Indoor tangerine is one of the most common citrus fruits grown by amateur gardeners. A few centuries ago, it was grown only by the richest officials of medieval China. Now in Russia there are a large number of varieties and varieties of plants that are pleasing to the eye.
This is a plant belonging to the Routes. It is evergreen. At home, you can harvest a good crop from it. Experienced amateur gardeners take up to 70 juicy and tasty fruits from one tree. With proper care, homemade tangerines delight the eye for several months, starting in the fall.
How tangerine grows in nature
In nature, it grows in the form of a small tree with a height of 2 to 4 m. The birthplace of the plant is Southeast Asia. Tangerines ripen slowly - an average of about 9 months. On plantations from one tree, you can collect up to 50 kg of delicious sweet fruits.
Indoor Mandarin
The leaves of the plant are oval, somewhat pointed, dense, with a strong skin. Throughout the year, their green color does not change.
Interesting. Each leaf lives on average about 4 years.
Trees bloom during February - April. Fruits ripen by November-December. In the tropical zone, flowering continues several times a year.
Mandarin in nature
Mandarin is most resistant to frost. The most cold-resistant varieties are able to withstand a temperature drop of up to 8 degrees below zero. With more severe frosts, the plant dies.
If a lover of indoor plants decided to grow a tangerine tree, home care will not be difficult.
Plant flower description
During flowering, brushes of 5-6 snow-white flowers are formed on the tree. They form in the axils of the leaves. The flowers have a very pleasant and strong aroma, reminiscent of the smell of bergamot.
The flowers are slightly smaller than the lemon, but they are similar in shape, color and aroma. During flowering, the tree looks very beautiful and bewitching. His crown is densely strewn with white.
Types, varieties for rooms
Several varieties are suitable for growing plants in a room. All are ideally suited to house growth.
Calamondin
This is a beautiful evergreen plant obtained by crossing kinkan and mandarin. Another name is Citrofortunella. It is necessary to grow a citrus tree on well-lit window sills, as well as in winter gardens and greenhouses. As a landscape tree, Kalamondin is used only in subtropical regions. At home, the plant can grow up to 1.5 m.
Despite the fact that it is a photophilous plant, it does not like the direct rays of the midday sun. If there is too much light, the leaves turn pale. If it is not enough, then the leaves will begin to fall off. Therefore, in the autumn or winter, the tangerine tree must be additionally highlighted. The total daylight hours at this time should not be less than 12 hours.
Calamondin room
In summer, Calamondin feels good on a shaded terrace or balcony.
Home Pavlovsky
Other varietal names are Bitter Orange, Pomeranets, Bigardia. Bred from pomelo and hybrid tangerines. The variety is ideal for indoor cultivation. The plant gives very tasty and juicy fruits.
In indoor conditions it grows to 1 m. The branches are thin and long. The leaves are similar to those that grow in ordinary mandarin. They have a small petiole, shiny, with a dense skin. The flowers are large, have a diameter of up to 3 cm. Collected in the sinuses. The petals are white, the buds are painted in a beautiful light purple hue.
The fruit of homemade mandarin is spherical and somewhat flattened, weighing up to 80 g. The peel is easily detached from the pulp and smells like mandarin.
Homemade Pavlovsky Mandarin
This type of mandarin requires enough sunlight. Without it, the tree will not develop. In winter, you need to take care of artificial lighting.
Anniversary
The variety is the creation of Soviet breeders by crossing Unshiu mandarin and hybrid orange. It differs in sufficiently large and tasty fruits. In indoor conditions it grows by about 1.5 m. It differs from the usual orange in the presence of orange lionfish.
Fruits weakly. The fruits are large enough with excellent taste. The peel of the fruit is dense, resembles an orange. Leaves are strong, with a strong skin.
Due to its large size, tangerines of the Yubileiny variety are problematic to grow on the windowsill. A plant needs more space.
Kovano Vasa
This is one of the most common varieties of indoor tangerines. The countries of origin are China and Japan. For some time, these trees were actively grown on the Caucasian Black Sea coast.
At home, this is a fairly compact plant, characterized by abundant fruiting.
Interesting. In an apartment, the plant rarely grows above half a meter.
The crown of the plant is wide, sometimes even spherical. It is densely covered with beautiful light green leaves. The bark is brown, small roughness is noticeable on it. The leaves are very dense, with a powerful skin, pointed at both ends. Petioles, unlike other varieties, are slightly elongated. There are no thorns on the branches.
Mandarin Covano Vasa
Already at the age of 2 years, the plant blooms and bears fruit. In indoor conditions, it is able to bloom several times a year. At the same time, you can observe simultaneously flowering crown, buds and ripening fruits. This tangerine blooms very profusely.
The emperor
The variety is characterized by high productivity. At home, the tree grows about a meter. Despite this, it is able to produce tasty and juicy fruits. With proper care, flowering can occur several times a year. The main conditions for this are a sufficient level of illumination and optimal room temperature.
Unshiu
The homeland of this mandarin is Japan, the Philippines. There are a large number of hybrid subspecies. They vary in the size of the plants, the size of the buds, the number of flowers in the ovary. At room conditions, the height of the tree does not exceed one and a half meters.
Mandarin Unshiu
Note! Throughout life, shrubs are constantly in an active state.
