What pot to plant a tangerine tree in. How to grow a tangerine tree from a seed at home

Mandarin, just like lemon Tree, is quite common and popular. A houseplant is grown directly indoors. Botanists suggest that it was first grown in China or Japan.

Where did the plant get its name? In the past, it was grown in the gardens of mandarins, who were wealthy dignitaries at that time. At the beginning of the 19th century, tangerines began to appear in Europe. They were transported to Italy in 1840. After which the whole Mediterranean learned about this fruit.

The tangerine tree is distinguished by the fact that it ripens quickly and bears big harvest. It also has quite sweet fruits that do not have seeds. When did Ukraine see this beautiful tree? At the beginning of the 20th century, where the Black Sea is located. It is in this place that tangerine is most common at home.

The fruit tree can be called weak-growing. Its height reaches 3 meters. It has beautiful, eye-catching leaves. Their color is dark green, and their structure is quite dense and has small wings in the petiole area. The flowers have a wonderful aroma and white color - they are beautifully arranged in clusters. The fruits of the tree are spherical, flattened and have a diameter of up to 6 cm. Their weight is about 100 g.

The fruit has a thin orange peel that is easy to separate from the pulp. There are “plump” tangerines, the peel of which practically does not come into contact with the pulp, but has air gap. The sweet yellow-orange pulp is easy to divide into slices.

The fruit of the tree is rich in sugar, organic acids, and vitamins. It is rare to find seeds in the fruit. If you decide to plant a tangerine at home, then it requires a limited amount of light and fresh air. Not every variety of tangerine can grow indoors, so it is necessary to distinguish between these types. So, you can get early ripening tangerine trees, which are of Japanese origin. They are undersized and unpretentious.

Among the most common options is the Unshiu variety, which means seedless. He is short in stature - up to 1.5 meters. It has a spreading crown and the branches do not have thorns. The leaves are wide, leathery and dark green in color. The tree blooms profusely once a year. Mandarin from the seed at home has small white flowers with pleasant aroma. When the tree is already 3 years old, it begins to bear fruit. If you take good care of an adult tree, you can get up to 50 fruits within a year.

This decorative look plants characterized by low growth. They are indoor varieties tangerines. Mature trees are usually no higher than 80 cm. This has made them popular among plants that are kept on the windowsill.

For an indoor tangerine tree there is no need to form a crown. However, from time to time it is necessary to remove branches that have dried out or grown incorrectly. The peculiarity of the dwarf mandarin is that it begins to bear fruit after two years of life. However, the size and taste of the fruit is the same as that of ordinary fruit trees.

Basics of planting and transplanting

In order to plant a plant, you need to take a suitable pot. Its material doesn't matter. But there is important condition, to top part the diameter did not exceed 15 cm, and the height should be the same. The bottom of the container should have one or more small holes so that excess water can drain from it during watering.

The pot can be in the form of a plastic bucket, wooden, ceramic or glass container. It is necessary to place drainage at its bottom, which can be expanded clay or sand. Practice shows that drainage is best served by: charcoal after the fire. You should not make drainage more than 5 cm in height.

After selecting the drainage, you need to take a little soil to sprinkle it. Any soil will not work in this case. There are specially prepared types of soil, for example “Mandarin”. They can be purchased in specialized stores.

In some cases, you can do the soil preparation yourself. Where old deciduous trees grow in the forest, take some soil. However, avoid areas where oak, poplar or chestnut trees grow. The soil is most fertile in the upper layers, the thickness of which is 10 cm. Additionally, you need to add sand, river sand, ash, humus, if available, will do. Dilute a glass of earth with a glass of sand, three tablespoons of humus and a tablespoon of ash, as well as a small amount of water. You should end up with a thick, sour cream-like mass. This will help avoid air voids near the root of the tree.

When six months have passed, you need to take a container that is 5 cm larger and transplant small tangerines there. When you have planted a tree, you need to spray it and water it with a weak potassium permanganate agent from time to time.

Prepare a place for the plant in advance. A window sill that is directed towards the light is suitable for this, so that enough sunlight falls on the leaves.

Propagation occurs when seedlings are grafted from other citrus fruits such as orange and lemon. This method is also used air layering. If you want to take cuttings from plants using amateur conditions, then you won't succeed.

Important attention should be paid to lighting. The window on which you will keep the plant should be located on the south sunny side. When summer comes, take it outside to get some fresh air. This could be a veranda, garden or balcony. However, it is important that this place is protected from the wind.

