Most of our children, and often we ourselves, adults, began their acquaintance with botany with a mandarin duck. Orange, fragrant, with bright slices and nondescript bones, it brought us to the question: is it possible to grow such a miracle on our own? And if this question overtook us not far from a pot of earth, even if already occupied by some plant, the seeds were immediately sent to the soil. And after a while, the already forgotten experiment turned into a difficult task: how to care for and get the fruits from your own tangerine in home growing conditions? We will talk about this in the article.

Tangerine tree(Citrus reticulata). © Team D Content:

Tangerine from the bone - analyzing the difficulties

Before deciding to grow a tangerine from a seed, you need to think: how much are you willing to work hard to achieve a result, and what exactly do you want from the tree you are growing - just decorative or also fruits? Are you ready to wait? The seed tangerine grows rather slowly. Do you agree to experiments? In order for the plant to bloom, it will take more than one year, and there are often cases that the tangerine, in general, does not bloom, then you will need to help him.

In addition, if a tangerine grown from a seed produces fruits, they do not look like those from which the seed was taken (in order for the variety to repeat, it must be propagated vegetatively - by cuttings, grafting). However, what turns out, in any case, pleasantly surprises!

Planting a mandarin

What seeds to plant?

For planting tangerines, it is best to take seeds from the many hybrids offered for sale today. They sprout faster, bloom earlier, in most cases, produce edible fruits and are easier to graft. It is very simple to distinguish them from real tangerines: the real ones do not have seeds in the fruits, or there are very few of them, and hybrids are always with seeds.

The selected seeds should not be thin, as if dried out, deformed or with a blackened tip. It is good that there are at least five mandarin seeds, since not all will germinate, and if the plants are planned to be grafted, then at least ten, because grafting is not always successful.

Tangerine sprouted from seeds. © Jerry Coleby-William

Cooking the ground and picking up the pot

The next task is to prepare the substrate. There should be no peat in it, since mandarin does not like acidic soil. Therefore, the substrate is either bought in a store, marked with a pH = 6.5-7 (neutral soil), or they are made on their own by mixing two parts of well-rotted humus, two parts of forest land (from under deciduous trees) and one part sieved river sand... If there is no humus, you can just take non-acidic soil and sand.

Now you need to pick up a container for planting. The first pots for young tangerines are quite capable of being plastic cups with a volume of 200 ml, bowls with a depth of at least 7-9 cm (always with a drainage hole) or small pots.

Planting mandarin seeds

For all citrus fruits, there is a single rule: the faster the seed from the fruit gets into the soil, the higher its germination. Therefore, after eating a tangerine, you do not need to dry its bones, you must immediately place them in the ground, digging them to a depth of 4 cm.

If, for some reason, tangerine seeds could not be planted immediately, then, in order to slightly speed up the germination process, it is recommended to soak them for several days. In this case, the dishes in which they will lie should be flat, the cloth should be damp, but not filled with water, the place should be warm, but not in the sun. So that the cloth in which the tangerine bones are wrapped does not dry out, the saucer can be placed in a plastic bag, slightly covered, but not tied.

Hatching tangerine from seeds. © Guilherme Silva

From sowing to germination

It is impossible to say in advance how long it will take for the seed to germinate and sprout. In some cases, it is 15 days, but more often - about a month. In any case, before germination, it is important to monitor the soil moisture and air temperature, which should not fall below +20 ° C and exceed +25 ° C. At the same time, it is not recommended to place pots in a mini greenhouse, tangerines sprout so well, and plants grown in greenhouse conditions will then need to be accustomed to the conditions of the room.

Transplanting mandarin seedlings

If the mandarin seeds are not planted in separate pots, but all together in a bowl, when four leaves appear (it is believed that citrus fruits do not have cotyledon leaves), it is time to transplant them into separate cups. From the obtained seedlings, the most powerful are chosen, and the weak and deformed are discarded, getting stronger and more capable of growth and development of plants.

Sometimes it happens that two sprouts grow from one mandarin seed (in citrus fruits, multi-embryonic seeds are observed). In this case, you can do two things: either pin a weaker plant, or plant the shoots in different pots - usually each of them has its own root system.

The next tangerine transplant should be focused on root development: as soon as the roots take up the entire volume of the cup, the plant is transferred into a more spacious pot. But immediately planting a seedling in a large volume of land is highly discouraged, because in this case, waterlogging of the soil often occurs, which significantly inhibits the plant.