The flowers of this variety are white, five-petalled. Most actively they form at a temperature of 18 degrees. In winter, the plant may be in a cooler room. It will not bear fruit if the temperature is high in winter.
Imperial
The variety has similarities with the Emperor. Gives large and juicy fruits. The tree perfectly takes root in room conditions and with proper care grows more than a meter.
The Imperial variety can be successfully grown at home on the windowsill. The tree blooms beautifully and gives delicious juicy fruits. Suitable for decoration.
Shiva Mikan
The tree is fast-growing, compact, with a beautiful dark green leaf. The fruits are small, with a characteristic sweet and sour taste. At home, used as an ornamental plant. It has a very lush and plentiful color. Caring for a plant is easy.
Citrofortunella
Citrofortunella is the same as Kalamondin. Both plants have exactly the same characteristics.
Tangerine tree care
Mandarin tree requires proper care. He needs a comfortable temperature, adequate watering, nutritious soil.
Attention! Do not be afraid of an increase in air temperature. Tangerine tree withstands air temperatures up to 40 degrees. Even under these conditions, fruit formation continues.
Watering mode
Watering this indoor plant is necessary as the topsoil dries. The earthen lump must not be allowed to completely dry out. It is necessary to monitor the filling of the soil with water every day, especially in the summer.
Pouring chlorinated water from the aqueduct can provoke the development of spotting in citrus fruits. Ideal for irrigation - water from a well, spring. Rain water should not be used because it contains a large amount of harmful impurities. Water prepared for irrigation of tangerine must be defended for at least 24 hours. In winter, it is advisable to slightly warm the water to 30 degrees.
Indoor tangerine needs to be sprayed daily. This procedure washes dust off the leaves and refreshes them, promotes branching. Once a month, the crown is treated with soap foam using a fleece. It is a pest prevention.
Mandarin after spraying
Attention! Soapy water should not fall into the soil. Spraying on a hot afternoon can scorch the foliage.
Top dressing
Indoor tangerine can not be fertilized in the winter. In spring and summer, this is done every two weeks. To feed the plant, fertilizer type "Mandarin" is used. For citrus plants, specially prepared substrates should be purchased.
During flowering
During flowering, tangerine home needs enough sunlight. A pot with it can be put on a south or southeast window. In bright spring or summer midday, indoor mandarin needs shading. If the daylight is gradually shortened, then the use of artificial lighting will be appropriate.
During budding, a sharp increase in temperature should not be allowed. The tree will feel great at room temperature. Relative humidity is also extremely important. If the room is dry, then a vessel with water should be placed on the windowsill. It will help shape optimal humidity.
During rest
In winter, the plant should be placed in a room with a lower temperature - from 10 to 14 degrees. A dormant period is necessary for the fruiting of the plant. In winter, the amount of watering should also be reduced, making sure that the land is not dry.
If tangerines ripen on a tree in winter, rest does not interfere with this process. Within one to two months, you can not expose the plant with a lamp.
The dormant period contributes to the fact that immediately in the spring tangerine will bloom.
Winter preparations
In the fall, frequent watering is unacceptable, but the soil should be kept moist. Regular spraying does less. All dried leaves and damaged stems should be cut.
It is recommended to carry out preventive treatment of indoor mandarin against scale insects, spider mites, mealybugs and aphids. So you can achieve a healthy looking plant.
Growing Mandarin from Bone
Readers are interested in learning how to grow tangerines from seeds at home. It’s easy to grow mandarin from the seed. It is necessary to adhere to the recommendations for planting and caring for the seedling so that a strong tree grows.
Bone germination conditions
For growing seeds, the seeds need to swell. To do this, soak them in gauze for several days. The fabric should be moistened, but not completely covered with water. Germination of the seed should occur in warmth and, if possible, in good light.
Tangerine seedling stages
After falling into the water, the mandarin seed begins to swell, then the root primordium and sprout form in it. It is difficult to predict in advance how much time is needed for seed germination: 2 weeks or a month.
Before the emergence of seedlings, you need to monitor the soil moisture. The optimum temperature is from 20 to 25 degrees. Pots should not be in the greenhouse, because the sprouts will need to be accustomed to the room.
Mandarin sprout
How to choose a fetus
To plant mandarin, you need to take the seeds of all of the hybrid varieties available on the market. In most cases, their seeds germinate quickly.
Important! Seeds should not be too thin and overdried. Having eaten tangerine, you need to immediately place a stone in the ground.
Preparing a place for the sprout
The mandarin sprout should be on the windowsill from the sunny side. It should be warm, without drafts. Some growers ask why drafts are harmful. The fact is that when the temperature changes, the plant becomes sick. Sprouting a seed in these conditions is much more difficult.
Soil preparation
The soil should be neutral and contain humus. Mandarins do not like acidic soil, in addition, it should not contain impurities of peat. In the absence of humus, sand and non-acidic soil will do.
Pot selection
For young tangerines, the role of the first pot can be played by a plastic cup. When the fourth leaf appears, the plant must be transplanted into a larger pot. It must have a hole for draining water. At the same age, you can plant, pinch the plant.
Mandarin seedling watering regimen
Mandarin seedling should be watered daily. The soil should be moist all the time, not flooded and not overdried.
Little tangerine
Following the step-by-step guidelines for tangerine care, you can grow an excellent plant at home. Properly caring for him, the flower grower will enjoy the beautiful color and delicious homemade fruits.
