into the pan should be poured out to prevent the appearance of mold in the lower layer of the earth and the decay of the roots.

The citrus plant responds well to showers with warm water. Foliage is washed once a month. Before irrigation, the soil is covered with polyethylene. Additionally, the plant is sprayed every day from a spray bottle with warm water.

top dressing

For mandarin at home, care includes regular fertilization. Citrus needs organic and mineral supplements, which contribute to well-moistened soil. As a food, slurry or ready-made complex fertilizers for citrus.

Feed the tree throughout the growing season no more than 1 time in two weeks. For the winter, plant feeding is stopped, because during this period the dormant phase begins.

To enhance fruiting, the tree can be fed with fish soup. 200 g of fish products are poured with two liters of water, boiled for half an hour. Then cool, filter and water the soil around the trunk circle. Such top dressing is introduced in a complex with the preparation "Mandarin". It is used for plants with a height of at least 1 m.

Variety Unshiu at home bears fruit for 3 years of life

Transfer

As the decorative mandarin grows at home, it should be regularly transplanted into a new container 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. Transplantation is carried out by transshipment of an earthen clod with the addition of fresh nutrient soil mixture.

The first transplantation procedure is performed 3-4 years after planting with a frequency of 1 time per year. Adult plants do not bother, they only periodically replace the surface layer with a new nutrient composition.

Trimming and pinching

The pinching procedure stimulates the fruiting and growth of young shoots. Produce pinching in early spring, shortening the apical shoots by a third of the length.

Growing at home, a mandarin in a pot can bloom indefinitely without entering the fruiting phase. To stimulate this process, you should remove some of the flower buds and fruit ovaries, which take strength and energy from the tree. This procedure is carried out on the basis that at least 15 leaves should fall on 1 fruit.

Reproduction methods

There are several ways to get a houseplant:

• seeds;
• cuttings;
• layering;
• vaccination.

Seed cultivation is used in the absence of own specimens at home. Propagation by layering is suitable for old trees. Cuttings are used only for some varieties of indoor mandarin in order to obtain a varietal fruit-bearing plant. The graft is suitable for those who already have a sprouted mandarin sprout and any other citrus that can be grafted onto.

tree grafting

Indoor mandarin can grow and develop for a long time at home without fruiting. To speed up the process of formation of fruit ovaries, gardeners carry out the grafting procedure.

Before grafting, abundant watering of the tree is carried out to speed up the process of sap flow in the shoots. So the bark will better move away from the trunk. For vaccination, a well-ripened shoot with several vegetative buds is used. All foliage is removed to prevent the process of evaporation of moisture and the drying of the branch. The optimal grafting height on a tree is 7-10 cm from the soil level. The bark in this area should be healthy, smooth, without buds and foliage.

A T-shaped incision is made in this area with a sharp knife. The bark at the incision sites is lifted and a cooked stalk or kidney with a heel is inserted into it so that the kidney remains on the surface. The raised bark on the rootstock is pressed tightly and wrapped with insulating tape. After the kidney takes root, the tape is removed.

You can understand that the grafting of the tangerine tree was successful in three weeks - at the grafting site, the petiole should turn yellow and fall off. If it dried up and remained in place, the grafting procedure should be repeated.

After successful budding, after about 3-4 weeks, it is necessary to prune the apical shoots on the rootstock, and also remove the insulating tape. The pruning of the shoots is carried out in two stages - first, the branch is shortened 10 cm above the eye, then after its germination - at a distance of the spike up from it.

In the future, after vaccination for mandarin, home care is the same as for adult specimens.

Diseases and pests

In case of damage in the winter period, the use of pesticides is not recommended. From spider mite use folk infusions and solutions based on garlic, tobacco dust, soap and ash.

In the fight against scab or false scab, water-oil emulsions help well.

For the prevention of diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out regular treatments of the crown - with a weakly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate at least once a month.

Difficulties in growing

Many flower growers, especially beginners, do not know how to care for tangerines at home, as a result of which it is not always possible to grow a strong, beautiful and fruitful tree.

Conclusion

Growing indoor tangerine on the windowsill is easy. The main thing is to plant the plant correctly and on time and choose a quality plant for growing. planting material. Under conditions of competent home care, tangerines will regularly bloom, bear fruit and delight with their beauty.

You can grow indoor tangerine not only on the windowsill, but also in the greenhouse, on the balcony, in winter garden. With proper care, it can even bear fruit. For home cultivation, breeders have bred dwarf and undersized varieties up to 1-1.5 m high. The tangerine tree, unlike orange, lemon, is best adapted to the home microclimate.