Young tangerine trees are replanted annually. Fruiting - once every 2-3 years, increasing the diameter of the pot not by 1, but by 4-6 cm. When planting, it is important to take care not to deepen the root collar.

Old plants and large specimens of tangerine are not transplanted, but every few years they are carefully removed in a pot upper layer soil, replacing it with a new, fertile one.

Seedling tangerine. © George Shuklin

Mandarin formation

Mandarin is one of those plants that often have to be shaped. The first pinching (if he did not start branching himself) is done to him when the seedling reaches a height of 30-40 cm. This technique makes the tree start up side shoots of the first order. But this is not enough for flowering, because tangerine bears fruit only on branches of the 4th-5th order. Therefore, the pinching is continued, removing the tips of all shoots after 4-5 leaves, as well as weak shoots and those that grow inside the crown. In general, it takes 3-4 years to form.

But to force the branching of the first-order branches, you can go the other way - reject the shoots with a commit. This method is more time consuming, but quite interesting. For its implementation, one end of the wire is fixed on a branch, and the other is fixed with a hairpin at the edge of the pot so that the formed mandarin shoot tilts closer to a parallel position with respect to the ground.

Mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata). © petermok29

Tangerine care at home

Caring for tangerine trees varies somewhat depending on their age and purpose. If the specimen is young (up to 5 years old) or is grown exclusively for the sake of green foliage, it needs regular watering (the soil must be kept moist, but not poured), spraying (frequent enough) and a lot of light (with shading in summer period from the bright midday sun and backlit on winter days).

In warmer months, the tree can be taken out into the air (gradually accustoming it) to a place protected from the wind. It is good for a tangerine to have a warm shower once a month.

Like other citrus fruits, mandarin tends to turn the leaves towards the main light source. Therefore, for a more uniform formation of the crown, it can be rotated around its axis. But this should be done no more than 10 ° C at a time and no more than once every two weeks, because citrus fruits do not like rearrangements and can react negatively to them.

If the tangerine began to bloom, then, in addition to the usual care, it needs a period of winter dormancy, at a temperature of + 10 ... 12 ° C with less watering (it is necessary to allow the earth to dry out a little), a smooth increase in temperatures in spring and the optimal temperature regime for the formation of buds (within the range of + 16..18 ° C). And also moderate warmth in summer - no higher than +25 ° C (with more high temperature flowers may crumble) and gentle spraying (water should not come into contact with flowers).

Since tangerines ripen for about 6 months, many people have a question: should the tree rest in the winter or light it up with a lamp so that the fruits ripen? Answer: arrange. Even at + 10..12 ° C, tangerines slowly ripen.

Top dressing mandarin

Small tangerines are not fed, they are simply transferred into a larger pot. But older plants need to start fertilizing from the beginning of spring growth until autumn. This must be done with a special fertilizer for citrus fruits or mullein infusion (1:10 with water) every two weeks. Suitable for feeding and chicken droppings(dilute the tincture 1:20 at a rate of 1:20 with water).

If the tree is planned for transplantation, tangerine feeding is stopped at least three days before this event. After transshipment, they return to fertilizers no earlier than 2 weeks later. In winter, tangerines are not fed.

First fruiting of tangerines

Mandarin grown from seed begins to bear fruit in the 5th-6th year. Its fruits do not exactly repeat the taste of the mother variety and may differ from it in size, sweetness, aroma, but not only in the direction of deterioration of these qualities (as is commonly believed), but also in the direction of improvement (here - whoever is lucky).

At the same time, the first fruiting does not yet fully reveal all the characteristics of the plant obtained from the seed. Therefore, if a tangerine has bloomed and set fruits, it must be provided with the most attractive conditions so that the tree can show itself during repeated fruiting.

How to make tangerines bloom?

It's good if the tangerine blooms on its own. And if not? If so, he can be encouraged to do so. It is necessary to take a copper wire and tightly wrap it around the base of the mandarin trunk so that it is pressed into the bark. This will disrupt the process of sap flow and make the plant "think" about the offspring - to bloom. After six months, the wire must be removed, and the wounded place must be treated with garden varnish - it will recover quickly enough.

However, the method will not work if the mandarin has not formed a crown and has not had a dormant period. Therefore, before starting the experiment, it is necessary to help the tree grow branches of the 4th and 5th order and go through a cold winter.

