Many amateur flower growers sometimes had the thought of planting a seed from a tangerine. But will the tree not only grow, but also bear fragrant fruits? For this to happen, it is necessary to carry out proper care at home for the tangerine tree.
In nature, there are many varieties and species of this plant. They differ in the height of the crown and its shape, the number of fruits, their color, taste and aroma. For home cultivation, a tree is suitable, which will have a small amount of medium-sized fruits, as well as small sizes.
Some types of tangerine tree:
- tangerine - has a lot of advantages among other varieties and is great for growing in an apartment;
- tangerine wavy - pleases with a neat crown, the fruits have a diameter of no more than 7 cm;
- small-fruited group - the main representatives are shiva-mikan (has a sour taste), as well as mukaku-kishiu and kishiu (sweet varieties);
- hybrids.
Due to the variety of varieties, any grower will find for himself the kind of homemade tangerine that will suit him with the taste of fruits and their appearance. But it is necessary to pay attention to the growing conditions of this plant. For example, the unshiu variety takes root most well in an apartment, since it tolerates low temperatures and lack of sunlight well.
Tangerine tree: the nuances of growing
It will be possible to get fruits from a homemade tangerine only a few years after planting. And it is worth considering that in most cases, daughter plants from a germinated seed do not retain the taste properties of the mother bush. At home, small and sour fruits are almost always obtained, which will perfectly decorate the interior, but are not suitable for eating. To transfer the qualities of a parent to a new tree, you will need to propagate the mandarin using cuttings or grafting.
The plant requires suitable conditions for its growth, so you need to allocate a sufficient amount of free time to care for it.
How to grow from seed at home?
Bones of almost any kind are suitable for growing tangerines. However, it is important to study in advance the characteristics of a particular variety. It is also necessary to pay attention to the soil and the shape of the pot for planting. In order for the plant to sprout and grow stronger, you need to properly plant the existing bones.
Selection of planting material
To plant a tangerine tree from a seed, you will first need to germinate it. To do this, it is recommended to wrap the planting material in several layers of gauze and moisten it thoroughly with water. After a couple of days, small sprouts will begin to hatch from the seeds, and they themselves will significantly increase in size and swell. Then they can be planted in prepared soil.
Also, fresh bones that have not yet had time to dry are suitable for planting. They do not need to be soaked in advance, and the likelihood of seedlings increases significantly.
Soil and pot requirements
The tangerine tree will not grow in acidic soil, so the grower should definitely keep an eye on this.
To prepare the substrate yourself, you will need:
- 2/5 humus;
- 2/5 forest land;
- 1/5 sand.
You can also purchase ready-made soil from a grow shop. The soil should have a non-acidic environment (neutral PH) and be suitable for planting tangerines. Peat as a soil coma is not suitable.
How to plant?
As the first container, you can use ordinary plastic cups or small transparent pots with a diameter of not more than 10 cm. It is better to prepare a separate container for each bone.
First you need to make a small hole in the soil to a depth of 4 cm, carefully place the stone there and cover it with earth. The substrate throughout the germination should be moist, respectively, it will need to be moistened as needed. The air temperature in the room should reach 20-25 degrees.
On average, germination of mandarin takes from 2 to 4 weeks. If several sprouts appear from one bone at once, the weakest ones must be carefully removed.
Transplanting mandarin seedlings
The first transplantation of young seedlings is carried out when the root system completely fills the container. This explains the recommendation to plant seeds in a plastic cup or other transparent container - this way it will be easier for the grower to observe the growth of the roots of the plant.
A young tree will need to be pulled out of the first pot along with an earthy clod and transferred to a suitable larger container. It will be necessary to perform a transplant every year until the tangerine begins to bear the first fruits.
Will a tree grown from a seed bear fruit?
If you take proper care of this plant, it will bear fruit without fail. True, this will happen no earlier than in 3-4 years. It should also be remembered that ornamental plants with rather sour fruits grow from the stone in most cases.
Tangerine tree: care
From the proper care of a plant of the genus citrus, its appearance, as well as the taste properties of the resulting fruits, completely depend. You will need to comply with all growing conditions, properly water the green pet and fertilize the soil in time.