It is good if the plant grows on the south side, but it is important not to forget in the summer to protect it from being exposed to direct Sun rays. This can damage the roots and crowns, and also cause burns on the tangerine itself from the seed at home. How to avoid this? Make a curtain of gauze and place it on the window where the tree stands. When you plan to leave the house, make it a rule to cover the glass with a curtain, especially on sunny days.

Temperature and watering the plant

Have you placed a tangerine on the windowsill? Then in winter you should take care of it by properly insulating the window. The pot with the tree itself is also insulated. In order for the tangerine to shoot buds and bloom, it is important to maintain the temperature to 18 degrees. There should also be suitable humidity - 60%. At the same time, you should not be afraid of high temperatures, because the plant has the ability to withstand up to 40 degrees of heat.

Now let's move on to the basics of watering. As it dries upper layer soil, it is necessary to water the plant. Under no circumstances should the lump of earth dry out in the pot. Every day, determine how wet the soil is by testing the surface layer of soil with your fingers. If during the inspection you notice that the soil sticks together, then it does not need watering, but if it begins to crumble, then watering is required.

Especially in the summer, it is important to monitor the condition of the soil. After all, due to the fact that the tree is affected heat and the bright sun, the earth often dries out. It is also worth remembering that not all water is suitable for irrigation.

If you have city ​​apartment, then the water from it is not suitable for watering tangerines. This is explained by the fact that it contains alkaline earth metals, as well as chlorine. Such substances will only harm the plant. As a result, its leaves will suffer from chlorosis, and metabolic processes in the soil will be disrupted.

It's a good idea to boil the water every time, but you probably don't need that much trouble. To others not a bad option is the use hot water from the tap, which contains less chlorine and, moreover, it is soft. Before watering the tree, leave the water in an open container for a day - then the chlorine will be completely removed from it. After all, this substance is destructive for any citrus fruit.

If you own a private home, then water from wells will do. However, the water found in a lake or stream is even better. Before watering, let it warm up a little at room temperature. Not suitable for watering rainwater, because it contains harmful impurities. What is the best way to care for tangerines in winter? Heat the water until it reaches 35 degrees. Then the tree will grow and bear fruit better. In summer, it is easier to deal with this issue by simply placing water on a window where there is more sun.

Watering alone is not enough for a tangerine tree. It needs to be sprayed once every day. clean water. You need to take care of this especially in the summer. Use a spray bottle or other means to create moisture. Thanks to this, there will be no dust on the leaves and they will be able to breathe. Also, once a month it is necessary to carry out the following procedure: place the plant in the bathtub, cover an area of ​​soil with plastic film, while treating the entire plant with cotton wool and soap suds. This will allow you to forget about the hard work of pest control. However, remember that you need to take gauze or a bandage to bandage the tree trunk. This will prevent soapy water from getting into the soil.

What can you say about fertilizer? IN winter time there is no need to fertilize the tangerine. But in summer and spring this is done every two weeks. There are features that show how to properly fertilize. Do not start doing this before you have watered the plant, otherwise you will burn the roots. Moist soil is suitable for fertilizing.

How much should a tree be fertilized? Make sure there is enough of it and that it flows straight out of drainage hole. In specialized stores you will see big choice fertilizers You can also use regular fish soup, which is suitable for a plant that is taller than one meter. Thanks to this feeding, it will begin to bear fruit better. But at the same time, do not neglect special fertilizers, such as Mandarin.

Mandarins can be damaged by sucking and gnawing pests, as well as fungi and viruses. You can often encounter spider mite and scale insects. Chemical and biological agents are used to combat them. However, this is the case if you plant the plant in open ground. It is better not to use pesticides within the apartment.

How can you determine that a plant needs care? For example, it may become covered with white dots. You may also see a reddish tick on it that moves quickly if you touch it. In addition, white cobwebs may appear on white leaves.

To combat such pests, use tobacco dust, garlic and laundry soap. One tablespoon of tobacco dust is poured with boiling water (one glass). All this must be insisted for 6 days. To this then add laundry soap. Spray the plant every 6 days. However, take a break for 6 days.

How to use garlic against pests? Mash the plant head and pour it hot water. Wait 2 days and strain the broth. You can spray the tangerine according to the same previous scheme.