"Domesticated" species

Not all varieties are suitable for indoor gardening. Mostly used undersized, as tall plants require constant pruning. Consider the most popular types and their distinctive features.

Table - indoor views tangerine tree and their features

View	Peculiarities
Unshiu	- Fruits appear in 3-4 years in October-November; - height can reach 1.5 m; - abundant flowering spring; - fruits are pear-shaped, no seeds
Forged Vasse	- Height up to 80 cm; - the fruits ripen in a year; - rigid, massive branches; - fruits of bright orange color
Clementine (a hybrid of orange and tangerine)	- The fruits appear in the second year and have a flattened shape; - on a bush up to 50 pieces of fruit
Shiva Mikan	- Early; - fruits weighing up to 30 g
Murcott	- Compact bush bears fruit in summer; - sweet fruits

Plants belonging to the Vasya group are suitable for home gardening. These are varieties such as Miha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase.

Caring for a tangerine tree: what to consider

All plants love care and attention, and the tangerine tree is no exception. In order for it to be not only beautiful and healthy, but also to bear fruit, several simple rules content.

Location and lighting

Culture needs good lighting. The south, southwest, southeast window is best suited. In hot weather at lunchtime better plant shade. Otherwise, it will get sunburn.

In spring, the pot can be taken out to the balcony, veranda and even to the street. We gradually accustom the plant to ultraviolet radiation, increasing the time spent in the air. You should start in partial shade, and then move on to sunny places.

In winter, to extend daylight hours, we use phytolamps.

Temperature

In order for the plant to bloom profusely, fruits are tied - in spring and summer, we set the indoor mode at 15-20 ° C. In winter, the ideal temperature is no more than 12-14 ° C. In such conditions, indoor culture will be able to relax and prepare for a period of active growth.

High temperatures can lead to leaf fall, and low temperatures can lead to stunted growth.

Humidity

In spring and summer, regularly wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or sponge. Throughout the year we carry out spraying from a spray bottle. We use water at room temperature. In winter, when the heating is turned on, we carry out procedures more often - several times a day. We irrigate in the early morning or late evening hours. The main thing is that direct sunlight does not fall on moistened leaves.

You can increase the level of humidity in the room by placing a container of water next to the pot.

Watering

Water for irrigation is heated to room temperature and defended. It is not recommended to use tap liquid, as it contains chlorine, salts and other substances that adversely affect the culture. To calculate the volume of water needed by a tree, we take into account the following factors:

• bush size;
• the volume of the pot;
• room temperature;
• daylight hours and lighting quality.

It is especially important to take good care of tangerine tree during flowering. From spring to autumn, “water” the plant abundantly and often. Watering a tangerine tree should be done when the soil is completely dry. It is very easy to check this. We take a handful of earth and squeeze it. If it crumbled - it's time to go for a watering can. In winter, one approach in five to seven days is enough. Watering, as well as spraying, is carried out in the morning or in the evening.

top dressing

First meal after winter holiday it is better to add in April. In the future, before the onset of cold weather, fertilizer is applied once every two weeks. This mode will allow the tree to bud, bloom and bear fruit. Regular summer feeding will help to avoid bitterness in the fruits. With the onset of cold weather, feeding is reduced or completely stopped.

Indoor decorative tangerine tree in a pot is strengthened with special mixtures from the store intended for citrus fruits - organics or minerals. The older the bush, the more fertilizer it needs. Wet the soil well before watering. Among folk remedies, cow dung slurry is used. But often it is available to gardeners living in rural areas.

Before using fertilizers, carefully study the manufacturer's instructions. An incorrectly calculated dose can lead to damage to the root system.

Based on the feedback from gardeners, you can increase fruiting with the folk remedy "fish ear". For 2 liters of water, you need to take 200 g of small fish and cook for half an hour. We filter the broth and cool. Add to store mix.

Priming

The soil for young and adult plants should be different. In both cases, be sure to make a layer of drainage.

• For young plants. We mix one part of leafy soil and sand and two parts of soddy soil. Add humus from cow manure to the composition, if available.
• For adult bushes. We take for the soil one part of leafy soil, three parts of turf, one part of sand and humus. Here we add a small amount of clay with a high percentage of fat content.

In order to save time, you can purchase ready-made formulations for citrus fruits, but only from trusted manufacturers.

