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Tangerine tree care at home. How to grow homemade tangerine? Proper care, reproduction, diseases and pruning of homemade tangerine. Tangerine tree: nuances of cultivation

Most florists agree that among the abundance of “house” plants, indoor mandarin occupies a special place. Ornamental shrubs not only please the eye with the bright, cheerful colors of leaves and fruits, but also have a beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the home. It has been proven that the subtle, light aroma helps get rid of headaches, relieves irritation, anxiety, gives a feeling of cheerfulness, 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 seed into a flowering tree?

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

In order for the plant to take root well, you need to take seeds of ripe, juicy, large fruits. It is advisable to have more seeds (10-12 pieces), so the chance of success of the “event” will be much higher!

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

Despite the fact that indoor mandarin is unpretentious to the type of soil, experts still recommend approaching this issue responsibly. So, the optimal solution would be to independently prepare a special mixture (if possible), which will include the following components:

  • leaf soil - 1 part;
  • turf soil - 3 parts;
  • rotted cow manure - 1 part;
  • clay;
  • sand.

Drainage is placed at 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 soil 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, as newly emerging, fragile sprouts can simply burn!

Homemade tangerine - care and nutrition

About three weeks after planting in the ground, the first shoots should appear from the seed of the tangerine tree. 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 select mixtures for fertilizing and feeding citrus fruits.

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

Under no circumstances should you violate the recipe for preparing a nutritional mixture or solution. The manufacturer always indicates on the packaging in what proportions to use this or that product. An irrational approach to feeding tangerines can lead to burns of the stem, leaves, or even complete death of the plant.

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

Basic rules for caring for a tangerine tree

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

  • Partial removal of flowers on a young plant. This is done in order not to deplete the tree during the process of intensive growth. Even if only a few flowers remain on the stem, they will later produce beautiful, large fruits.
  • Timely removal of elongated branches and dried leaves.
  • Pinching the tops of the branches. This is necessary for the tree to form a lush, dense crown.

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

What can pose a threat to the tangerine tree?

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

Which varieties are suitable for growing at home?

Among the most popular varieties of tangerine tree, ideal for home growing, are the following:

  • 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 seed at home - video

The evergreen tangerine tree has become a frequent guest of home greenhouses and winter gardens. Even in ordinary apartments you can find miniature citrus plants, because they not only delight the gardener’s eye with their greenery, but also give several dozen fragrant fruits every year. True, it is not easy to achieve a thick crown and abundant fruiting; there are special rules for watering, fertilizing and pruning that are necessary for a tangerine tree when caring for it at home. Certain difficulties in growing indoor citrus fruits can cause some trouble for the grower.

Growing a seedling from a seed

There is nothing easier than buying a ready-made grafted seedling from a fruit nursery or from an online gardening store. Most often, trees are sold with a closed root system: directly in pots or in a clod of earth, packed in a bag. In the second case, transplantation into a container will be required.

But for gardeners, growing a citrus tree from the seed of a ripe fruit is much more economical. In addition, many people get mental satisfaction from growing plants from scratch, although it takes much longer.

For germination, you need to select several seeds from ripe, juicy, sweet fruits to increase the chances of success. Tangerine seeds have good germination. As is the case with the seeds of many crops, it is advisable not to immediately place the seeds in the ground, but to soak them first. To do this, they are placed between 2-3 layers of clean gauze and placed on a saucer. The gauze needs to be moistened as it dries for several days until the bones swell. As soon as the first shoots hatch, it’s time to plant the plants in the ground. If it is not possible to wait several days, then the bones are soaked for 2–3 hours in water with the addition of a few drops of Epin (a growth stimulant).

A bag of soil for citrus trees can be purchased in specialty stores. If there is no such thing nearby, then prepare the soil yourself by mixing leaf soil, rotted manure and turf soil. River sand can be added to this mixture. It is not recommended to add clay or peat to the substrate. Drainage (expanded clay, coarse gravel) and a soil mixture are poured into the bottom of a clean pot, container or other container. The seeds are planted to a depth of 5–6 cm. It is important to choose a place for the pot that is well lit, but without direct sunlight, so that the young sprout does not get burned. Under favorable conditions, the sprout will emerge from the ground in 2.5–3 weeks. From this moment, you can begin feeding the future tree with organic or mineral fertilizers, since beneficial substances are quite quickly washed out of the ground during watering.