Growing conditions
The most suitable place for a mandarin will be a windowsill on a south or east window. Here the plant will feel comfortable, as it loves bright and diffused sunlight. From direct rays, the tree will need to be shaded.
The air temperature should not fall below 16 degrees in the summer, and in winter the mandarin can withstand "frosts" up to 12 degrees above zero. In the cold season, it is important to provide the plant with a lower temperature and wintering. If this does not happen, next year's fruits will not be expected.
Attention! The main feature of the mandarin is its addiction to one-sided lighting. The flower should not often be turned around its axis, as stress can shed its leaves and even die.
How to water correctly?
Also, the grower will need to know how to properly water the tangerine tree. This plant is very fond of moisture, so in the summer it must be watered every other day. In winter, watering is reduced and the tangerine will have enough moisture in the soil once a week.
In summer, be sure to spray the leaves several times a day, while not touching the flowers with water. It is also recommended to place a small container of water next to the plant to maintain an optimal level of air humidity.
Fertilizer and top dressing
It is imperative to carry out top dressing, starting in March and ending in early autumn. During this period, the kidneys are actively developing, which will require the supply of mineral fertilizer.
What should be in top dressing:
- nitrogen;
- phosphorus;
- potassium.
Also, mandarin can be fertilized with mullein manure, diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10. Feed should be fed once every one and a half weeks, alternating the type of feeding. In winter, fertilizers are reduced to once a month.
Shaping and trimming
Often, it is not necessary to form a crown at home, since the varieties initially have a decorative appearance. The grower will only need to pluck the shoots during their germination from the seed. If the plant has given birth to heavy fruits, it should be tied to a support.
How to plant mandarin at home?
Grafting is also one of the ways to propagate mandarin. To achieve the goal, you will need to take plants with a trunk thickness of at least 0.5 cm, and the rootstock should be about 1-3 years old. The shoot is cut off from the plant from which they want to get a daughter tree. It must have one bud and leaf.
Disease and pest control
The tangerine tree is sick in the same way as any other house plant - due to improper care. The appearance of diseases is affected by unsuitable air humidity and the microclimate in the room, as well as the lack of necessary elements in the soil.
The most common diseases are:
- Anthracnose. Manifested by yellowing and falling leaves with deformation of the bark. For treatment, treatment with "Fitosporin" is used. The affected part of the plant is recommended to be destroyed.
- Gommose citrus. Red spots form on the trunk. This can happen due to improper planting, damage to the trunk, lack of necessary drainage, or an excess of fertilizer. You can correct the situation by treating cracks with a light solution of vitriol. From above it is necessary to cover them with garden pitch.
- Scab. It looks like small transparent spots, which subsequently turn into gray warty formations. Spraying the plant three times with Bordeaux liquid will help to cure the plant.
- Spider mite. Manifested by a cobweb on the leaves. Initially, it is necessary to remove pests from the tangerine with an old toothbrush, and then give it a contrast shower. The soil should be sprinkled with ash. You will need to repeat the procedure in a week and a half.
If you take care of the tangerine tree according to all the rules, you can get a wonderful living decoration in any interior. When bright orange fruits begin to bloom on it, this will definitely cheer up the owner and attract the attention of all guests at home.
Transplanting a tangerine tree is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, for the first few years it is constantly growing, which means that its root system is growing and requires more and more space. Secondly, even after the indoor tangerine stops growing, the soil in the pot depletes over time, and without replacing it, the tree will not be able to fully live and bear fruit.
Transplanting any tree is a rather difficult and responsible task, even if it is an indoor tangerine. In its own way, and he is a giant among small houseplants, and he needs more and more space, and a more spacious pot.
Young plants are transplanted once a year, adults - once every two years. In the first case, the new pot should be slightly larger than the previous one. In the second - the same size, but at the same time they try to completely replace the earth and the drainage layer.
Why can't you immediately plant a young sprout in a large pot? Because in such a container there will be too much space for its root system, and it will begin to grow to the detriment of the aerial part and fruits. In a figurative sense, a tangerine pot should grow with it, gradually.