Mandarin grafting

Another way to get fruit from a mandarin seedling is to plant it. To do this, it is necessary to grow a stock (tangerine from a bone) to the thickness of a trunk with a diameter of a simple pencil (about 6 mm) and find a scion - a small segment of a shoot taken from a varietal mandarin, or rather, a bud (eye) with a leaf petiole.

At a height of 7 cm from the soil on the bark of the stock with a very sharp, preferably a special budding knife, make an incision in the shape of the letter "T" so as not to cut through the wood. The length of the incision should be about 2.5 cm, the upper jumper (cap of the letter "T") about 1 cm. Insert the cut mandarin bud (with the leaf petiole) into the bent ends of the bark (gently push them aside with a knife) and press the bark back. Treat everything with garden pitch and wrap tightly with blue electrical tape, leaving the petiole outside. Place the grafted plant in the greenhouse from the bag.

If the mandarin vaccination is successful, the kidney will take root within three weeks, the leaf petiole will turn yellow and easily fall off. If the vaccination is unsuccessful, the petiole will turn black.

If successful, they begin to ventilate the greenhouse little by little, gradually increasing the session time. A month after the emergence of a shoot from a new bud, the stem of the mandarin stock is cut with pruning shears at a height of at least 5 mm from the inoculation site, obliquely. The bandage is removed. The cut is treated with garden pitch.

Tangerine care during flowering / fruiting

In the phase of flowering and fruiting, the tangerine needs more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers than nitrogen. Watering should be regular, but not excessive. When the plant blooms, it must continue to be sprayed, but in such a way that water does not fall on the flowers.

In most cases, the mandarin sheds excess flowers and ovary, independently regulating the load. If this does not happen, he needs to be helped by removing excess flowers and tangerines, leaving one fruit on the plant for every 15-20 leaves.

If the tangerines burst when ripening, it means that the plant is watered irregularly, or is experiencing an excess of nitrogen. In order for the mandarin to lay flower buds, it definitely needs winter rest.

Mandarin pests

It has been noticed that, grown from a bone, mandarin is much more resistant to environmental influences and pests than those that can be bought in the store. But, unfortunately, he also has malicious enemies. Most of them are afraid of ultraviolet radiation and high humidity, so compliance good conditions keeping plants is also a prevention against them. Who is this? Spider mites, scale insects, mealybugs, and also aphids.

Mandarin tree (Citrus reticulata). © Achievable Gardens

Spider mite

Measuring only 0.3-0.6 mm, it is practically invisible to the human eye. But you can calculate it by the presence of small light dots on the underside of the leaves of the plant and the presence of the finest cobweb. If a tick is found, the fight against it should be immediate.

The first thing to start with is to thoroughly wash the plant with warm running water using laundry soap... Then it is necessary to spray the mandarin with Fitoverm, Intavir, Aktelik or other insecticide several times at intervals (7-10 days).

Shield

It is a convex oval plate with a size of only 4 mm. The main sign of its presence is a sticky, syrupy coating that appears on the leaves of the plant. If the pest is not destroyed, the tree is quickly depleted and dries up.

You can try to cope with the scabbard by processing mandarin soapy water with the addition of kerosene: for 1 liter of water, 5 g of soap and 10 g of kerosene. Spray up to twice a week.

But more effective treatments (from 3 to 5 times with an interval of 15 days) with insecticides Aktara, Fitoverm or others that can always be found on sale. However, after such treatment, the fruits from the tree cannot be eaten and it is necessary to change the top layer of earth in the pot.

Mealybug

It is quite simple to detect it: the pest resembles a white fluffy bloom, scattered over the plant in the form of small, with a diameter of 3 to 6 mm, dots. You can fight the worm manually, painstakingly collecting individuals, using insecticides - Karbofos, Decis, Intavir or infusion of soap and garlic (2 cloves of garlic per 0.5 liters of boiling water, insist 4 hours).

Aphid

Almost everyone is familiar with this pest: from 1 to 3 mm long, light green in color, multiplies quickly, lives in colonies. The harmfulness of aphids lies in the fact that they suck the juices from young shoots and mandarin leaves, deforming them and depleting the plant.