Caring for indoor tangerine

Lighting

It is recommended to choose a brightly lit room as a permanent place for the pot, because without sufficient light, the decorative tangerine will not grow large and will be painful. It would seem that the easiest way is to place the container on the windowsill of the south side of the house, but this can lead to leaf burns. A more acceptable option would be to choose the southeast or east side. If the south side is the only possible option for installing a pot of tangerine, then on spring and summer days the plant will need shading. But in winter, on the contrary, the southern window sill is a good place for a seedling. When daylight hours shorten in winter, it is necessary to turn on additional lighting - special phytolamps.

Temperature and humidity

The best temperature regime for tangerine seedlings is +15+18 °C in the warm season, and about +12 °C in winter. In hotter weather, the tree begins to bear fruit worse - it blooms poorly, and weakly forms buds and ovaries. Air humidity is very important for tangerines: on hot, dry days in summer, as well as on winter days when central heating dries out the air, it is necessary to spray the tree frequently, sometimes up to three times a day. You can place a bowl of water or another air humidifier on the windowsill (imitation of a waterfall, fountain, stream). Too dry air often provokes the appearance of pests such as mites, scale insects and others. During flowering, the tree should be sprayed carefully. To avoid moisture getting on the buds and flowers, it is better to replace spraying with regular wiping of the leaves.

Hardening. In order for the plant to become stronger, it should be hardened, that is, helped to adapt to changes in temperature and lighting. To do this, in the spring during the day, you need to take the seedling out to the balcony or closed veranda for a short time (or at least open the window).

Watering

Indoor tangerine needs frequent watering. On particularly hot days you will have to water it 2-3 times a day. In winter, if the temperature is kept fairly low and the air is well humidified, watering twice a week will be sufficient. It is recommended to first pour water for irrigation into bottles or other containers so that it can settle and warm up to room temperature.

A tangerine tree will not die due to a short-term lack of moisture, since it will shed all or part of the leaves to reduce water loss. Fresh greenery will not grow on “bald” branches; it will appear only on new branches, so everyone tries to avoid unexpected leaf fall. But frequent overwatering of the tree with water is no less dangerous - fungal diseases can develop.

Transplantation and fertilizing

Growing and caring for a young tangerine seedling involves annual replanting into a larger container. The root system of the tree grows very quickly, entwining a lump of earth over its entire surface. Replanting involves changing the drainage layer and adding soil mass. If, having pulled out a tree with a lump of earth, it becomes clear that there was enough space for roots to grow in the pot, then you can replace the drainage layer, insert the tree back with the same lump of earth and add only a surface layer of soil. Annual transplantation is carried out before March, before the start of the growing season. The root collar should not go deep during transplantation; it should be ensured at the same level relative to the soil surface.

The entire growing season, from April to September, the seedling needs feeding. Every week it needs to be fertilized with mineral or organic fertilizers, you can alternate them. This is especially necessary for mature trees that grow in cramped pots, without replanting or renewing the soil.

So, one week you can water it with a solution of liquid mullein, and a week later - with a ready-made complex fertilizer “for citrus trees”, purchased in a store. The finished composition must necessarily include nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Before fertilizing, which is recommended to be done in the first half of the day, the soil should be watered. The temperature of the nutrient solution must be at least +20 °C. The recommended recipe for preparing the fertilizer should be strictly followed.

The rule here is: it’s better not to top up than to overfill. Excess fertilizer, its excessive concentration, leads to burns of leaves or stems and even death of the tree.

Caring for an adult plant

Let's look at how to care for an adult tangerine tree at home. Many of the above rules for caring for tangerine seedlings also apply to a grown plant. But as the tree grows, the need for periodic pruning of branches and pinching the tops of shoots is added.

Like all other trees, it is advisable to remove dried leaves, twigs, and downward shoots from tangerines. But these measures will not help to form a compact tree with a thick and lush green crown. They try to grow the home tangerine as a dwarf plant, so the crown is formed like a bonsai tree. To do this, the growing tips of the shoots are pinched (removed) at the desired length. For example, you can pinch the top of each sprout after 5 leaves appear. The so-called tops - shoots growing from the root - greatly harm the growth of the tree and the formation of a beautiful crown. They need to be removed.

Advice. In the first years of fruiting, in order to avoid unnecessary stress on the plant, florists recommend pinching the flowers of the tangerine tree. By leaving only a few flowers on the trunk, you can achieve large, fragrant fruits without depleting the plant.

An adult tangerine tree in a pot also needs to be replanted. Unlike young seedlings, it is enough to replant a fruiting tree after 2-3 years. During the procedure, the drainage and surface layer of soil must be replaced and the required amount of soil added. It is advisable to disturb the earthen lump as little as possible.

When setting fruit, the tree trunk and fruit-bearing branches must be tied to a support to avoid them breaking off.