What if you notice that your plant is covered in brownish-gray shiny growths? This means it is a scale insect infection. This can be dealt with using water-oil emulsions. Machine oil(1 teaspoon) stir with warm water(1 glass). To this add laundry soap (40 g) and washing powder(2 large spoons). When you treat a plant with this, be sure to use plastic film to cover the soil with it. Also use a bandage to bandage the trunk. Thanks to this, the emulsion will not get on the ground and damage it. For processing, you can use a cotton or gauze swab. Treat the entire surface and leaves of the plant. Then wait 4 hours and wash everything off. This procedure also needs to be done 3 times.

Thanks to such simple tips you will grow a beautiful plant.

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

Choosing a place for a tangerine

If you decide to grow a tangerine, the first thing you need to do is choose a place for the tree. Indoors can grow both on the windowsill and on the balcony. Today, breeders have bred many dwarf plants, but ordinary tangerine trees can also be given the desired shape.

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

Temperature

To keep tangerines indoors, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature. IN summer period optimal temperature indicators when growing a tree should be +20...+25°C. When the plant begins to bloom or buds appear on it, it is advisable to prevent them from falling off the flowers by lowering the temperature no higher than +20 °C.

In winter, to improve future flowering, citrus mandarin is better leave without much movement. Temperature in winter period contents can vary from +5 °C to +10°C. By observing these temperature conditions, you can easily grow tangerines from seeds at home.

Mandarin is very important point with his growth. In insufficient light, the tree is lagging behind in development and there is a high risk of getting modest blooms. In summer, young tangerines can be gradually exposed to open air so that the plant gradually gets used to the environment. But at noon you will have to hide it from direct sunlight.

In winter, when daylight hours are quite short, the tangerine must be placed in the brightest place in the room. It happens that a young tree may not have enough lighting. Here a phytolamp will come to the rescue, which is screwed into a regular table lamp or chandelier. Start off You need to highlight the tangerine gradually, otherwise, with a sharp change in daylight hours, the plant may lose its leaves.

Air humidity

Mandarin does not tolerate dry air. Therefore, to maintain sufficient humidity, it is recommended to place containers of water around the container. As the temperature rises, the plant needs to be additionally moistened, sometimes several times a day. In winter, it is better to spray, but only when it dries.

Choosing a container or container for planting

It is recommended to choose dishes for planting tangerines based on its size. Remember, for the tree to grow better, it will need to be replanted every year. Do not immediately choose a large pot, as it will be too large space may lead to root rot.

The best containers for tangerines are small ones. wooden boxes or pots from natural materials. When planting, don't forget the good things. Pebbles, expanded clay, remnants of broken ceramic dishes and even polystyrene foam are perfect for this role. Mandarin does not like stagnant moisture in the soil, which can also lead to root rot.

Important! Every week, inspect the shoots, as well as the trunk and leaves of the tree for bacterial or pest infestation.

Soil for tangerine

As with growing in open ground, indoor tangerine does not like acidic soils. Therefore, choosing ready mixture For planting in the store, pay attention to the substrate.

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

Planting, propagation and replanting of tangerines

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

First of all, you need to understand that when using this method, you should expect results no earlier than six years later. Even more the hard way propagation - cuttings, since when using it it is extremely rare to grow a tangerine at home.

At the same time, tangerine grafting is considered one of the proven options. At home, it is grafted onto orange or grapefruit seedlings. In addition, many gardeners are interested in how long does a tangerine grow? This citrus tree very durable and with proper care will live for more than thirty years.

Mandarin roots grow actively every year, which is why the plant needs annual replanting. After 5-6 years, they are replanted less frequently - once every two years. Transplantation must be carried out in the spring, before the active growth of the rhizome, and each time a flowerpot or pot is selected that is not much larger than the previous one. The best method for replanting a tangerine would be a transshipment method: try not to destroy the formed earthen lump.

Important! The roots of the plant should not be washed. Only when they are infected is rinsing allowed.

Vegetative methods of propagation

As we mentioned above, propagating tangerines at home using normal landing cuttings - almost impossible. Therefore, in order to grow a fruitful tree, tangerine cuttings are grafted to any other citrus plant.

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

After this, you need to coat the cut area with garden varnish and wrap it with PVC film or electrical tape. After grafting tangerines, you need to place them in or simply cover them with a plastic bag. You can ventilate once a day, making sure that a peephole does not appear after vaccination.

Usually the cutting is grafted within a month, after which the greenhouse is removed and the electrical tape is loosened. After rooting, you can completely get rid of the stretched film. By growing tangerines using this propagation method, you have every chance of getting sweet and juicy fruits.

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

Seed method

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

When the seeds are dry, they need to be soaked for further germination: take a cotton cloth and wrap the seeds in it. The fabric should be damp for several days, but not floating in water.