In the fight against it, repeated (with an interval of 5-7 days) washing the plant with a solution of laundry soap, spraying with an infusion of garlic (1 head of finely chopped garlic in a glass of water, leave for 2 days), infusion of tobacco (40 g per 1 l of water) is used.

Problems when growing tangerine

Yellowing and falling foliage

This problem can have different causes. It is important not to rush, to carefully analyze the condition of the plant and make the correct diagnosis. In adult tangerines, the leaves may turn yellow and fall off due to their old age. But at the same time, the tree itself looks healthy and develops normally.

General lighting of foliage may indicate insufficient lighting of the plants. In this case, you need to take care to rearrange the tangerine closer to the light, or arrange artificial lighting for it.

The shedding of mandarin leaves can begin due to too dry air (in the absence of regular spraying, especially during the heating season), incorrect transplantation (when the root collar is deepened, choosing too large a pot volume), drafts. If one of these reasons is found, they simply need to be eliminated.

Drying and falling off of the lower leaves of a mandarin, despite the fact that the leaf begins to dry from the tip, is associated with regular waterlogging of the soil. This phenomenon occurs either as a result of over-grooming, or due to too large a pot in relation to the seedling. In any case, the plant must be transplanted into an appropriate pot with fresh, loose (breathable) soil, after removing the rotten roots.

If the yellowing began from the bottom of the crown and spreads to the top, this indicates a lack of nitrogen. In this case, the tangerine must be fed with nitrogen fertilizers.

The light yellow color of young tangerine leaves, which gradually passes over to old leaves, indicates chlorosis (lack of iron). Treatment with iron chelate will help here.

Mandarin leaves fall off without any obvious reason - perhaps the plant lacks potassium. In this case, it must be fed with potassium nitrate.

Blooming tangerine tree. © Chris.urs-o

It is important to know that young tangerines often produce rather long thorns - you don't need to do anything with them!

In winter, citrus fruits, growing foliage, often form leaf plates. bigger size than in spring and summer.

In order to distinguish a tangerine sapling from a lemon sapling, you need to smell their leaves - they smell of citrus in lemon, and a light aroma of fresh greens in tangerine. Older plants can be easily distinguished by their leaf stalks - in lemon, the stalk is simple, in mandarin - with a narrow long lionfish.

Breeding indoor citrus at home - although troublesome, but worthwhile. Growing a tangerine tree on a windowsill, you get not only a fragrant and colorful plant, but also delicious, healthy 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 the plants of the Rutov family. The birthplace of growth is China. Today citrus is grown in many tropical countries - Israel, Turkey, Africa, Thailand, Spain.

An evergreen tree reaches 2-4 m in height. Leaves are dense, leathery, with a glossy surface, dark green... A lanceolate leaf plate 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. The crown is of medium density, oval or spherical in shape.

Fruits with a thick orange skin are in no way inferior in taste to industrial-grown citruses.

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

Indoor varieties

There are several varieties of the tangerine tree for home cultivation.

1. Winshiu. Seedless hybrid form, in the wild reaches 2-3 m in height, in apartment conditions- from 0.8 to 1.3 m. Refers to frost-resistant crops, is distinguished by early maturity and productivity. Mandarin blooms at home profusely, with small white flowers. Gives first fruits at the age of 3-4 years.
2. Forged-Vasya. In this dwarf tangerine, fruiting occurs in the second year of life. Low-growing plant with compact crown at home it reaches 40-70 cm in height, therefore it is grown in a pot on a windowsill. It blooms profusely with snow-white flowers. Citrus of the Kovano-Vasya variety is prized for its long flowering, which lasts throughout the year. Indoor tangerine produces juicy, orange fruits that keep well on the tree and may not peel off for several months.

Growing secrets

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

The choice of soil mixture

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

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

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

Material preparation

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

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 a tangerine is a 3 liter clay pot

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 a small indentation is made - 2-3 cm and the seed is lowered into the hole with the sprout upwards. After the seed is buried and generously sprayed with a spray bottle.

Care rules

After planting, a tangerine at home needs careful care, especially in the first years of life. Indoor citrus does not require a lot of costs and efforts, so even a novice florist can grow it.

Lighting

This is one of the main conditions for caring for a tangerine at home. Tropical crops require good and long-lasting daylight throughout the year. Therefore, a tub or flowerpot with a tree is placed on the southern, southwestern or southeastern windowsill.