Work is carried out at the end of the dormant period, when the tree is just beginning to wake up after winter rest. That is, at the beginning of March. In any case, this must happen before the flowers appear. A flowering tree is no longer transplanted, in this state it will be very difficult for it to take root in a new place, since forces will be needed both for flowering and for the formation of fruits.
The pot can be of any type, as long as it has a hole for draining excess water, it is imperative to arrange a drainage layer at the bottom. As a rule, in 1-2 years, a lot of microorganisms appear on fragments of bricks, expanded clay or gravel, which can be both beneficial and harmful for the plant. We will assume that beneficial bacteria will appear again in the course of life, and it is better to get rid of harmful ones by removing them along with the old drainage.
As for the substrate, it can be purchased ready-made, or made at home from simple components. In flower shops, citrus substrates are on sale - they will be what you need.
Independently, the substrate can be made from humus, garden soil, coarse sand taken in 1 part. Then you need to add 3 parts of sod land, a little clay, and mix everything.
After drainage is arranged in the new pot, some earth is poured and the tree is removed from the old container. First, it is watered, this should be done a few hours before transplanting. The earth should be well soaked.
Then the roots are pryed with a spatula or a wide knife, and the tree is removed. Small plants can be transplanted alone, for transplanting large plants it is better to do the work together, so there will be more confidence that neither the tree nor its root system will suffer.
The extracted plant is inspected, damaged roots and part of the earth are removed. It is not worth removing it completely; when transplanting, it is important to replace at least half of the old substrate.
In a new pot, the root neck should be at the same level, it is not at all difficult to comply with these conditions. After being placed in a new place, the substrate is watered, compacted, and if necessary, add a little more.
Now the tree will need the same care as before, at the beginning of the awakening season - feeding, raising the temperature, loosening the earth, watering, spraying.
If you want to add a tangerine tree to your collection, but are worried that you will not be able to cope with the care, your fears are in vain. You just need to follow the rules for keeping mandarin at home. At the time of purchase, consult what conditions are best to create, what fertilizers to buy, and most importantly, learn how to transplant a tangerine tree at home. Having understood all these issues, you will be calmer.
A tangerine tree is transplanted in the spring, when the plant wakes up after winter and all its processes are activated. Since this plant develops very quickly, it is recommended to replant a young tree once a year, while the new pot should be 2–3 cm larger than the previous one. And at the age of seven, when the flower is already considered an adult, a mandarin transplant is carried out every three years.
First, make sure that a transplant is necessary, for this, make a small dig and feel the condition of the roots. If the root system is tightly wrapped around the soil, then replant, and if the roots are loose, it would be better to change the topsoil and leave the pot the same. Do not forget that there will be no point in transplanting if the plant is blooming at this moment. It is better not to touch the tangerine tree at all in the flowering phase. Therefore, knowing how to properly and when to transplant a mandarin at home, you will achieve the most positive results.
Choosing a transplant pot
There is no reason to worry about choosing a new pot for planting a citrus tree. If your plant is at the very preparatory stage for, then a simple plastic cup may be suitable for it. But if you want an exquisite pot for the future plant, then any other miniature container up to 10 cm deep will do. But do not forget that the root system grows very quickly, and soon you will need another glass or flowerpot for proper transplanting indoor tree.
Required soil and substrate
Proper transplanting of a homemade tangerine tree begins with choosing the right substrate. This is one of the main points and it is not worth saving on it. It is better to buy ready-made in a specialized store, pay attention that it is slightly acidic, without other impurities. The earth should be very airy and nutritious, retain moisture well and pass air. If you do not trust universal soils or just have a desire to prepare the substrate yourself, then the opportunity to prepare the right mixture always exists. For tangerine trees, the following components are suitable:
- turf and leaf soil in the same proportions;
- coarse river sand, which must be disinfected before use;
- humus;
- clay in very small quantities.
When transplanting a plant, do not forget about the need for drainage. At the bottom of the flowerpot, 3-5 centimeters thick, drainage is lined, expanded clay and small pebbles are ideal. The indoor tangerine will really like large stones at the bottom, which perfectly pass air and do not allow stagnant water. One little secret: the neck of an indoor tangerine tree, after you have transplanted it, should remain at the same level above the ground as in another pot.