Pinching and trimming

It is necessary to cut and pinch the tangerine tree. Thanks to the procedure, a neat and beautiful crown will be formed, the fruits will appear faster. Weakened and superfluous in terms of aesthetics branches are removed. You can get a dense crown if you carefully pinch the shoots from the top of the bush.

Young plants during the first flowering period require a special approach. It is better to remove some of the buds in order to preserve the vitality of the bush. If this is not done, then in the future the plant will produce little fruit. In addition, the fewer flowers, the larger the fruits will be.

Transfer

It is better for young bushes to change the pot every year. The root system is constantly evolving, so it needs more free space. If the roots have not braided the soil clod, then we leave the plant alone. But in this case, we replace the top soil layer and drainage.

Features of caring for a tangerine tree with fruits are transplanting to a new place every two to three years. Bushes over the age of five or six years do not need to change the capacity.

Safely transplanting a tangerine tree means trying not to destroy the soil clod braided with roots.

Reproduction: 2 ways

You can propagate the plant with the help of seeds, cuttings and supplement with grafting. The method in most cases is selected taking into account the age of the bush.

seeds

Peculiarities . It is not difficult to grow a tangerine tree from a stone, but you will have to wait 10-15 years for flowering and fruits, or you may not wait at all. Fruiting can be accelerated by grafting a sprig from an adult fruit-bearing bush to a young tangerine. The seedling to which the twig is grafted is called the rootstock. And the stalk itself from the fruit bearing is a scion.

Action algorithm

1. Most simple option is to plant seeds immediately in moist soil without pre-training. Or we put the bones in gauze, moisten it with water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Instead of gauze, you can use hydrogel, which holds moisture well. Put it on a plate and mix with the seeds.
2. Gauze or hydrogel with seeds is placed in the soil.
3. After the appearance of the first leaf, we transplant it by transshipment (without destroying the earthen clod with roots) into a flowerpot.
4. We grow from one to three years. The bush will become ready for grafting when the trunk diameter reaches at least 6 mm. Then we move on to the vaccination procedure. The optimal period is from April to May.
5. As a scion, we cut a branch one or two years old from a healthy, fruit-bearing bush. From the handle we remove the leaf plates, spikes.
6. We make an incision in the form of the letter "T" on the stock. This is where we insert the stem.
7. We wrap the vaccination site with electrical tape. Create a greenhouse effect with plastic bag or plastic containers.
8. After about 21 days, shoots should appear from the buds. We gradually accustom them to the microclimate of the room - remove the polyethylene or plastic container. Remove the fixing bandage.
9. We cut at an angle that part of the stock stem that remains above the grafted cutting. We process the site with coal.
10. We tie a young plant to a stick so that it grows vertically. If the vaccination is successful, the new plant will delight in flowering throughout the year.

If the scion turns yellow on the rootstock and disappears, then the vaccination did not work. You will need to repeat the procedure.

cuttings

Peculiarities . The method is more popular, since a plant grown from a cutting of an adult bush will bloom and bear fruit in a year, a maximum of two.

Action algorithm

1. Cut off the stem and place it in a container of water.
2. We create a greenhouse effect - we cover the stalk with a plastic bag or a plastic bottle. Rooting can take two to three months.
3. We transplant into a pot when the roots appear.

For better rooting and stimulation of growth, you can treat the cutting with Gibberellin.

Pests

The citrus tree, like other indoor crops, is susceptible to insect attack. In the fight against them, we use folk remedies and store products.

Red spider mite

Red dots appear on the stems. With a strong lesion, pests are visible, which form an almost imperceptible web. Appear in a dry, hot microclimate. We fight with the help of two folk remedies.

1. Tobacco dust. We dissolve one tablespoon of dust in boiled water and insist for six hours. Add 10 g of soap to the mixture. Treatment: spray the bush three times every six to seven days.
2. Garlic . We insist a clove of garlic in a glass of boiled water for two days. We carry out the procedure, as with tobacco dust.

If we use store-bought insecticides, then before spraying, we carefully study the instructions or first consult with the seller.

Mealybug

Sticky spots appear on the leaves white color. Roots are much harder to spot. The main symptom is that the foliage dries and falls off. Most effective remedy- soap solution. We spray every six to seven days. The procedure should consist of three approaches.

Shchitovka

A sign of the appearance of a scale insect is a dried bush with yellowed leaves. Growths form Brown color. The main reason is dry, unventilated air. We use two methods of treatment.