Homemade tangerine does not respond well to sharp drops temperatures and does not tolerate drafts. In 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 it can be placed outside, where there is protection from the scorching sun.

Temperature

For tangerine at home, a certain temperature regime is required - from +16 to +18 ° C. Then the plant begins to bloom and bear fruit successfully.

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

V winter time years, the plant is given the opportunity to rest - it is moved to a room with a temperature of no higher than 14 ° C. In such conditions, the growth and flowering of citrus stops until spring.

Humidity

The basis of tangerine care 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, place pallets with water or containers with moistened expanded clay next to the pot.

Watering

V winter period for a tangerine indoor plant, use settled water room temperature... Water the tree no more than once every two weeks. In the spring and summer, the frequency of watering is increased and moisture is produced as the earthen coma dries out.

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

The citrus plant responds well to the soul with warm water. The 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 a tangerine at home, grooming includes regular fertilization. Citrus needs organic and mineral fertilizing, which is applied to well-moistened soil. Slurry or ready-made complex fertilizers for citrus fruits are well suited as food.

The tree is fed throughout the growing season no more than once every two weeks. For the winter, the feeding of the plants is stopped, since during this period the resting phase begins.

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

Unshiu variety at home bears fruit for 3 years of life

Transfer

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

The first transplant procedure is performed 3-4 years after planting at 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 fruiting and the growth of young shoots. Make a pinch in early spring, shortening the apical shoots by a third of the length.

Flowering and fruiting

Growing at home, a tangerine in a pot can bloom endlessly 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 performed on the basis that at least 15 leaves should fall on 1 fruit.

Reproduction methods

You can get a houseplant in several ways:

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

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

Grafting tree

Indoor tangerine can grow and develop for a long time at home without fruiting. To speed up the process of forming 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. This will help the bark move away from the trunk better. A well-ripened shoot with several vegetative buds is used for inoculation. All foliage is removed to prevent the process of moisture evaporation and drying out of the branch. Optimal height grafting on a tree - 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 in the places of the incisions is raised and a prepared cutting or a kidney with a heel is introduced 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 has taken root, the tape is removed.

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

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

Further after vaccination for mandarin home care the same as for adult specimens.

Diseases and pests

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

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

For the prevention of diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out regular processing 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

It is not difficult to grow indoor tangerine on a windowsill. The main thing is to plant a plant correctly and on time and choose a high-quality one for growing. planting material... In the conditions of competent home care, tangerines will regularly bloom, bear fruit and delight with their beauty.

Most florists agree that among the abundance of "domestic" plants, indoor mandarin takes isolated place. Ornamental shrub not only pleases the eye with a bright, cheerful color of leaves and fruits, but also has a beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the home. It has been proven that a subtle, light aroma helps to get rid of headaches, relieves irritation, anxiety, gives a feeling of vigor, and improves mood. In addition, growing tangerines at home does not require a lot of effort, and this is also one of the important advantages.

How to turn a tiny bone into a flowering tree?

The simplest and easy way become the owner of a spectacular tangerine tree- buy a ready-made seedling in the store. However, it is much more interesting and, importantly, economical to grow a tangerine tree on your own from an ordinary bone.

In order for the plant to take root well, you need to take the seeds of ripe, juicy, large fruits. It is desirable that there are more seeds (10 -12 pieces, so the chance of the "event" for success will be much higher!

Before planting seeds in the ground (purchased or "harvested" with personal plot), you need to place them in a humid environment for several days (it is better to wrap them in clean gauze and slightly moisten it with water). During this time, the bones will swell, and tiny sprouts will hatch on them. When this happens, it's time to start directly planting the plant in the ground.

Despite the fact that indoor tangerine is unpretentious to the type of soil, experts still recommend to approach this moment responsibly. So, optimal solution will independently prepare special mixture(if possible), which will include the following components:

• sheet land - 1 part;
• sod soil - 3 parts;
• decayed cow dung- 1 part;
• clay;
• sand.

Drainage is placed on the bottom of a clean, dry container (as a rule, small ordinary pebbles or expanded clay act as drainage), after which the pot is filled with a thoroughly mixed composition of the above components. The swollen seeds are placed in the ground to a depth of 5-7 cm. It is recommended to place the container with the planted seeds in a well.

Direct sunlight should be avoided, since only fragile sprouts that have appeared can simply burn out!