Reproduction of home tangerine

The most economical way to get a tangerine tree seedling is to grow it from a seed. But if there is already a tree, and the grower wants to get offspring from it, then he chooses one of the following methods:

  • Layerings. From an adult plant, select a branch with a thickness of at least 4 mm and a length sufficient to bend the branch and pin it to the ground (preferably in a separate, nearby pot). The branch is not separated from the bush, but is buried in the ground, with the top of the branch protruding to the surface of the soil. The digging area must be kept moist by adding a root-forming agent to the water several times. The branch is separated from the mother plant only when the cuttings form good new roots.
  • Air layering. The cuttings take root “in weight”. An adult shoot is cut in a circle, cutting off the bark 1 cm wide. The wound is treated with “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”, wrapped with sphagnum moss and transparent polyethylene (loosely, in the form of a cone). This “pupa” must be kept constantly moist until roots begin to form (this may take several months). When the roots become clearly visible through the polyethylene, the rooted branch is cut off and planted in a separate pot. It is advisable to create greenhouse conditions for the young seedling for the first time by covering the pot with a transparent lid or bag.

Pest Control

Even when providing tangerines with proper care at home, flower growers sometimes encounter problems such as pests. The most common are the following:

  • Whiteflies;
  • Scale insects;
  • Red spider mites.

All of them are capable of causing irreparable harm to the plant, therefore, when pests are detected or at the slightest suspicion of their appearance, you need to wipe the leaves or spray the entire tree with special preparations, for example, Actellik or Fitoverm. It is important to use insecticidal and acaricidal preparations in strict accordance with the instructions for use!

The evergreen tangerine tree can be an excellent guest in a home greenhouse or a decoration for winter gardens. Often, even in a simple apartment you can see a miniature citrus plant. After all, it can not only delight the gardener’s eye with its greenery, but also give several dozen fragrant tangerines every year.

However, it is worth noting that it is quite difficult to achieve a thick, lush crown and abundant fruiting in any variety of homemade tangerine or orange tree. To do this, you must follow some rules regarding watering, pruning and fertilizing. These rules are very important when caring for a tangerine tree at home. It’s worth noting right away that gardeners may encounter certain difficulties regarding growing indoor citrus fruits.

You should familiarize yourself in more detail with the rules for caring for a tangerine tree, and also learn how a tangerine blooms.

Of course, the easiest option would be to purchase a ready-made grafted seedling of any tangerine variety in a fruit nursery or in an online gardening store.

Most often you come across trees with a closed root system. The root system is hidden in an earthen coma in a pot or packaged in a bag.

If you purchased a tangerine tree of any variety, the root system of which is packaged, then the tree will need to be transplanted into a separate container after purchase.

More economical gardeners prefer to grow citrus trees from the seeds of ripe and juicy fruit. In addition, many indoor plant lovers receive great moral satisfaction when their citrus tree grows from scratch, although it takes much longer and takes a lot more effort.

So, the basic rules for growing tangerines from seeds:

  • In order to grow a citrus tree at home, you need to select seeds from ripe, juicy fruits. It is worth noting that tangerine seeds have excellent germination.
  • As soon as the seeds are selected, it is advisable not to immediately place them in the soil, but to pre-soak them. To do this, they must be placed between 2-3 layers of clean, damp gauze and placed on a saucer.
  • As the gauze dries, it should be periodically moistened for several days until the bones begin to swell.
  • As soon as you notice that they begin to hatch and the first shoots appear, the plant can be planted in the ground.

If you do not have the opportunity to wait several days for the sprouts to appear, then the seeds can be soaked for 2-3 hours in water with the addition of a few drops of Epin, a growth stimulator.

In specialized stores you can buy a ready-made package of soil for citrus fruits. If you do not have such an opportunity, then you can prepare soil for any type of tangerine tree yourself. To do this, mix the following types of soil:

  • Leaf soil.
  • Rotted manure.
  • Soddy soil.

It is worth noting that you should not add clay or peat to the substrate. When planting a tangerine in a separate pot, drainage in the form of expanded clay or coarse gravel is placed at the bottom of the container. Then the soil mixture is poured on top. The seeds should be planted to a depth of 5-6 cm. The pot with the seed should be in a well-lit place, without direct sunlight. Otherwise, the sprout may get burned. If you follow all the rules of care, then after 3 weeks the sprout will appear from the ground. From this moment you can begin feeding the future tangerine tree with organic and mineral fertilizers. This is due to the fact that all useful substances from the soil are very quickly washed out during watering.

How to care for a citrus tree

In order for the plant to bloom and bear fruit, it is necessary to follow some rules for caring for indoor tangerines, regardless of its variety.