1. mechanical cleaning. We remove insects with a toothbrush or gauze. We wash the place where the pot stands with a solution of soap.
2. Spraying with a solution. Mix one teaspoon of machine oil, two tablespoons of laundry detergent, a little crushed laundry soap with a glass of water. Spray the leaves and branches with the solution. Rinse with water after four hours. The procedure is repeated at least three times a month.

Before spraying, we protect the soil from getting the solution - we cover it with polyethylene.

Problems

In addition to pests, the plant is susceptible to diseases associated with improper care. There are four most common symptoms

1. Rusty spots. The reason is the wrong watering. We regulate the supply of moisture.
2. Wrinkled leaves. Too much ultraviolet light is to blame. We shade the bush.
3. Small and drying bushes. The reason is the lack of fertilizers. We add minerals and vitamins.
4. Falling leaves on a tangerine tree. If this mature plant, then you should not worry, as this is a sign of "old age". In young bushes, the leaves turn yellow and fall off due to an excess of light, a lack of nitrogen.

Symptoms appeared - we are reviewing the conditions for growing a pet, otherwise it may die.

Knowing how to care for a tangerine tree can be grown on a windowsill solar plant, the fruits of which have a mass useful properties. It is known that the fruit has phytoncidal properties that inhibit the activity of microbes, and can alleviate the condition with dysentery or diarrhea. Fresh juice is even able to destroy some types of fungi in skin diseases.

general information

Of all the types of citrus plants grown indoors, only the indoor tangerine is second to the lemon tree in terms of prevalence and popularity. According to the assumption of botanists, its homeland is China or Japan. The name "tangerine" was given to this plant by the Chinese, since for many centuries it was grown only in the gardens of rich dignitaries of feudal China - tangerines. Exported from China, tangerine trees appeared in Europe only in the 19th century. The Italian Michel Tecor brought mandarin trees to Italy in 1840, and this citrus plant quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. Probably, such popularity was due to the fact that tangerine trees are early-growing and very productive, and the fruits are sweet and without seeds. Mandarin comes to Ukraine from Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, during a mass dacha construction in the subtropical zone of the Black Sea coast. Here it became the most common citrus plant. Regardless of the variety, summer gardeners gave tangerine trees a common name - forged. Mandarin trees are relatively stunted, on plantations they reach a height of 2-3 meters. The branches of the tangerine tree are mostly drooping. The leaves are dense, dark green, with small wings on the petioles. White fragrant flowers collected in brushes. Mandarin fruits are spherical, flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter and weighing from 30 to 100 g. The peel of the fruit is thin, orange, easily separated from the pulp. In the so-called "chubby" tangerines, it almost does not touch the pulp, because it is separated from it by an air layer. The pulp is sweet, juicy, yellow-orange, easily divided into slices. The fruit of the tangerine tree contains a lot of sugar, organic acids, vitamins C and B1. Seeds in mandarin fruits are rarely formed. In an apartment, a mandarin grows and develops with a limited amount of light and fresh air, so the right choice of a mandarin variety that is most suitable for room conditions is of paramount importance. These requirements are met by early ripe tangerine trees of Japanese origin, which are characterized by low growth and unpretentiousness. The most common is the indoor tangerine variety Unshiu (meaning "Seedless"). This is a low (not higher than 1.5 m) tangerine tree with a spreading crown; without spines on branches; with broad, leathery, dark green leaves. The tangerine tree usually blooms once a year in spring, very abundantly. Tangerine flowers are small, white, exuding a pleasant aroma. The tangerine tree begins to bear fruit from the age of 3. At home, a well-groomed adult tangerine tree produces an average of 40-50 fruits per year.

Dwarf tangerines of the Vasya group.

These varieties of tangerine tree are stunted and decorative. These include indoor varieties of tangerines: Kowano-Wase, Miha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase. The height of adult tangerine trees does not exceed 50-80 cm, so it is very convenient to keep them on the windowsill. Indoor mandarin does not need to form a crown, only sometimes it is necessary to remove dried and improperly growing branches. Dwarf tangerines begin to bear fruit already in the second year of life. The fruits of the tangerine tree are not inferior in size and taste to the fruits of the Unshiu variety.

