Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) is an evergreen flowering plant and its fruit. Mandarins belong to the class dicotyledonous, sapindochromatic order, rutaceous family, citrus genus.
The word “tangerine” has Spanish roots: mondar in Spanish means “to peel the peel,” and the pulp of the tangerine, compared to other citrus fruits, easily leaves the peel. The Spaniards gave this fruit the name mandarino, after which the word got into the Russian language.
Mandarin: planting, growing, caring for and breeding at home
The spectacular pot culture - indoor tangerine - fell in love with many flower growers not only for its bright fragrant fruits ripening on New Year's Eve, but also for its white flowers, exuding a surprisingly delicate, incredibly pleasant aroma during flowering. Some cultivars of mandarin are capable of blooming all year round. Look at the photo, how beautiful the tree looks in the interior of the room. Mandarin is easy to grow and care for, it can be easily planted and propagated even at home. See for yourself.
Abkhaz
In the minds of the inhabitants of Russia, Abkhaz tangerines are perceived as a guarantee of the quality of products. Cold-resistant varieties have taken root in Abkhazia, demonstrating excellent consumer qualities.
The product transportation route is not long. Processing to preserve the presentation is not required, which preserves environmental friendliness. This product does not need additional advertising. This fact is taken into account by sellers who are trying to sell Chinese or Turkish mandarins under the guise of Abkhaz.
It is possible to distinguish correctly Abkhazian tangerines from their "counterparts" from the far abroad, if we take into account a number of factors:
- The fruits cannot go on sale before the end of November.
- Juicy fruit pulp has a pleasant caramel flavor with a slight sourness.
- Matte, fairly dense peel peels off without difficulty. The casing treated with a special composition will be smoother with a shimmer.
- Abkhazian fruits are large enough, 5 to 8 cm in diameter.
- They are transported in boxes without calibration, which is why the sides of some fruits are flattened.
- The main difference from Chinese citrus is its rich, pleasant aroma.
It is better not to delay the consumption of Abkhaz tangerines because of the relatively short shelf life.
In the near future, it is planned to supply Georgian tangerines grown in Adjara to the market. Adjarian sunny fruits have always been in demand in Russia.
Biological characteristics and common varieties
Mandarin (Citrus reticulate) belongs to the large group of Citrus fruits. The culture is a tree or shrub, reaching 5 m in nature. Of all citrus fruits, mandarin is the most winter-hardy and productive plant. It is able to withstand a short-term drop in temperature to -12-15 degrees. Mandarin trees begin to bear fruit in the second year of planting. Its flowers are slightly smaller than lemon flowers, but have a more piercing, strong aroma. In indoor conditions, dwarf varieties are usually grown, not exceeding 40-50 cm.
Of the common varieties, the following can be noted:
- Mandarin Georgian seedless (Unshiu) - The most common in indoor culture due to its large fruits with a thin rind and juicy sweet pulp. Practically does not form seeds.
- Mandarin Georgian narrow-leaved - the plant produces smaller fruits. The rind is slightly thicker than that of the Unshiu variety. The pulp is sweet, fine-grained and very juicy.
- Mandarin Forged-Wasse - a high-yielding, early ripening variety. It bears a lot of fruits even in a domestic culture. Able to bear fruit in the first year of planting.
Hybrids
Mandarins are one of the main attributes of some holidays, especially the New Year, and thanks to the efforts of breeders, a huge number of different types and varieties of citrus fruits have been bred.
Coalfruit
The name comes from the English expression ugly fruit - "ugly fruit". The yellow wrinkled skin, which is not too difficult to separate from the inside, may have small orange-tinged spots. Under them is hidden the very fragrant and sweet pulp. It sometimes tastes slightly bitter when consumed. In appearance, the hybrid is a bit like an unripe rounded lemon.
The diameter reaches 15 cm. To determine ripeness, the fruit is weighed. The more its weight, the fresher it is. Sometimes strange specks appear on some parts of the tangerine, when pressed, the citrus should not deform. If the opposite happens, it may mean that the fruit is spoiled or simply overripe.