Lighting requirements

As mentioned earlier, the pot with the tangerine tree should be placed in a sufficiently lit place, while direct sunlight should be avoided. If the plant does not have enough light, it will not grow large and will be sickly. At first glance, it may seem that a pot of decorative tangerines is best placed on the south side of the house.

However, this may cause burns on the leaves. The most ideal option would be to place the plant on the southeast or east side. If the south side is the only possible option for installing a pot with an indoor tangerine tree, then in spring and summer the plant will need additional shading.

But in winter, it is best to choose the south side of the house to place the tree. During shortened daylight hours in winter, indoor tangerine also needs additional lighting using special lamps.

Air temperature and humidity

As for the temperature regime, the plant will feel best in a room with a temperature of 15 to 18°C. However, this applies to the warm season. In winter, the tangerine tree must be kept at a temperature of 12°C. If the temperature is higher, the tree will begin to bear fruit worse, bloom poorly and weakly form buds and ovaries.

Particular attention must also be paid to air humidity. During hot, dry days in summer, as well as on winter days, when central heating dries out the air in the room, the plant needs additional spraying. Sometimes this spraying will have to be carried out up to 3 times a day. For additional humidity, you can use a bowl of water placed on the windowsill or use other humidifiers. It is worth noting that dry air often provokes the formation of pests. These could be ticks, scale insects and many others. During the flowering period, the tangerine tree must be sprayed very carefully to avoid moisture getting on the buds and flowers. In this case, spraying is best replaced by wiping the leaves.

Watering rules

The tangerine tree needs frequent and abundant watering. In hot summer, the plant needs to be watered 2-3 times a day. As for winter time, if you maintain a sufficiently high temperature regime and constantly humidify the air in the room, watering twice a week will be enough. Watering a tangerine tree of any type must be done only with settled water. The water temperature for irrigation should be room temperature.

If for some reason the plant suffers from a short-term lack of moisture, it will not die, since to reduce water loss the tangerine will shed all or part of its leaves. However, it is worth noting that fresh leaves do not grow on bare branches. They appear only on new branches. It is for this reason that many gardeners try to avoid unexpected leaf fall and provide the plant with regular watering. At the same time, you need to know that frequent overwatering of wood can cause the development of fungal diseases.

Feeding and replanting

Caring for a tangerine tree at home also involves replanting it annually in larger pots. The root system of tangerines grows quite quickly and entwines the earthen ball over its entire surface.

Replanting plants involves changing the drainage layer and adding soil mass. If you take out the plant with a lump of earth and see that there was enough space for roots to grow in the pot, then you can only get by by replacing the drainage layer, and insert the tree back into the pot with the same lump of earth and add only the top layer of soil.

Every year, it is recommended to transplant a tangerine tree at home before March - before the start of the growing season. The root collar should not be deepened during transplantation. She will have to provide the same level relative to the ground surface.

During the growing season, which lasts from April to September, the plant needs feeding. Every week, tangerine must be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. It is recommended to alternate types of fertilizer. Adult trees that grow in cramped pots especially need feeding, without updating the soil or replanting.

So, for one week it is recommended to water the tangerine with a solution of liquid mullein, and for another week - with a ready-made complex fertilizer for citrus trees. Such fertilizers can be purchased in specialized stores. Fertilizers should include the following components:

  • Nitrogen.
  • Potassium.
  • Phosphorus.

It is recommended to fertilize in the first half of the day. However, before this, the soil must be watered. The temperature of the nutrient solution should be at least 20°C. The recipe for preparing the fertilizer must be strictly followed.

It is worth noting that caring for an orange tree at home will be almost the same as caring for a tangerine.

The most economical way to obtain a tangerine tree seedling is to grow it from a fruit seed. But if the grower already has a ready-made tree and wants to get offspring from it, then you can choose one of the following methods for propagation:

Control of possible pests

Even if the tangerine tree is provided with all the necessary conditions and full care, flower growers sometimes encounter problems such as pests. Among these pests, the most common are the following:

  • Whiteflies.
  • Scale insects.
  • Red spider mite.

Each of the above pests can cause irreparable harm to the tangerine. That is why, at the first detection of these insects on a plant and the slightest suspicion of their presence, it is necessary to wipe the leaves or spray the entire tree with special preparations: Actellik or Fitoverm. Acaricidal and insecticidal agents must be used only in strict accordance with the attached instructions for use.