Landing (transfer)

For this purpose, take a pot of any material, the main thing is that the upper diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, the height is approximately the same. At the bottom of the pot should be one or more small holes to drain excess water when watering. At the bottom of the pot, and this can be a plastic bucket, wooden, ceramic, glass container, place expanded clay or sand as drainage, and best of all charcoal, which can be taken from an extinct fire in the forest, in the city park. The thickness of the drainage should not exceed 3-5 cm. Then sprinkle the drainage a little with soil. To transplant a tangerine tree seedling, you need specially prepared soil like "Mandarin", it is presented on our website in the section "Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants"-" Soils for indoor plants. Or prepare the soil yourself: the land for transplantation must be taken in the forest or in the park, under the old deciduous trees except oak, chestnut and poplar. It is necessary to take only the top, most fertile layer soil, 5-10 cm thick. Add sand to this land, preferably river sand, a little ash, more humus, if available. The proportion is as follows: two glasses of hardwood, a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and one tablespoon of ash. Stir all this in any bowl, add a little water to get a thick creamy mass that will fill the entire volume of the pot well, leaving no air voids near the roots of the tangerine tree. Six months later, the tangerine tree must be transplanted into a pot larger by 5 cm in diameter. Spray the planted indoor tangerine and water it with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), and then place it on a window sill, bay window or balcony prepared in advance so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.

reproduction

Indoor mandarin is propagated by grafting on seedlings of lemon, orange, grown from seeds of indoor varieties and by the method air layer. Indoor mandarin practically does not lend itself to cuttings in amateur conditions.

Lighting

Keep a tangerine tree should be on the southern sunny window. In summer, indoor mandarin is recommended to be taken out into the open air - to the garden, to the veranda, balcony, placing it in a place protected from the wind. If the indoor tangerine is on the south window, then in the summer it is advisable to darken it a little from direct sunlight so that there are no burns on the leaves of the tangerine and chlorosis does not appear from overheating of the entire crown and roots. For this, on the window frame, height tangerine tree, make a gauze curtain and in the morning, before leaving the house, cover the glass with it if the day promises to be sunny.

Air temperature

If the pot with room tangerine will stand on the windowsill, then the window must be well insulated for the winter, and the pot itself must be insulated in winter and summer. Favorable temperature for budding and flowering of tangerine is +16 +18°С, air humidity is not less than 60%, but do not be afraid of high temperatures, the tangerine tree can withstand and bear fruit up to +40°С.

Watering

Indoor tangerine should be watered as the topsoil dries, preventing the clod of earth in the pot from completely drying out. To determine soil moisture, do not be too lazy to take a little surface layer of soil with three fingers daily and squeeze it. If the earth sticks together, then it is not necessary to water, if it crumbles under the fingers, then it is time to water. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil daily (especially in summer) so that the whole earthen ball does not dry out in a pot from high temperatures and bright sun. The question of where to get water for irrigation and what it should be is also very difficult and therefore we will dwell on it in detail. In a city apartment drinking water practically unsuitable for irrigating citrus fruits, since it contains a large amount of compounds of alkaline earth metals and chlorine, which together and individually cause great harm tangerine, causing spotting (chlorosis) of leaves, alkalization of the soil, disrupt metabolic processes. Many authors recommend boiling tap water, but this does not always immediately lead to the desired result, extra hassle often scare off potential fans of window fruit growing, so I recommend taking hot water from the tap. Such water contains less chlorine and is softer. In addition, water for irrigation must be defended for at least a day in an open vessel to completely remove chlorine, which is extremely detrimental to citrus fruits. In a private house, water can be taken from a well, but it is better from a lake or stream and left in a room for heating. Rainwater now contains a lot harmful impurities, so do not collect it for watering. In any case, wherever water is taken, it must be left for at least a day in an open vessel at room temperature and only then water the tangerine. In winter, in order to achieve better growth and fruiting of mandarin, it is advisable to heat the water before watering to a temperature of +30 +35 ° C. In the summer, you can put water on a sunny window and not bother heating it.

spraying

It must be well remembered that, in addition to watering, indoor tangerine, at least once a day, especially in summer, should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle or in any other way to create moisture, to wash off dust from the branches, so that the leaves “breathe”. At least once a month, it is advisable to put a tangerine tree in a bath, cover plastic wrap earth in a pot and treat the entire crown with cotton wool and soapy suds. Then you don't have to deal with heavy pest control. At the same time, do not forget to tie the stem of the tangerine tree below with gauze or a bandage to soapy water soaked into the fabric and did not fall into the soil.