Homemade tangerine - care and feeding

About three weeks after planting in the ground, the first shoots should appear from the tangerine tree seed. From this moment, you can start feeding the plant, since the mineral and organic substances originally contained in the soil are quickly washed out as a result of regular watering. In specialized flower shops, you can easily pick up mixtures for fertilizing and feeding citrus fruits.

Particular attention should be paid to fertilization in the spring, when indoor tangerine develops most intensively. Like most indoor plants, the tree needs to be fertilized in the first half of the day, while the temperature should vary between 18-20 ° C. The composition of the fertilizer may vary, but components such as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen must be present.

In no case should the formula for the preparation of the nutritional mixture or solution be violated. The manufacturer always indicates on the packaging in what proportions to use this or that product. An irrational approach to tangerine feeding can lead to burns to the stem, leaves, or even the complete death of the plant.

The period of intensive growth of indoor tangerine is considered to be from March to September. The optimal feeding frequency is 2 times a week. The plant will surely "thank" with lush, fragrant flowers and beautiful fruits, if the owner combines mineral and organic fertilizers (for example, rotted cow dung).

The main rules for caring for a tangerine tree

All plants love care and attention, and tangerines are no exception. How to care for indoor tangerine so that the tree is healthy, strong and beautiful? Professional florists distinguish several main points in the care rules:

• Partial removal of flowers on young plant... This is done in order not to deplete the tree during the intensive growth process. Let only a few flowers remain on the stem, but later beautiful, large fruits will turn out from them.
• Timely removal of stretched twigs and dried leaves.
• Pinching the tops of the branches. This is necessary for the tree to form a lush, dense crown.

When fruits are tied on the branches of a tree, it is recommended to tie the stem and branches of the plant to a support.

What could be a threat to the tangerine tree?

Good care is sometimes not enough for the long "life" of citrus fruits, in no case can such a threat as pests be ignored. Small, almost invisible red spider mites, citrus whiteflies or scale insects can cause great harm for the plant. In order to prevent the death of the tangerine tree, at the slightest suspicion of pests, wipe all the leaves with special solutions (Fitoverm, Aktellik, etc.). A few procedures are enough, and all unwanted "guests" will disappear.

Which varieties are suitable for growing at home?

Some of the most popular tangerine tree varieties ideal for home cultivation include:

• Shiva Mikan
• Unshiu
• Clementine
• Marcotte

Each of these varieties has its own specifics, but in any case, the owner of the plant will be provided with spectacular flowers with a pronounced aroma and sweet, ripe fruits.

How to grow a tangerine from a bone at home - video

Many people grow tangerines at home, not only for fruit, but also because of beautiful bloom wood and pleasant scent of flowers.

For some representatives of citrus fruits, very difficult care is needed, and special conditions for its successful growth. Mandarins are not one of them. This is a rather unpretentious and hardy plant.

There are two ways to grow citrus:

1. Purchase a seedling of a fruit-bearing tree at a flower shop.
2. Grow independently from seed obtained from purchased fruits.

Ornamental tangerines

Mandarin tree belongs to the Rutaceae family, the foliage is evergreen, every few years the leaf cover changes, the flowers are white in color with a pleasant aroma.

People who have indoor tangerines prefer to grow them themselves from seeds. But in this case, only decorative view that will look beautiful in general interior... The trees may either not bear fruit at all, or produce small, tasteless fruits.

Gardeners always plant citruses for a delicious harvest. At home, you can do the same if you really want to get your own tangerines.

The best place for the plant is in the southern room, where there is most of the sunlight. In the presence of poisonous plants, they will need to be moved to another room, since tangerines do not like such a neighborhood.

The basics of growing an ornamental mandarin

First of all, you need to take a few tangerine seeds and soak them in a damp cloth for several days. Avoid a lot of moisture, the fabric should be slightly damp, and it is enough to add water as it dries.

Even if you want to grow one tree, then you need to take 8 - 12 seeds for safety net. Some may not germinate, someone will die from possible diseases, someone will not survive the vaccination process if it is done.

How to plant in the ground

Peat is not suitable for tangerines, such soil often turns sour, almost does not hold moisture, and there is no nutrients... To create ideal conditions for citrus, it is best to prepare an earthy mixture with your own hands:

1. three parts - turf soil.
2.one piece - sheet soil.
3.one piece - organic fertilizer.
4. one part - river sand.
5. a small piece of clay.