Plant tangerine (lat. Citrus reticulata)- a small evergreen tree, a species of the Citrus genus of the Rutaceae family. The fruits of this plant are also called tangerines. The tangerine, the most common species of the genus, comes from Southern Vietnam and China. Currently, the tangerine tree cannot be found in the wild, but it is grown in cultivation in areas with a subtropical climate. And this type of citrus fruit is becoming increasingly popular as a decorative houseplant. In popularity, the homemade tangerine tree is second only to the indoor lemon.

Planting and caring for tangerines (in brief)

  • Bloom: usually in the spring, but can last all year round.
  • Lighting: bright sunlight: a southern window sill with shading in the afternoon is most suitable.
  • Temperature: in the warm season - from 16 to 30 ˚C, in winter - not lower than 14 ˚C.
  • Watering: regular, as the top layer of the substrate dries.
  • Air humidity: in hot weather, regular spraying of the plant with warm water and monthly showers are recommended.
  • Feeding: during the growing season, twice a month with a solution of complex mineral fertilizer. In winter, fertilizing is not needed.
  • Rest period: not clearly expressed, but from about the end of October to mid-February.
  • Pinching: the crown is formed within 3-4 years in the spring, at the beginning of active growth: if the seedling does not branch when it grows 40 cm, it is pinched to force it to form side shoots. Subsequently, the ends of all shoots after the fifth leaf are removed by pinching.
  • Reproduction: seeds, grafting and air layering.
  • Pests: spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects and aphids.
  • Diseases: root rot.

Read more about growing tangerines below.

Homemade tangerine - description

Mandarin at home does not reach such a height as in nature, growing only up to 1.5-2 m. The branches of the tree are mostly drooping, the leaves of mandarin are dense, small, elliptical or ovoid, dark green, located on petioles with barely noticeable wings. Single or paired fragrant tangerine flowers with matte white petals are located in the axils of the leaves.

The multi-seeded and multi-lobed mandarin fruit - hesperidium - is covered in a peel that is easily separated from the pulp. It is flattened from top to base and reaches a diameter of 4 to 15 cm. The pulp is yellow-orange in color and consists of a large number of spindle-shaped hairs - sacs filled with juice. The peel of the fruit, which is called “flavedo”, which means “yellow”, contains many glands with essential oil, and its inner white layer, called “albedo” (“white”), is loose, which makes it easy to peel the tangerine. The pulp of a tangerine is usually sweeter and the flavor is stronger than that of an orange. And although the fruits of homemade tangerines are much inferior in taste to the fruits of garden tangerines, a fruiting tangerine, hung like a Christmas tree with yellow-orange balls, looks very attractive.

Indoor tangerine is a spectacular potted plant not only because of its bright, mouth-watering fruits: the flowering of tangerine is also a fascinating sight, especially since it is accompanied by an amazing fragrance. Currently, many amateur gardeners are enthusiastically growing tangerines from seeds just on the windowsill, and we will be happy to tell you how to grow tangerines indoors, how to care for tangerines, how to plant a homemade tangerine, how to protect it from diseases and pests, how to replant tangerine if the pot has become too small for him, and we will also describe the beneficial properties of tangerine.

Indoor tangerine from seed

How to grow tangerines at home

Before planting tangerine seeds, they are wrapped in slightly damp gauze or a napkin for several days. Keep the fabric moist the entire time the seeds are swelling. Instead of gauze or fabric, you can use hydrogel - a product that perfectly retains moisture. Seeds from a freshly eaten tangerine should be sown in the ground immediately, without soaking.

Even if you grow just one tree, soak at least a dozen seeds: firstly, not all of them may germinate, and secondly, some seeds may die from diseases during the growth process, and some seedlings will not survive transplantation.

As soon as the seeds hatch, they are planted in 200 ml cups or in bowls no more than 9 cm deep with drainage holes, filled with a substrate of turf soil (3 parts), humus, sand and leaf soil (1 part each) with the addition of a couple of handfuls of clay. . You will have to prepare the substrate yourself, since any of the purchased soils contain peat, which is contraindicated for tangerines. In extreme cases, you can use Biohumus or Rose soil as a substrate, the pH of which is in the range of 6.5-7.0 units. At the bottom of the cups under the substrate you need to place a layer of expanded clay or small pebbles. The seeds are buried 4 cm in moist soil. The crops are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ºC. Shoots appear within three to four weeks, although this can happen earlier.

If you sowed seeds in a common container, then at the stage of formation of four leaves in the seedlings (citrus fruits do not have cotyledon leaves), you need to pick them out into separate cups. Sometimes two plants can grow from one seed, since multi-germination of seeds is quite common for citrus crops. In this case, the tangerine seedlings need to be carefully separated (each of them has its own root system) and planted. If one seedling is significantly weaker than another, it is better to sacrifice it: pinch it off so that it does not interfere with the development of a stronger plant.