Fertilizer

In winter, indoor tangerine is not fed, in spring and summer - once every two weeks. Any top dressing should be done only the next day after watering, i.e. when the soil in the pot is damp, otherwise you can burn the roots. Pour the fertilizer under the plant until the solution starts to flow out of the drainage holes. To feed a tangerine tree seedling, you need Mandarin type fertilizer, it is presented on our website in the section "Soils and fertilizers for indoor plants" - "Fertilizers for indoor plants". Feeding adult plants with a fish ear, at least one meter high, once a month enhances their fruiting. They do it this way: 200 grams of fish waste or small unsalted fish are boiled in two liters of water for half an hour. Then dilute the solution cold water and filter through cheesecloth. This fertilizer must be used together with the Mandarin fertilizer mentioned above.

Pests

Enemies for indoor mandarin are sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. The most common pests are: spider mites, scale insects (false shields). The fight against them is carried out by chemical and biological preparations, which are more acceptable in conditions open soil subtropics and greenhouses. For an apartment, it is desirable not to use pesticides. The signs of damage by a spider mite are as follows: white dots appear on the old mandarin leaves on the underside, and the reddish mite itself is visible to the naked eye. If you touch it, it starts to move quickly. Young leaves curl into a "boat" and are entangled in a white cobweb. To combat the tick, tobacco dust, garlic, laundry soap are used. Take 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust and pour a glass of boiling water, insist for 6 days. To the resulting infusion add 10 grams of laundry soap and spray the plant 3 times with an interval of 6 days. Garlic is used as follows: one head of garlic is kneaded, poured into a glass hot water and insist for 2 days. The solution is filtered and spraying is carried out in the same way as above. When affected by a scab, brown-gray shiny rounded formations, 3-5 mm in diameter, are visible on the surface of young and old leaves. They are located along the veins on the top and bottom of the leaf, as well as on the branches themselves. In the initial stage, these growths are almost transparent, whitish in color and poorly visible. With a strong lesion, sticky gum appears on the surface of old leaves, and in the late stage they are covered with a black sticky coating, which is very poorly washed off with water. From scale insects, water-oil emulsions effectively help. One teaspoon of machine oil is stirred in one glass of warm water, 40 grams of laundry soap, 2 tablespoons of washing powder are added. Before processing, the soil in the pot is covered with plastic wrap, the stem is tied at the bottom with a bandage. This is done in order to prevent the emulsion from entering the soil. Processing is done with a cotton or gauze swab. A water-oil emulsion is applied to all surfaces of tangerine branches and leaves. After 3-4 hours, wash everything off under the shower, making sure that the emulsion does not get into the soil. Processing is carried out 3 times with an interval of 6 days.

Many flower growers dream of acquiring an indoor tangerine with fragrant flowers And delicious fruits. But for fear of not coping with the care of the plant, they do not dare to take this step.

However, you can grow successfully fruit tree at home and make a good harvest. It is only necessary to strictly observe the rules for keeping the plant.

What do we know about the famous mandarin

Mandarin or in Latin Citrus reticulate is a member of the genus citrus from the rue family.

motherland evergreen fruit tree is northern India, where mandarin is like cultivated plant began to grow many centuries before our era.

Later, it began to be cultivated in China and Japan, and early 19th century was introduced to Spain, Italy, Algeria and other countries of the southern and western Mediterranean.

In ancient China, only wealthy officials could afford this fruit tree, which is why they began to be called "tangerines".

IN vivo fruit tree grows up to 4 meters in height. Its elliptical leathery leaves small size painted dark green.

Matte white mandarin flowers exude a pleasant aroma and capable of self-pollination. After dropping the petals, ovaries appear on the tree - future fruits, which in six months turn into tangerines loved by everyone, reaching up to 60 mm in diameter.

Mandarin successfully grown even in room conditions. It is valued by flower growers not only for useful fruits, but also as an ornamental plant.

Some types of trees can bloom all year round. Particularly impressive it looks during the fruiting period, when its crown is strewn with bright orange fruits.

Through the efforts of breeders, many dwarf varieties mandarin for growing at home. Here are just a few of them:

• Winshiu (Citrus unshiu)- the most famous seedless species, growing up to 1.5 meters in height. Begins to bear fruit after 3 or 4 years.
• Forged— Vasya(Citrus Unschiu Marc. cv.Kowano-Vase)- early ripe dwarf mandarin up to 80 cm in height. Flowering continues all year round. Begins to bear fruit in two years. The fruits can stay on the bush for up to several months.
• Honey (Murcott)- a rare variety in the form of a compact bush with very sweet fruits.
• Shiva Mikan (Citrus leiocarpa Hort var. Shiva-mikan Tanaca)- dwarf tree with juicy fruits up to 30 g in weight. It grows quickly, blooms profusely and bears fruit well.
• Clementine (Citrus clementina)- an early ripe hybrid of mandarin and orange. It bears fruit in the second year. One tree per year can produce up to 50 orange fruits of a flattened shape.