If it is not possible to make the earth yourself, then it is recommended to purchase soil with a neutral composition in the store, or add ash and organic fertilizers to ordinary soil.

The bottom of the container, which will be used for planting, you need to put stones to improve drainage or expanded clay.

Ornamental mandarin care

After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to introduce organic and mineral fertilizing into the ground, this should be done every 14 days. Fertilizers need to be applied after watering the plants.

Transplant citrus it is recommended once a year in the spring, while trying to preserve the layer of earth that has adhered to root system... Upon reaching the age of eight, the tree will need replanting once every couple of years.

Mandarins need sunlight, therefore the best place for a plant, it will be placed on a windowsill in the southern room. During the winter months, watch out for temperature regime, it should not go down to +15. Citrus needs a weekly spraying, it is a moisture-loving species. You can put a bowl of water next to it.

In hot summer days tangerines need to be watered: morning, afternoon and evening, during the winter months, as the soil in the pot dries up.

Pest control

Red spider mite, citrus whitefly, scale insect - pests of which are very difficult to see, but their presence can lead to the death of young citrus fruits.

It is necessary to carefully examine the plants for the possible presence of a tiny cobweb in order to begin treatment at the first signs.

Stores sell special pest control products. With solutions, you need to rinse all the leaves on both sides. The procedure must be repeated several times, every 7 days.

Citruses, including tangerines, contain a lot of vitamin C. You can try growing them yourself. The tangerine bonsai is a wonderful ornamental plant that brings home bright colors and a pleasant aroma. It is known that the smell of this fruit not only improves mood and invigorates, but also relieves headaches. An evergreen citrus tree can maintain its flowering period for most of the year and bear fruit even at home.

It is not difficult to become the owner of a wonderful indoor tangerine. Moreover, you can even grow a tangerine in a pot on your own, from a bone.

Planting stages

It should be noted right away that there is a simpler option. You can buy a ready-made seedling in a specialized store and plant it immediately in the ground. You can even purchase already fruiting adult plant, which will only need to be placed on the windowsill, providing it with home care.

But for those who are not looking for easy ways, you can independently plant and grow indoor tangerines at home.

Step 1. Materials

The seeds of the fruit of this fruit are required. It is better to take at least a dozen, since no one has canceled natural selection yet. Not all seeds will be able to sprout, not all sprouts will be able to break through the soil. To get suitable seeds, you need to take a ripe fruit: the larger and juicier, the better.

Step 2. Seed preparation

Experienced gardeners know that any seed requires a preparatory period before planting in the ground. For some time, the tangerine seeds must be left in humid place. Perfect option- wrap them in a cloth and leave, maintaining a moist environment. After a couple of days, the seeds will be ready for planting: small sprouts will appear on the seeds.

Step 3. Landing in the ground

Usually indoor tangerines are able to grow in the most ordinary soil, but it is worthwhile to approach the choice of soil for a plant responsibly. First, a layer of small stones or expanded clay is laid on the bottom of the flower pot to drain the soil. Next, the rest of the soil is laid out, where the sprouted bones are placed. They need to be placed not too deep, but not at the very surface of the soil. The ideal planting depth is 5 to 7 cm.

Unless you need to water it, but not too abundantly and very carefully. In less than a month, young shoots will begin to peek out of the soil.

Even if the experiment fails, do not be discouraged: it does not always work out as planned. You can always try planting a tangerine again at home using previous experience.

Care of young seedlings

At the very beginning, it is important to take proper care of young shoots. The pot with the plant must be placed correctly, finding the most suitable place for it. Indoor tangerine loves good lighting, and in dark places, it begins to wither and may die. But direct sunlight in a large number can burn young shoots. Until the stems of the tangerine tree are sufficiently strong, it is better to remove them from the risk zone. The task is not entirely simple - the container with sprouts must be constantly illuminated and reliably protected from the direct sun.

The tangerine tree must necessarily be exposed to direct sunlight, without which it will not be able to grow and develop normally.

Immediately after the first shoots appear, it is important to feed the young citrus plant. The algorithm of action does not differ significantly from feeding an adult plant.

Adult plant care

When growing a tangerine at home, it is important to understand that the plant is adapted for hot countries, where droughts often occur. Therefore, excessive watering will be detrimental to the plant. When indoor tangerine is watered too often, it begins to shed its leaves. But it is also not worth rushing from one extreme to another.