The next transplantation of seedlings is carried out when their roots fill the entire volume of the cup. You can use a small pot as a container. Planting a tangerine in a pot is done by transferring the seedling along with a lump of earth.

Caring for a tangerine in a pot

Growing tangerine in an apartment

The conditions for growing tangerines at home should be as close to natural as possible. Mandarin loves the sun, so the best place for it is a south-facing window, provided that in winter the room temperature does not drop below 14 ºC. In summer, the plant can be kept on a balcony or loggia. However, in the afternoon, tangerines should be protected from sunlight with a curtain made of light fabric or gauze.

The favorable temperature for the development, budding and flowering of tangerine is considered to be from 16 to 18 ºC with an air humidity of 60%. However, do not worry if the room becomes hot with the arrival of summer: tangerines can grow and bear fruit even at 40 ºC.

Watering a tangerine

Caring for a tangerine involves regularly watering the plant as the top layer of soil in the pot dries. There is a trick to help determine whether a plant needs watering: take a pinch of soil from the pot with your fingers and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then it’s too early to water the tangerine, and if it crumbles, then it’s time to moisten the soil in the pot. Under no circumstances allow the earthen ball to dry out completely. Water the tangerine with water at room temperature that has been left standing for 24 hours in an open vessel. In winter, it is advisable to heat water for irrigation to 30-35 ºC, and in summer it can be left in the sun.

As for air humidity, the tangerine, especially in the summer heat, needs daily spraying, and once a month it must be washed in the shower with soap, covering the stem of the plant and the soil in the pot with plastic. This hygienic procedure is also a prevention against pests.

Mandarin fertilizer

During the dormant period, in winter, tangerine does not need fertilizing, and during the growing season, a solution of complex mineral fertilizer is added to the soil twice a month. To stimulate abundant fruiting, adult plants 1 m or more in height are fed with fish broth once a month: 200 g of unsalted fish or fish waste is boiled in 2 liters of water for half an hour, allowed to cool and filtered through cheesecloth. Water the soil with “ear” in the morning at an air temperature of 18-19 ºC.

Tangerine transplant

Young plants are replanted annually, fruit-bearing ones - once every 2-3 years, each time increasing the size of the pot in diameter by 4-6 cm. The soil for young plants should be of the following composition: turf soil - 2 parts, and leaf soil, sand and humus - one part at a time. For plants older than three years of turf soil, you need to take three parts, and the remaining ingredients - one at a time. When planting, it is important that the root collar of the tangerine remains at surface level. It is better not to bother replanting very large or old trees, but once every 2-3 years you need to remove the top layer of soil in the pot and replace it with fresh fertile substrate.

Tangerine pruning

Mandarin is one of those plants whose crown needs to be shaped. If, with a growth of 30-40 cm, the seedling does not begin to branch on its own, it needs to be pinched to stimulate the formation of side shoots of the first order. However, this is not enough, since fruiting occurs only on branches of the fourth or fifth order. This means that pinching should be continued, removing the ends of all shoots after the fourth or fifth leaf. For sanitary purposes, weak shoots and those growing inside the crown are also pruned. It usually takes 3-4 years for a tree to form.

Sometimes, in order to enhance the branching of shoots, they resort to deflecting and fixing them: one end of a soft wire is fixed on a branch, and the other on the edge of the pot so that the wire pulls the top of the shoot down.

Pests and diseases of tangerine

Mandarin turns yellow

Many amateur gardeners are faced with the fact that tangerine leaves suddenly begin to turn yellow. What is the reason for this phenomenon? There are several reasons. For example, due to a lack of nitrogen in the soil, first the lower leaves of a tangerine become yellow, and then gradually all the foliage turns yellow. This process can be stopped by adding ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate or organic matter to the soil.

Against the background of iron deficiency in the soil, tangerine develops chlorosis: first, young leaves acquire a light yellow color, then older foliage becomes discolored. To prevent chlorosis, tangerines are treated with iron chelate once a month.

Another likely cause of yellowing tangerine leaves may be spider mites - tiny arachnids that make punctures in the leaves of the plant and feed on its cell sap. You can only see a mite under a magnifying glass, but sometimes its presence is revealed by the thinnest web appearing on the plant. To destroy pests, wash the tree in the shower, then treat its leaves with a soapy solution: put grated laundry soap in warm water, whip up a thick foam and use a cotton swab to wipe the tangerine leaves with the foam. To completely defeat the tick, you may need three such procedures with an interval of 2-3 days. The place where the mite-infested tangerine stood should be thoroughly washed.