Features of caring for indoor tangerine

An important point in the content of mandarin in room conditions - this is the observance of temperature and light conditions.

Also should know that a tangerine grown from a stone brings inedible fruits called "wild" or does not bear fruit at all.

To get a tree with delicious tangerines from such a plant, you need graft a seedling, grown from a stone, on a cutting of a fruit-bearing tree.

Mandarin, unlike other citrus fruits, unable to propagate by cuttings. However, in flower shops, as a rule, already grafted fruit-bearing trees are sold.

In crown formation dwarf tangerines dont need. It is only necessary to remove dried or strongly elongated branches in time.

Lighting and temperature conditions

Mandarin loves warmth and light. Place a plant the best thing on the south, west or east window, but with shading from the midday sun. In winter, the tree will need additional lighting.

In the summer, it is advisable to place the plant on a balcony or veranda in places protected from the wind. TO fresh air indoor tangerine should be taught gradually..

Optimum temperature for a plant in summer - about 25 ° C, but not higher. It is better not to overheat the tree, otherwise its flowers may wither and crumble.

spring during the appearance of buds recommended temperature is 16 to 18 °C. For abundant fruiting, mandarin needs a cold winter. For the winter, you need to place it in a bright, cool room with a temperature of 10 to 12 ° C.

Watering and humidity

From spring to autumn, you need to water the mandarin abundantly once a day with warm, settled water. It is important to prevent both drought and waterlogging of the soil.

From an excess of moisture, the roots of a plant can rot, and from a lack of water, leaves can fall off. During the winter, the plant should be watered, waiting for drying the top layer of the earth.

Mandarin needs high humidity. Regular spraying is very important for the plant.

In this case, you need to ensure that water does not fall on the flowers. It is useful to put a container with a tree on a pallet with wet moss, pebbles or expanded clay.

Soil composition and transplant

tree prefers slightly acidic soil. Suitable ready ground for citrus fruits or a self-prepared mixture of the following components:

• 1 part of humus;
• 1 part of leaf land;
• 3 parts of sod land;
• 1 part coarse sand;
• some clay.

Young tangerines are transplanted annually in early spring before active growth begins. pot bottom definitely need provide a drainage layer 3-4 cm thick in the form broken brick or expanded clay. Fruiting tangerines are recommended to be transplanted every 2 or 3 years.

The transplant should be transshipment method so as not to damage the roots of the plant. At the same time, care must be taken to root neck the tree was at the same level as in the previous container.

top dressing

At the beginning of June in a period of rapid growth you can start fertilizing the tangerine twice a month. This should be done after watering, so as not to burn the roots.

It is most preferable to feed the fruiting tree with infusion cow dung in a ratio of 1:10 or a special fertilizer for citrus fruits. In winter, feeding the plant is not required.

Flowering and fruiting

Plant throughout the year goes through two phases active growth. The tree enters the first phase in March or April, and the second phase - in August or September. To give young plant get stronger, it is desirable to remove flowers and ovaries for the first three years.

For the fourth year you can let the tree bear fruit, but not more than 6 tangerines at a time, partially removing the ovaries, since the branches of the plant at this age are still thin and weak.

Regulate fruiting tangerine can be done with a simple calculation- for 15 leaves of a tree there should be 1 fruit.

Growing up, the tangerine will be able to bear more and more fragrant fruits. During fruiting branches with ripening tangerines it is desirable to tie up so that they do not break off from the weight of the fruit.

With proper care during the year, one adult tree can be harvested up to 60 fruits.

Reproduction of mandarin

Indoor tangerine can be propagated at home in two ways: by seeds and by grafting.

Reproduction by seeds

tangerine seeds soak for several days in a damp cloth or hydrogel. Next, the swollen seeds are planted in the soil, consisting of the components listed above, or in the finished mixture for roses.

It is important that in the soil for mandarin seedlings there was no peat, which dries very quickly and often turns sour.

Three weeks after sowing the seeds, the first shoots can be expected. However, young tangerines grown from seeds in room conditions develop only as decorative culture. To grow a full-fledged tangerine with real tasty fruits from such a tree, need to graft him.