Humidity

An ornamental mandarin variety is still not a cactus, at home it requires regular irrigation.

A tangerine grown at home, in addition to watering, requires care and nutrition. It is about feeding the plant.

It is necessary to feed the plants, because frequent watering washes out organic and mineral substances. Understanding this is crucial in growing tangerines at home. V different time Years, mandarin behaves differently, which affects the amount and frequency of the required nutrition.

It is especially important to feed the indoor shrub in the spring, when the mandarin is making its main growth.

The frequency of feeding should not exceed twice a week. Fertilizer must be prepared in strict accordance with the instructions for use. V otherwise you can seriously harm the plant: instead of the necessary minerals and organic matter, homemade tangerine can get poison. Mixtures for fertilizing and feeding indoor plants are sold in stores, both specialized and in large hypermarkets. When choosing a top dressing, it is advisable to focus on fertilizers for citrus fruits.

Tangerine home tree requires feeding to a much greater extent than its garden counterparts. Potted soil, unlike open ground, is not able to regenerate organic and mineral substances eroded during irrigation. A garden tangerine doesn't need to be fed as often, but home tree care is another matter entirely.

Although the tangerine tree is not a capricious and difficult plant to care for, it is still worthwhile to put in some extra effort in addition to watering and feeding. Let's say a few more words about how to care for a decorative mandarin so that the tree will always delight the eye with its beauty.

Transfer

As the tree grows, the indoor tangerine must be transplanted. While the bush is growing, it is advisable to renew the "place of registration" every year. After the plant reaches the age of seven, the expansion of its living space is required once every two years.

In order for the tree to bear fruit well, it is better to remove excess ovaries at the flowering stage.

The more potential fruits grow, the more energy and nutrients the tree will spend on growing. In order not to deplete the mandarin tree, it is advisable to leave only a part of its flowers, the strongest ovaries. Although the “harvest” will be less, more micronutrients will be put into each fruit. Therefore, the fruits will be larger, tasty and juicy. The indoor tangerine is an ornamental plant, not a garden one. Therefore, the health of the tree should always be a priority.

When the ovaries form into small fruits, it is advisable to tie the tree crowns to a support. As tangerines grow and get heavier, they risk breaking the fragile ornamental stems of the tree. The bush can be damaged without additional help. Broken branches can lead to serious tree disease.

Diseases and pests

When growing a tangerine, you cannot provide it with proper home care without protecting the plant from pests.

Types of indoor trees

There are several varieties of the tangerine tree. Some of them fit perfectly into the culture of home ornamental plants.

Unshiu

The most popular is the Unshiu mandarin tree variety, a variety of Japanese mandarin trees. The height of an adult plant rarely reaches 1.5 m. tangerine unshiu more tolerant of the cold and extremely fruitful.

Dwarf form

The dwarf or, as it is also called, mountain tangerine, Kovano-Vasya, is also popular. This variety of the Vasya group, which at home is capable of reaching a meter in height, although usually the growth of the plant stops within the range from 40 cm to 80 cm.

Clementine

You can also highlight the room Clementine. This is a mandarin crossed with an orange. The decorative tangerine of the Murcott variety, which translates as "honey", is distinguished by its bright and sweet fruits. The early ripening variety begins to bear fruit in the summer, in contrast to the aforementioned varieties.

Other varieties

A small tangerine Shiva Mikan tree like Murcott is an early variety with small fruits.

But despite the fact that the mentioned varieties of tangerine trees are specially bred decorative varieties, even an ordinary garden tangerine remains quite short at home, regardless of care.

Whichever variety you choose in the end, the result will be a spectacular decorative tree with beautiful flowers and bright, aromatic fruits.

Conclusion

Since ancient times, tangerines have been used as decorative domestic trees by noble and wealthy families, growing them in greenhouses or winter gardens, because a flower of both garden and homemade tangerine exuded a wonderful aroma. Today, mandarin is available at home. Growing a tree is pretty easy. Care also does not require any special efforts. But this noble tangerine bonsai in any interior will look spectacular and stylish, giving the surrounding space more positive and colorful. Therefore, even if you had doubts about whether to mess with a citrus tree or give preference to another ornamental plant, discard them. Home trees will invariably delight their owners by bringing juicy fruits, delicate aroma and great mood.