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

Important! Be sure to take several grains at once for planting, since some tangerine seeds usually do not germinate.

Plant care

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

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

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Growing a tangerine from a seed is not difficult - it is unpretentious and hardy. Therefore, even a person far from floriculture can cope with such a task.

The seeds are extracted from store-bought tangerines. The main thing is that the fruit has a marketable appearance and there are no signs of rotting. The bone itself should also be inspected; it should not have any signs of damage or deformation. Even if you want to grow only one tree, you should still stock up on a dozen seeds. Later this will allow:

• select the largest, most beautiful sprouts for further cultivation;
• without fear for the result, vaccinate in order to obtain fruits. Grafting cuttings is an operation that requires precision; often it does not give the desired result the first time.

It is better to have a supply of several seedlings.

How to prepare seeds for planting

The resulting seeds can be planted in two ways:

1. Without additional processing of the seeds - immediately after removal from the tangerine, they are sent to the ground;
2. After soaking. To do this, the bones are wrapped in damp cloth for several days. The main thing is that the fabric does not dry out. If there is no time or desire to control the humidity, then the seeds can be filled with water. It is believed that it is unnecessary to do this, but practice shows that the result will be almost one hundred percent germination.

Any of the listed methods of preparing seeds will allow you to grow a tangerine from a seed, but when soaking, the sprouts will appear earlier. For example, if an untreated seed germinates on average in a month, then a treated seed will germinate a week faster. Soaking does not provide any other benefits. If you want to shorten the wait even further, then after soaking you should carefully cut off the protective skin on the pointed end of the seed and remove it from the seed. This will speed up the process by a few more days.

When to plant tangerine

The optimal planting time is January-February. Reason: germination will take about 30 days, and after it the sprouts adapt for about two weeks and only then active growth begins. That is, tangerines will be ready to develop by the end of March, just at this time daylight allows them to do this in best conditions. But this parameter is not the most important; if you want to plant the seed at some other time, then this can be done. In the latter case, the only drawback will be not the fastest growth.

Soil for planting tangerines

If you want to grow a healthy tangerine from a seed, then you need to create the appropriate conditions for it. That is, you shouldn’t just plant seeds in the ground, under some kind of flower. For normal germination and growth of a tree, the following two conditions will need to be met:

1. Provide the tangerine with the required size container;
2. Provide the plant with the necessary quality soil.

What should the capacity be?

The seed should be planted in a small container. Even trays are suitable for chicken eggs or hundred-gram plastic glasses. Reason: citrus fruits need a lot of moisture, but if it is not processed by the roots, putrefactive processes will begin. The mandarin doesn’t like this, so he will die. That is, in a small container it is much easier for a sprout to create optimal conditions. In addition, a small layer of loose soil will allow the roots to breathe more actively, and therefore perform their function more effectively.

As the tree grows, it will be necessary to provide larger containers. So in the first year it is advisable to perform 3 transshipments. Please note, not transfers, but transshipments. That is, the tree should be moved with a lump of earth stuck to the roots. This allows you to immediately get used to new conditions and develop at a rapid pace. The first transshipment is carried out after the young tree has four leaves.

Further, in the first year of the tangerine’s life, the procedure for changing the pot is performed after the roots fill the entire old container. In the future, transshipment is carried out once a year, it should be completed before the beginning of March.

In all cases, the diameter of the new pot should exceed the old one by 1-2 cm. An adult tree from 8 years old can be moved once every 2 years, the new container should exceed the old one by 4-6 cm. In the latter case, if desired, the citrus grower can replace the transshipment with changing the top layer of soil.

It will be better for the tangerine if the pot is plastic. In summer, the material of the container does not play a significant role, and in winter, plastic will not reduce the temperature of the soil, as clay pots do. This will help to grow healthy and hardy tangerines from seeds.

What should the soil be like?

Even residents major cities You should be prepared for the fact that you will have to prepare the soil yourself rather than buy it. Reason: tangerine needs neutral soil, the pH of which should be in the range of 6.5-7. That is, the composition should not contain peat, which makes the soil acidic, and almost all manufacturers use it for their soil mixtures.

Therefore for suitable substrate you should go to parks and forests. Pick up suitable soil not difficult. It is enough to find an area under deciduous trees where leaves are not removed. Immediately below them there will be a rotted layer of soil, which is perfect for growing tangerines. For 4 parts of such forest land there should be 1 part river sand, it should be cleared of large particles of debris and washed.