Reproduction by grafting

Vaccination is carried out during the period of active sap flow - in April or early May, but it is also possible in August. It is necessary to take care of the stock and scion in advance.

Rootstock- this is a young tangerine grown from a stone with a trunk thickness equal to the diameter of a pencil - about 6 mm. scion- a kidney (eye) together with a leaf petiole, taken from a fresh cutting of a fruiting mandarin.

At a height of about 7 cm from the ground, an incision is made on the bark of the stock trunk, so as not to hurt the wood. in the shape of the letter "T". The size of the incision along the upper horizontal is 1 cm, and in height - 2.5 cm.

Knife-tip bark gently folds back to the sides, and the kidney, held by the petiole, is inserted into the resulting opening. The inserted "eye" is tightly pressed against the corners of the bark.

grafted plant placed in a "greenhouse" in the form of a large plastic bag. The transplanted kidney usually heals within 3 weeks.

The success of the grafting is evidenced by the easily separating yellowed petiole of the leaf. If the petiole turns black and withered, then "eye" did not take root.

Sprouted bud begin accustom to air, gradually increasing the ventilation time of the "greenhouse". A month after the shoot sprouts from the bud, the rootstock trunk is cut obliquely above the shoot at a height of 5 mm.

The cut is processed with garden pitch, and the bandage is removed. A stick is installed in the pot, to which a young shoot is tied for vertical growth and correct formation crowns.

Pests

Dangerous pests of mandarin are spider mites and scale insects.

For pest prevention wash the tangerine with soapy water once a month. To do this, it is necessary to cover the soil in the pot with a film, wrap the trunk with a cloth and treat the tangerine crown with cotton wool moistened with strong soapy foam.

In the case of spider mites, a solution of tobacco powder and laundry soap is used. To make it, you need to pour 1 tbsp of tobacco dust with a glass of boiling water and leave for 6 days, and then add 10 g of soap to the solution.

Also proved to be excellent garlic infusion- chopped head of garlic is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 days. Each of the solutions is filtered and applied three times for spraying with an interval of 6 days.

When shielding, it is necessary to resort to water-oil emulsions. Very important for the time of processing, cover the ground with a film, and wrap the stem of the plant with gauze, folding it into several layers.

Frequent problems

Very often, when growing mandarin at home, flower growers face a number of problems: yellowing, curling and falling of leaves, complete loss of foliage and falling of flowers.

Why do indoor tangerine leaves turn yellow?

More often tree leaves turn yellow from lack of nitrogen and iron. To replenish the amount of nitrogen in the soil, it is recommended to feed the mandarin with organic fertilizers.

With iron deficiency, the plant develops chlorosis, which causes its leaves to become light yellow in color. For the prevention of chlorosis once a month, the tree is treated with iron chelate.

Sometimes the leaves turn yellow in insufficient light or due to too small a pot. The problem is solved by transplanting the mandarin into a new, more spacious pot or by adjusting the light regime.

Another reason for yellowing leaves may be spider mite attack. The pest control method is described above.

Indoor tangerine - leaves fall

The tree may fall leaves because the air is too dry. This can happen in winter heating season and hot summers. You need to spray the plant more often.

Another cause of leaf fall may be the fact that the root neck of the tree is too deep into the ground, or the tangerine grows in a very large pot. It is necessary to transplant the plant according to all the rules.

Sometimes leaves fall due to lack of potassium in the soil. In this case, you should feed the plant with potassium nitrate. Also, leaf fall can begin with excessive watering, poor lighting and drafts.

Anyway the problem is solved through proper care.

Indoor tangerine has lost all foliage - what to do?

Mandarin can shed all the leaves if exhausted and in dire need of a period of rest. A well-deserved rest is necessary for a tree from mid-autumn to the end of February.

At this time, the mandarin must be transferred to a cool place with a temperature of up to 12 ° C, watering should be reduced, avoiding drought in the soil, and feeding should be stopped. With the beginning of spring the tree will come to life. Other causes of abundant leaf fall are described above.

Other possible problems

There may be other problems with improper care of the mandarin:

• Castings dry and crumble- Drought or waterlogging of the soil.
• Flowers are falling- too dry air.
• Leaves are curling- insufficient watering.

Needless to say, caring for a room tangerine has its own difficulties and peculiarities. However, the joy of harvesting fruits and the opportunity to admire the beauty of an exotic tree at home worth every effort.