After completing the process, immediately water the soil, it will settle a little, then add a little more soil and water the last time.
Rules for caring for a transplanted tree
One of the basic rules is that indoor tangerines need light! And the more it is, the better: the tree is gaining health and energy, and the fruits - juice. Place it in the house near the windows, and if it is the south side, then it is still desirable that the glass is covered by blinds or any other diffusing device. It will be bad for the leaves if they are in direct sunlight. In the warm season, you can put homemade tangerine flowers outdoors: balconies, loggias, orchards, but follow the rules of sun protection.
In winter, it is a little troublesome with this plant, since the daylight hours for it should last at least eight hours. It will be necessary to highlight with phytolamps, otherwise the tree may get sick, and in rare cases die altogether. Therefore, this item must be taken with great responsibility.
As for the air temperature, the optimal value would be 20–25 degrees, if this figure drops, then do not wait for the fruits, they will ripen, but they will turn out to be hollow inside. In winter, it is recommended to remove the plant to a cool room - this is necessary so that it can rest before the important and active phase of flowering in the spring. Having gained a lot of strength, indoor citruses give much more fruits, and they are also juicier and sweeter.
Humidity should be high, so three times a day it is worth spraying the flower with clean water. In a hot period, it would be better to place a bucket or basin of water near the pot to prevent the air around the tangerine from drying out. In winter, it will generally be ideal to use a humidifier, especially if the flower is located next to heating appliances. And do not forget to ventilate the room: fresh air has a beneficial effect on development, but do not allow drafts to appear - the indoor tangerine does not tolerate this, like any other house plant.
After you transplant a tree, be sure to water it, and then monitor the condition of the soil. It should always be kept moist, but not wet, to prevent rotting. Most often it turns out that in summer watering is done once a day, and in winter approximately 2-3 times a week. Pay attention to the pan - if water accumulates in it, then reduce the number of waterings.
Use purified and settled water for irrigation, tap water contains a lot of salts and impurities that linger in the soil and have a bad effect on the appearance of the plant. When watering, try not to get on the trunk and leaves. Morning is considered the most successful time, since the tree, like all living things, wakes up, and some water starts all metabolic processes in the body.
Video "Mandarin Transplant"
From this video you will learn how to properly transplant a tangerine tree.
Tell me how to transplant a tangerine tree at home? My handsome boy is 4 years old in the spring, I raised him from a bone. Last year I noticed that there were almost no young branches. I think the reason is in a small pot, since from the moment the seed is planted, the bush grows in one dish. How to choose a flowerpot for him, what kind of soil is better to take? Can I just reload or is it better to completely replace the soil?
Indoor tangerines are one of the most unpretentious citrus plants. They do well indoors and grow quickly, so the question of how to transplant a tangerine tree at home is always relevant. At first, the bone can “sit” for a long time and not sprout. But literally from the second year after germination, the seedling increases the pace of development. In order for a growing tree to always have enough space, do not neglect its annual transplant. If there is not enough space for the bush, it is unlikely that it will grow a lush crown, to say nothing of the harvest. When is it better to transplant a tangerine, into what and how to do it correctly?
Timing and frequency of transplant
As already mentioned, young tangerines develop quickly, they are especially active in growing roots. Therefore, it is recommended to transplant them annually. With the next transplant, the flowerpot itself also changes. The new container should be a couple of centimeters wider in diameter. But when the tree reaches 7 years old, transplantation can be done every 3 years. In an adult tree, the pot is already more spacious and there is enough space for it for a couple of years.
Transplantation is best done in early spring. Do not disturb the plant during flowering. But if the tangerine is sick, it simply needs to be transplanted, regardless of the season and flowering.
You can determine that a citrus tree needs a new pot by checking its root system. To do this, gently stir up the soil with a stick. If it gets stuck in the plexus of roots, a transplant is indicated. If the soil is loose and the stick enters freely, you can simply renew the soil by changing the top layer.