If you can additionally find well-rotted humus, then this will be even better, since it provides the mandarin with additional nutrition, and for a long time. In this case, you should mix 2 parts of forest soil with 2 parts of humus and 1 part of river sand.

If it is not possible to prepare your own mixture, then you should buy soil for roses. Its acidity is minimal, which will provide the tangerine with satisfactory conditions for development.

How to plant a seed

The seeds go 1-4 cm deep into the soil. Next, you need to water it, cover the container with glass or cellophane and place it in a warm, dark place. This will ensure the necessary conditions for germination. As it dries, watering is repeated. After germination, the container is moved to the windowsill.

Cellophane and glass should be removed immediately after the sprout appears, as the tangerine will quickly get used to the humidity and will need to be accustomed to drier air.

This citrus fruit comes from warmer climes, so optimal temperature for its development within 20-25°C. At temperatures below 17°C, growth stops.

How to water a tangerine

Mandarin in natural conditions never lacks moisture, so the soil should always be moist. But the plant cannot be flooded - this will lead to putrefactive processes, if they are not stopped in time, the plant will die.

During the active growing season (April-September), tangerines should be watered daily, in hot weather even several times a day. In winter, watering is carried out 2-3 times a week, as the soil dries out. It is also impossible to let the soil dry out, since the roots are covered with a large number of beneficial bacteria, which ensure that the tangerine is saturated with useful substances. If they die, the tree will almost certainly suffer the same fate.

You should always remember that tangerine loves not only watering, but also spraying. It should be carried out as often as possible - several times a day all year round.

How much light does a plant need?

The optimal length of daylight for a tangerine is about 12 hours. That is, in winter it is desirable additional lighting using specialized lamps. If you don’t want to spend money, then it’s quite possible to do without backlighting - the tangerine adapts to such conditions. But in this case, it is better to make a greenhouse out of cellophane without one wall and place it close to the window. The temperature inside will be cooler, the tree will become less active, and the need for light will be low.

Plant nutrition

In the first year, it is quite possible not to feed the tangerine, since with frequent transshipment, fresh soil will supply all the necessary nutrients. In the future, specialized fertilizers are used; they cannot be replaced with universal ones, since they almost always contain chlorine, which citrus fruits cannot tolerate. You can use an infusion of cow or horse manure, which is diluted in a ratio of 1:10 with settled water.

What is more important: decorative qualities or fruits?

Young tangerine is grown exclusively as an ornamental tree. The owner must decide what to do:

1. Continue to simply enjoy the grown tangerine. To do this, you don’t need to do anything other than normal care;
2. Get the fruits. To do this, graft a petiole from a fruit-bearing tree onto the grown tangerine. A wild tree does not bear fruit; even if it blooms, the fruits will be tiny and inedible. You can graft when the trunk or desired branches reach a thickness of more than 6 mm. In this case, the tree should not be younger than 1.5-2 years. Interestingly, you can graft any variety of tangerine and even lemon and orange. It is possible to get the first fruits when the tree is 5-6 years old.

This is all you need to know to grow a tangerine at home from an ordinary seed.

Most often, people get acquainted with botany, starting with tangerines - orange, fragrant, with bright slices and inconspicuous seeds. Of course, each of us would like to grow this wonderful fruit with our own hands at home.
Therefore, when eating a tangerine, we most often bury its seed in a pot of soil where it grows. home plant. But few people know how to organize proper care in order to grow a homemade tangerine from the seed from A to Z, and get a good harvest.

Growing tangerine from seed

Before you decide to growing tangerine from seed, think about the fact that you will have to work hard to achieve positive results. And also decide why you will grow the tangerine tree - as an ornamental one, or to produce fruit.

In addition, be prepared for a long wait, since growing a tangerine from a seed is a rather lengthy process that will continue for more than one year. And will you be prepared if the tree doesn’t bloom at all?

How to grow a tangerine from a seed yourself.

You must understand that even if you grow a tangerine tree from a seed, it can produce fruits, but they will not be at all similar to those from the seed of which it grew, because to preserve the variety, plants multiply vegetative way– this is cuttings or grafting.

Choosing the right seeds

It is better to grow tangerines from the seeds of any of the many hybrids that are sold in markets and supermarkets. They will sprout faster, bloom earlier, are easier to graft, and most often produce edible fruit. A real tangerine is easy to distinguish from a hybrid - its fruits have no seeds.