Mandarin leaves turn yellow due to insufficient lighting, as well as because the pot has become too small for the plant.

The tangerine is falling

Leaves falling from a tangerine are not always a sign of any disease. If this happens from late October to mid-February, move the plant to a room with a temperature of 14-17 ºC and reduce watering: the tangerine needs rest. Leaves may also fall due to low air humidity. In this case, the plant should be sprayed in the evenings with settled water at room temperature and containers of water should be placed around it. Tangerine leaves also fall due to improper planting: the plant has a pot that is too large or the root collar is buried in the soil. The cause of leaf falling may be a lack of potassium in the soil, drafts, too wet soil in the pot and poor lighting.

Mandarin is drying

If, before the tangerine leaves begin to fall off, a dry brown crust forms on their edges, we can conclude that the watering regime has been disrupted: you have chronically over-moistened the soil in the pot. To restore normal development of the plant, transplant it into another pot with a good drainage layer and fresh substrate with a predominance of leafy soil. When replanting, carefully inspect the root system of the tangerine and remove rotten roots. Leaves also dry out if there is insufficient watering. A drying plant will have to be revived by placing it in a bowl of water at room temperature. The water in the basin should reach the edge of the pot. Now you need to water the tangerine until the soil is completely wet and air stops coming out of it. After the procedure, drain the excess water and spray the tangerine with a solution of 1 ml of Epin in 2 liters of water. These sprayings should be continued for some time, 2 times a week. In this way, even a very dried out plant can be revived.

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 botanists, its homeland is China or Japan. The name “mandarin” was given to this plant by the Chinese, since for many centuries it was grown only in the gardens of wealthy dignitaries of feudal China - mandarins. Tangerine trees exported from China appeared in Europe only in the 19th century. The Italian Michel Tecor brought tangerine trees to Italy in 1840, and this citrus plant quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. Probably, such popularity was caused by the fact that tangerine trees are early-fruiting and very productive, and the fruits are sweet and without seeds. Mandarin came to Ukraine from Japan at the beginning of the 20th century, during the massive construction of summer cottages in the subtropical zone of the Black Sea coast. Here it has become the most common citrus plant. Regardless of the variety, summer gardeners gave tangerine trees a common name - forged. Mandarin trees are relatively low-growing; 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 are collected in brushes. Mandarin fruits are spherical, flattened, 4-6 cm in diameter and weighing from 30 to 100 g. The fruit peel is thin, orange, and easily separated from the pulp. In the so-called “plump” 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 are rarely formed in tangerine fruits. In an apartment, tangerine grows and develops with a limited amount of light and fresh air, so the correct choice of the tangerine variety that is most suitable for indoor conditions is of paramount importance. Early ripening tangerine trees of Japanese origin, characterized by low growth and unpretentiousness, meet these requirements. The most common is the indoor tangerine variety Unshiu (which means “Seedless”). This is a low (no higher than 1.5 m) tangerine tree with a spreading crown; without thorns on the branches; with wide, leathery, dark green leaves. The tangerine tree usually blooms once a year in the spring, very profusely. Tangerine flowers are small, white, exuding a pleasant aroma. The tangerine tree begins to bear fruit at 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 trees are low-growing and decorative. These include indoor varieties of tangerines: Kovano-Vase, Mikha-Vase, Miyagawa-Vase. The height of mature tangerine trees does not exceed 50-80 cm, so they are very convenient to keep 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 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 from any material, the main thing is that the upper diameter should not exceed 10-15 cm, the height is approximately the same. There should be one or several small holes at the bottom of the pot to drain excess water when watering. At the bottom of the pot, which can be a plastic bucket, a wooden, ceramic, glass container, place expanded clay or sand as drainage, or best of all, charcoal, which can be taken from an extinct fire in the forest, in a city park. The thickness of the drainage should not exceed 3-5 cm. Then sprinkle the drainage with a little soil. To transplant a tangerine tree seedling, you need specially prepared soil of the “Mandarin” type; 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 soil for replanting must be taken from a forest or park, under old deciduous trees, except oak, chestnut and poplar. It is necessary to take only the top, most fertile layer of soil, 5-10 cm thick. Add sand to this soil, preferably river sand, a little ash, and more humus, if available. The proportion is as follows: two glasses of deciduous soil, 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 well fill the entire volume of the pot, leaving no air voids near the roots of the tangerine tree. After six months, the tangerine tree must be transplanted into a larger pot 5 cm in diameter. Spray and water the planted indoor tangerine with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), and then place it on a previously prepared window sill, bay window or balcony so that the surface of the leaves is directed towards the light.