What soil is suitable for indoor tangerine
Land for a tree should be light, nutritious and slightly acidic. The best option is to buy a ready-made citrus substrate. You can also make a similar soil mixture at home by mixing:
- 3 shares of sod land;
- 1 share of sand, leafy earth and;
- some clay.
For a mandarin, you should choose a wide plastic or ceramic flowerpot.
How to transplant a tangerine tree at home
Transplanting a healthy tangerine (without signs of decay and other diseases) is best done using the transshipment method. So the bush will “come to its senses” faster, and the roots will remain unharmed. Before the procedure, do not water the ground, so that it is easier to remove the bush along with the lump. Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom of the new pot, pour a layer of soil on top. Install the tree and fill in the remaining voids on the sides well. The root neck should remain at the same level. It remains to water the tangerine - and the transplant procedure is completed.
Mandarin is an evergreen plant that belongs to the Rutov family. The specific Latin name of the mandarin is Citrus reticulate. Like orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, it belongs to the genus Citrus. The life form of this plant is interesting - it can be a shrub and a tree, reaching a height of 5 meters.
Like other representatives of the genus Citrus, mandarin has long been grown in greenhouses, conservatories, and winter gardens. Despite its size, mandarin at home can be grown on a balcony or on a windowsill. Currently, breeders have bred many varieties of dwarf and undersized tangerines for home cultivation, the maximum height of which is 0.6-1.1 m. Indoor tangerine may not be a dwarf variety, then the plant needs to be severely cut and shaped.
Indoor mandarin is a very effective pot plant. And not only because of the bright, fragrant and appetizing orange fruits that can be stored on it for several months. Sometimes the plant gives pleasure only by its flowering, because the delicate white flowers of the mandarin exude an amazing aroma. In some varieties, flowering begins in spring and can continue throughout the year. Indoor mandarin, grown in the form of bonsai, is a real work of art.
The fruits of indoor mandarin are tied without artificial pollination, usually ripen at the end of the year. Often, indoor tangerine in a pot is bought in a store with fruits already hanging on it. Despite the fact that they are very appetizing, they should not be eaten. Indeed, to achieve such a high decorative effect, plants receive high doses of fertilizers. Leathery and corrugated leaves are beautiful in mandarin.
Popular mandarin varieties for growing at home
Unshiu- Japanese variety, the most unpretentious, begins to bear fruit for 3-4 years, grows up to 0.8-1.5 m in room conditions. It branches well. It blooms profusely in spring, forms fruits in late October-November. Pear-shaped fruits do not have seeds.
Kowano-Wase, Miha-Wase, Miyagawa-Wase- dwarf tangerines of the Vasya group - suitable for growing on a windowsill, height 40-80 cm. Orange-yellow fruits ripen for the first time in the second year of cultivation, abundant flowering. Like all dwarf varieties, they do not need crown formation.
Shiva Mikan- early compact fast-growing variety. Fruits are small, not more than 30 g
Murcot t - the fruits of this compact mandarin variety are very sweet, ripen in summer, taste very sweet, which is why the name of the variety is translated as "honey".
Clementine- a hybrid of mandarin and orange, bears fruit at home in the second year. One adult domestic tree per year produces up to 50 medium flattened orange-red fruits, very fragrant, with a shiny skin. Plants of this variety with numerous seeds are called monrealis.
Mandarin: home care
Tangerine lighting at home
The first step in successfully growing an indoor tangerine is choosing a location for the plant and lighting it properly.
Indoor mandarin, as well as grown in open ground, needs good lighting with some direct sunlight. In low light, the plant slows down growth, throws out a small number of flowers or does not bloom at all. With a strong lack of light, the leaves of indoor tangerine become faded, new shoots are elongated, thin and painful in appearance. Therefore, it is better to grow a plant on the eastern, southeastern and southern windows, shading from midday direct rays. In summer, the plant can be taken out to the balcony, gradually accustoming it to the street.
In winter, with a short daylight hours, indoor mandarin should be placed in the most lit place with direct sunlight. But sometimes this is not enough: you need artificial lighting. For this purpose, an ordinary fitolamp is suitable, which can be screwed into a chandelier or table lamp. It is necessary to transfer the plant to supplementary lighting gradually. With a sharp change in the length of daylight hours, it can shed its leaves.