Try to select seeds for planting so that they do not include:

1. Thin;
2. Withered;
3. Deformed;
4. With blackened ends.

How to properly prepare the soil for planting

After preparing the seeds, you need to prepare a substrate that should not contain peat, since tangerines do not like acidic soil. You can buy soil in the store, finding a mark on the package pH = 6.5 - 7 (which corresponds to neutral soil), or prepare it yourself.

Preparing the soil for planting.

The recipe for preparing the soil is simple - mix well-rotted humus in two parts with two parts of forest soil dug up under deciduous trees, and one part of sifted river sand. If there is no humus, mix non-acidic soil with sand.

Choosing a pot for growing tangerine

There is nothing difficult in choosing a container for growing tangerines. As the first pots in which young tangerines will grow, you can use 200 ml plastic cups, bowls with a depth of 7-9 cm, or use small flower pots. Any container needs drainage holes.

All citrus fruits obey one rule: what earlier seed from the fruit enters the soil, the greater the likelihood of its germination. As soon as you eat a tangerine, do not dry its seeds, but place them in the soil - dig them 4 cm deep.

Germination of tangerine seeds.

But it’s not always possible to dig in right away tangerine seeds into the ground, so to speed up the germination process, soak them for several days. To do this, choose a flat container and use a damp cloth rather than soaking the seeds in water.

Place the container with the seeds in a warm place, but make sure they are not exposed to sunlight. Do not let the fabric in which the bones are wrapped dry out. You can place a saucer with seeds in plastic bag, but leave it untied so that air can flow into it.

How to grow a tangerine from a seed.

No one can know how long it will take for the seed to germinate and sprout. This can be 15 days, but most often it takes about a month from sowing to the emergence of seedlings. During this time, make sure that the soil is sufficiently moist and the air temperature is between + 20°C and + 25°C.

At this time, do not place the pots in mini-greenhouses, since tangerines already have sufficient germination, and if you grow them in greenhouses, then you will need to accustom them to room conditions, which can be problematic.

How to replant a tangerine seedling

You can plant tangerine seeds not separately in pots, but in one bowl. Then, after four leaves appear, they can be transplanted into separate cups. After examining the resulting seedlings, choose larger and stronger ones, because using weak and deformed sprouts is not advisable. As a result, strong plants remain that will grow and develop normally.

It may happen that one tangerine seed produces two sprouts. Then either:

1. Pinch the weaker sprout.
2. Plant both sprouts in different pots (they should have separate root systems).

You have read the first transplant. To carry out the second transplant, it is necessary to focus on the development of the roots: when they no longer fit in the cups, the tangerine is transplanted into a larger pot along with a lump of earth.

It is not advisable to plant seedlings immediately in large pots, since the soil may become waterlogged, which has an adverse effect on the plant.

It is recommended to replant young tangerine trees every year. If they bear fruit, there is no need to replant them more than once every 2-3 years. At the same time, you need to increase the diameters of the pots by 4-6 cm. When replanting plants, make sure that their root collar is not buried.

How is a tangerine formed?

Tangerines are plants that require frequent shaping. If the tree does not begin to branch on its own, you need to do the first pinching when the seedling grows to 30-40 cm. Thanks to pinching, the tree sprouts side shoots first order.

But they are not sufficient for the plant to bloom - tangerine fruiting possible only on branches of the 4th-5th order. This means that pinching continues - you need to remove the ends of the shoots after 4-5 leaves, rid the plants of weak shoots and those that grow inside the crown. The formation of the tree continues for 3-4 years.

The appearance of tangerine flowers and fruits.

In order for first-order branches to branch, reject the shoots using fixation. This interesting method is more labor-intensive, and is performed as follows: the wire is fixed at one end to a branch, and the other end is fixed with a pin on the edge of the pot so that the tangerine shoot that you are forming bends parallel to the soil.

We grow tangerines with our own hands

Tangerine trees different ages and destinations require special care. If the tree is young (no older than five years), or it is grown not for fruit, but as a beautiful green tree ornamental plant, it is necessary:

1. Water regularly (the soil should be constantly moist, but it should not be flooded).
2. Spray frequently.
3. Provide sufficient lighting, but shade from bright rays on hot summer days midday sun, and illuminated on short winter days.
4. When it is warm outside, the trees are taken out into the fresh air to gradually acclimate them to outdoor conditions, but the place where they are installed must be protected from the wind.
5. Once a month, the tangerines are given a warm shower.