Reproduction

Indoor tangerines are propagated by grafting onto lemon and orange seedlings grown from seeds of indoor varieties and by air layering. Indoor mandarin is practically not amenable to cuttings under amateur conditions.

Lighting

The tangerine tree should be kept in a southern sunny window. In summer, it is recommended to take indoor tangerine outdoors - to the garden, veranda, balcony, placing it in a place protected from the wind. If an indoor tangerine stands on a south-facing window, then in the summer it is advisable to darken it a little from direct sunlight so that burns do not occur on the leaves of the tangerine and chlorosis does not appear from overheating of the entire crown and roots. To do this, make a gauze curtain on the window frame itself, at the height of the tangerine tree, and in the morning, before leaving the house, cover the glass with it if the day promises to be sunny.


Air temperature

If a pot of indoor tangerine will stand on a 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°C, air humidity is at least 60%, but do not be afraid of high temperatures, the tangerine tree can withstand and bear fruit up to +40°C.

Watering

Indoor tangerine should be watered as the top layer of soil dries, without allowing the lump of earth in the pot to completely dry out. To determine soil moisture, take the time to take a little of the surface layer of soil with three fingers every day and squeeze it. If the soil sticks together, then there is no need to water; if it crumbles under your fingers, then it’s time to water. You need to monitor the condition of the soil daily (especially in summer) so that the entire earthen lump in the pot does not dry out due to 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 is practically unsuitable for watering citrus fruits, since it contains a large amount of compounds of alkaline earth metals and chlorine, which together and each individually cause great harm to the tangerine, causing spotting (chlorosis) of the leaves, alkalizing the soil, and disrupting metabolic processes. Many authors recommend boiling tap water, but this does not always immediately lead to the desired result; unnecessary hassle often scares off potential fans of window fruit growing, so I recommend using hot water from the tap. This water contains less chlorine and is softer. In addition, water for irrigation must be left for at least 24 hours in an open container to completely remove chlorine, which is extremely harmful 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 the room for heating. Rainwater now contains many harmful impurities, so do not collect it for irrigation. In any case, wherever the water is taken, it must be left for at least a day in an open vessel at room temperature and only then watered over the tangerine. In winter, to achieve better growth and fruiting of tangerines, it is advisable to heat the water to a temperature of +30 +35°C before watering. In the summer, you can put the water on a sunny window and not bother heating it.


Spraying

It must be well remembered that in addition to watering, indoor tangerines should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle or any other method at least once a day, especially in summer, to create humidity, to wash away dust from the branches, so that the leaves “breathe”. At least once a month, it is advisable to place the tangerine tree in a bath, cover the soil in the pot with plastic wrap and treat the entire crown with cotton wool and soap suds. Then you won't have to deal with difficult pest control. Do not forget to tie the stem of the tangerine tree at the bottom with gauze or a bandage so that the soapy water is absorbed into the fabric and does not get into the soil.

Fertilizer

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

Pests

The enemies of the indoor tangerine are sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. The most common pests are: spider mites, scale insects (false scale insects). They are combated with chemical and biological preparations, which are more acceptable in open soil conditions in the subtropics and greenhouses. It is advisable not to use pesticides for an apartment. Signs of spider mite infestation are as follows: white dots appear on old tangerine 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 become entangled in a white web. To combat mites, use tobacco dust, garlic, and laundry soap. Take 1 tablespoon of tobacco dust and pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 6 days. Add 10 grams of laundry soap to the resulting infusion and spray the plant 3 times with an interval of 6 days. Garlic is used as follows: one head of garlic is crushed, poured with a glass of hot water and left for 2 days. The solution is filtered and spraying is carried out similarly to the above. When affected by scale insects, brown-gray shiny round formations with a diameter of 3-5 mm are visible on the surface of young and old leaves. They are placed along the veins at 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 difficult to notice. With severe damage, sticky gum appears on the surface of old leaves, and in the late stage they become covered with a black sticky coating, which is very difficult to wash off with water. Water-oil emulsions effectively help against scale insects. Mix one teaspoon of machine oil in one glass of warm water, add 40 grams of laundry soap and 2 tablespoons of washing powder. Before processing, cover the soil in the pot with plastic film, and the stem is tied at the bottom with a bandage. This is done in order to prevent the emulsion from getting into the soil. Treatment is carried out using a cotton or gauze swab. A water-oil emulsion is applied to all surfaces of tangerine branches and leaves. After 3-4 hours, rinse everything off in the shower, making sure that the emulsion does not get into the soil. Process 3 times with an interval of 6 days.