Content temperature
The optimum temperature for indoor tangerine in the summer is + 20-25 ° C. During the period of budding and flowering, so that the flowers do not fall off, it is better to keep the plant at a temperature slightly below + 20 ° C. In winter, to ensure a relative dormant period, tangerines are kept at + 5 -10 ° C. A plant that has rested over the winter will flower and bear fruit better.
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How to water and spray tangerine at home
Indoor mandarin, like its wild ancestors, is adapted to endure dry periods. In a pinch, the plant will shed its leaves to reduce the amount of liquid that evaporates. A common problem when growing mandarin at home is excessive watering, which leads to the development of fungal diseases.
The amount of water for watering indoor mandarin depends on several factors:
- the size of the plant;
- the size of the container in which the tangerine grows;
- ambient temperature;
- duration of daylight hours and light intensity.
The larger the surface of the leaves of an indoor tangerine, the stronger the evaporation, and the more it needs to be watered. The temperature also affects the rate of evaporation: the higher it is, the more the plant loses moisture. The length of daylight directly affects the amount of moisture that evaporates. Stomata - formations on the underside of terrestrial plants that serve for gas exchange, open during daylight hours.
Watering indoor tangerine should be carried out in the morning, when the plant has activated its vital processes. When the temperature drops, watering is reduced, up to stopping for several days during the period when the temperature in the room is only + 12-15 ° C. In this case, the tangerine is watered with a small amount of water, only to maintain life.
Mandarin at home needs regular spraying of the leaves. Strongly dry air has a bad effect on the plant and is often a prerequisite for its infestation with spider mites. If indoor tangerine blooms, then you need to make sure that water does not fall on its flowers.
How to feed mandarin at home
A complete care for a mandarin at home is not possible without additional mineral and organic top dressing. The soil in a pot is quickly depleted and washed out during watering, and recreational processes practically do not occur in it, unlike the soil in nature.
For top dressing, you can use soluble or dry fertilizers. In the spring, with an increase in daylight hours, top dressing for indoor mandarin is increased. It is in the early spring period that vegetative and generative buds begin to develop intensively, at which time the plant requires additional nutrients.
At home, mandarin is fertilized, like all other indoor plants, that is, in the morning. The ambient temperature should be at least + 18-19 degrees.
Soluble fertilizers are often used for top dressing. They can water the plant, and in a weaker concentration spray its leaves. To feed an indoor tangerine, any complex mineral fertilizer containing phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, the main elements needed by plants, is suitable.
Dissolve fertilizers in soft or settled water at room temperature. The main thing is not to increase the dose. If the instructions say: 1 cap of the product per 1 liter of water, do not think that 2 caps will make the solution more useful. This will lead to the opposite effect - a chemical burn or toxic poisoning of the plant.
You need to feed mandarin at home during the period of intensive growth (from March to September) 2 times a week. Maybe less often, but not more often.
Dry fertilizers, which are applied to the soil and gradually dissolve, giving the soil trace elements, must be applied even more carefully. Their advantage is that by making them in the spring you can forget about feeding for a long time. However, they can be quickly used by the plant, and it will be difficult to guess about it. The introduction of an additional dose of fertilizer will lead to the above overdose.
Mandarin cultivation also requires organic fertilizers. To do this, you can dilute infused cow dung in a ratio of 1/10. The best option would be to use organic fertilizer in combination with mineral fertilizers for ground dressing.
Additional care for mandarin at home
To form a lush tangerine tree, pinch the tops of its branches.
Caring for a tangerine at home also consists in removing dried leaves or stretched twigs.
On young flowering plants, flowers are partially removed so as not to deplete them and allow several fruits to ripen. For 15-20 leaves of an adult plant, one ovary can be left. The fewer fruits left on the tangerine, the larger they will be.
The fruit-bearing branches of indoor mandarin are tied, tied to a support, otherwise they may break due to the severity of the fruit, and the plant will not have an attractive appearance.
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