A blooming tangerine requires not only routine care, but also the period of winter dormancy:

1. The room temperature should be +10 +12°C.
2. Water more rarely than usual to allow the soil to dry out slightly.

It also ensures a smooth increase in temperature in the spring; it is necessary to create an optimal temperature regime in order for buds to form (+16-+18°C). IN summer heat moderate warmth is provided to the plants - the air temperature should not rise above + 25°C, since higher temperatures can cause flowers to fall off. must be done carefully - drops of water should not fall on the flowers.

Rules for growing tangerines from seeds.

Like others citrus plants, tangerines turn their leaves towards the light. Therefore, in order for the crown to form evenly, the tree is periodically turned. However, this is done by a maximum of 10° at a time, no more than once every couple of weeks, since citrus fruits do not like rearrangements and react negatively to this.

The process of mandarin ducks reaching ripeness continues for almost six months, so it is necessary to give the trees a winter rest by placing them in a room with a temperature of +10-+12°C, at which they will slowly ripen.

How to feed a tangerine

Small tangerine trees do not need feeding as they are transferred to pots large sizes. Older trees are fertilized starting from their spring growth and ending in the fall.

To do this, use a special fertilizer for citrus fruits or an infusion of mullein in water (proportion 1:10). The frequency of feeding is once every two weeks. You can also fertilize the soil with chicken droppings, and the tincture 1:20 is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20.

If you plan to replant your tangerine, do not feed it for three days before replanting and two weeks after replanting. There is no need to feed tangerines in winter.

Features of tangerine fruiting

Fruiting of tangerines, which are grown from seeds, occurs in the 5th-6th year. At the same time, the fruits do not have the taste of the mother variety, perhaps they will differ from it in size, sweetness, aroma, but not necessarily a deterioration in the listed qualities. Their improvement is also possible.

How to increase the yield of home-grown tangerine.

During the first fruiting, all plant characteristics are not revealed. Therefore, when the tangerine tree has bloomed and bears fruit, be sure to provide it with the most suitable conditions for the manifestation of its properties during repeated fruiting.

What to do to make the tangerine bloom

A tangerine tree grown from a seed can bloom on its own, but if this does not happen, it needs stimulation.

Take copper wire and wrap it around the base of the tree trunk so that it is pressed into the bark. This will disrupt the process of sap flow in the plant, and it will “think” that it is time to bloom. The wire should remain on the trunk for six months, after which it is removed by treating the wounded area with garden varnish, which quickly restores the bark.

But if the tangerine does not have a formed crown and has not been in a dormant period, this method will not be able to force the plant to bloom. In this case, before the experiment, help the tree grow 4-5 order branches and provide it with a cold winter.

We graft tangerine

To enjoy the fruits of tangerine, it is necessary to graft trees. To do this, grow a rootstock (tangerine obtained from a seed), the thickness of the trunk of which should have the diameter of a simple pencil (6 mm), and look for a scion in the form of a small piece of shoot taken from a varietal tangerine (that is, take a bud or eye with a leaf petiole).

At a distance of 7 cm from the soil on the rootstock bark, using a very sharp, or best of all, a special calibrating knife, make a cut with the letter “T” so as not to completely cut through the wood. The incision is approximately 2.5 cm long, and the length of the upper bridge (letter “T”) is approximately 1 cm.

Carefully bend the ends of the bark with a knife and insert a cut bud of a varietal tangerine with a leaf petiole into them, and then press the skin back into place. Then the grafting site is treated with garden varnish and tightly wrapped with blue electrical tape - only the petiole remains outside. Make a greenhouse out of the bag and place the grafted tangerine in it.

With successful grafting, the bud takes root within three weeks, and the leaf petiole turns yellow and falls off. If grafting is unsuccessful, the petiole turns black.

If the grafting is successful, the greenhouse is gradually ventilated so that the plant gets used to fresh air. A month after the shoot appears from the new bud, you need to cut off the rootstock trunk using sharp pruning shears. minimum height 5 mm from the grafting site. The cut should be oblique. The bandage is removed, and using garden varnish, you need to treat the cut.

Caring for tangerines during flowering and fruiting

When a tangerine tree blooms and bears fruit, it needs:

1. Phosphorus and potash fertilizers.
2. Regular, but not excessive watering.
3. After the tangerine blooms, it is sprayed so that water does not get on the flowers.

Most often, the tangerine sheds excess flowers and ovaries on its own - it regulates the load itself. When he doesn’t do this, he needs help - remove excess flowers and tangerines, leaving one fruit for every 15-20 leaves.

If you water the tangerine irregularly or with too much nitrogen, the fruits begin to burst.

For laying flower buds The tangerine tree needs to be provided with winter rest.

What pests and diseases can harm tangerine

A tangerine tree grown with your own hands from a seed is much more resistant than store-bought varieties in terms of impact external factors and pests. But he can also be “attacked” by his worst enemies, most of whom cannot tolerate ultraviolet rays and high humidity, therefore, subject to proper plant maintenance conditions, you apply preventive measures against pests.

Mandarin can be damaged by the following pests:

Spider mite- has a body size of 0.3-0.6 mm, so it is almost impossible to notice it with the naked eye. However, if you see small light dots and the finest cobwebs on the underside of plant leaves, it means they are affected by this pest.

Having discovered it, immediately engage in a fight with it. First, thoroughly wash each leaf of the plant using warm running water and laundry soap.

After this, spray the tangerine tree several times with insecticides (you can use Fitoverm, Intavir, Actelik and others). The interval between treatments is 7-10 days.

Spraying tangerines to protect against pests.

Shchitovka- looks like convex plates oval shape, the size of which does not exceed 4 mm. Its main symptoms are the release of a sticky syrup-like coating that appears on the leaves of plants. The pest must be destroyed in a timely manner, otherwise the tree will quickly become depleted and dry out.

First you need to process the tangerine soap solution, adding kerosene to it: dilute 5 grams of soap and 10 grams of kerosene in 1 liter of water. Spray twice a week.

If such treatment turns out to be ineffective, you can use insecticides (actara, fitoverm or others) - apply them 3-5 times, the interval between them is 15 days. Unfortunately, with this treatment, the fruits become unfit for consumption, and the top layer of soil will have to be replaced.

Mealyworm- it looks like a white fluffy coating scattered over the affected plants in small dots with a diameter of 3-6 mm. Chervets:

1. Collected by hand;
2. The plants are treated with insecticides (karbofos, decis, intavir);
3. Use an infusion of soap;
4. Use an infusion of garlic: finely chop 2 cloves and pour half a liter of boiling water. After it sits for 4 hours, it can be used for processing.

Aphid- everyone knows. It is 1-3 mm long, the color is light green. Aphids are able to reproduce quickly and form colonies. Swarms of aphids suck juices from young plants, deforming them and depleting them.

You can fight aphids with:

1. Repeated (5-7 days interval) washing of all parts of the plant with a solution of water and laundry soap.
2. Spraying with garlic infusion (finely chop 1 head of garlic and place in a glass of water. Leave for 2 days).
3. Spraying with tobacco infusion (infuse 40 grams of tobacco in 1 liter of water).

Problems when growing tangerines at home

The most common problem is that tangerine foliage turns yellow and falls off. This can happen for various reasons. The main thing is to analyze the condition of the plants without haste in order to find out the correct reason.

Mature tangerine trees sometimes begin to shed yellowed leaves due to their old age. But despite this, the tree seems healthy and continues to develop normally.

The foliage may lighten due to insufficient lighting of the tangerine. Move the tree closer to the light or take care of organizing artificial lighting.

A tangerine can shed its foliage if:

1. The air is excessively dry (this happens if the tree is not regularly sprayed. The problem is especially acute during the heating season).
2. The transplant was carried out incorrectly (the root collar was buried, or the pot was chosen too large).
3. There are drafts in the room.

It is enough to eliminate the detected causes for the tree to recover.

What problems may arise when growing tangerines at home?

If the soil is regularly waterlogged, lower leaves tangerines begin to dry out and fall off, and the leaves dry out starting from the tip. This happens when the plant is over-cared for or when it is transplanted into a pot that is too large. Transplant the tree into a pot of appropriate size, containing fresh, loose and breathable soil (rotten roots must be removed from the soil).

When yellowing begins from the bottom of the crown and spreads upward, the plant is experiencing a lack of nitrogen. To solve the problem, feed the tangerine with nitrogen fertilizer.

If the young leaves of a tangerine tree have acquired a light yellow color, which gradually turns to older leaves, then the plant is susceptible to chlorosis (iron deficiency). Treat the plant with iron chelate.

If the leaves from the tree begin to fall, but no apparent reason- maybe the plant suffers from a lack of potassium - feed it with potassium nitrate.

You need to know that:

1. Young trees often produce long thorns - don't do anything to them.
2. In winter, citrus fruits grow foliage, forming larger leaf blades compared to spring and summer leaves.
3. A tangerine seedling differs from a lemon one in that lemon leaves have a citrus scent, while tangerine leaves smell of a light aroma of fresh herbs.
4. Older plants differ in leaf petioles - they have simple petioles, and the tangerine has narrow long wings.