Planting indoor tangerine
The cultivation of tangerine trees began in ancient China, where orange-yellow fruits were available only to the rich - tangerines. Where, perhaps, the name of the culture came from. Nowadays, dwarf tangerine plants, already with bright fruits on the branches, can be easily purchased in many flower shops.
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After purchase, it is recommended to transplant the plant into a fresh, suitable substrate for citrus fruits with an acidity of pH 5.5-7.0. The soil can be compiled independently by mixing in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5 leaf, turf soil, dung humus and river sand. Take a pot for transplanting only 2-3 cm larger than the previous one - this will stimulate the tangerine to grow.
Features of growing and caring for tangerine
Indoor tangerine trees are very light-requiring. It is recommended to place them no further than 1 m from the window of the east or south side.
Attention! Citrus fruits (and tangerine are no exception) easily get used to the light on the one hand, so sharp turns and rearrangements from one window sill to the other are contraindicated for a tangerine tree. This causes a disruption in the metabolism of nutrients in the leaves, which leads to abundant leaf fall, and in some cases even to the death of the entire plant.
For development and optimal growth, tangerine will need a temperature of + 16-20 degrees in the spring-summer period and + 12-15 - in winter. In summer and during flowering, carefully monitor the temperature readings near the plant, as overheating threatens the wilting of flowers and fruits.
Pay special attention to the leaf mass: carry out regular spraying and cleaning of the leaf plates. The flowering and yield of mandarin directly depends on the condition and number of leaves. Watch the soil moisture in the pot: it should not dry out completely. Water only with warm, purified or settled water.
Rospotrebnadzor advice on choosing fruits without nitrates
A special research project dedicated to the health and quality of tangerines consisted of just over 400 indicators, experts checked for the presence of pesticides, diseases, nitrates and other harmful substances in citrus fruits. From the research results, it turned out that in foreign and local (grown in greenhouses) mandarins there are no genetically modified organisms, heavy metals and radionuclides.
Citrus fruits grow on a tree, so they do not accumulate harmful substances in the quantities in which they are collected in the soil.
In mandarins, the dose of nitrates should not exceed 60 units, in none of the tested specimens the norm was violated. In the course of research, it turned out that fruits brought from Morocco, China and South Africa contain from 43 to 32 units, Turkish and Croatian only 10-8. Citrus fruits from Serbia became the leaders, they did not contain any nitrates at all.
Despite the fact that the fruit turned out to be completely safe, experts from Roskachestvo advise:
- do not buy citrus fruits in unidentified, as well as unequipped (racks, sign, overalls from the seller) trade places, especially in those located along the roads;
- ask the seller for documents confirming the safety and quality of products;
- to acquire ripe fruits without damage, plaque on the peel and without signs of rotting.
All examined samples, except for the Abkhaz ones, were covered with wax. However, this type of processing is allowed by the Food Quality Control Department, it is permissible to use it to preserve the appearance, prevent spoilage and decay during transportation, sale and storage. Before eating tangerines, you need to wash them with warm or hot water, children should be prohibited from brushing the fruit with their teeth.
Reproduction
Indoor mandarin can be propagated in two ways:
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- rooting of the apical cutting;
- grafting on the stock.
Cuttings are carried out at the beginning of summer. For rooting, agents that stimulate root formation are used, since the cuttings do not give roots well.
Vaccination is more effective and successful. As a stock, use root-own cuttings of lemon or seedlings of any citrus fruits.
Common diseases and pests
Most often, the plant is exposed to late blight, gray rot and scab. For prevention, it is recommended to carry out regular spraying with systemic fungicides.
Of the pests of tangerine trees, great harm is done by the scale insect, aphids, spider mites and thrips. To combat them, special natural or chemical insecticides are used.
How to grow a tangerine at home: video
Growing tangerine: photo
My son also planted a few tangerine seeds. I even forgot about them, but then after a period of time I saw that one sprouted. She began to care for him, water, feed him, and in the fifth year the first fruits appeared, of course not as large as those of an ordinary tangerine, but also tasty. I will say that the main thing in care is to rearrange the plant from place to place as little as possible.
Mandarin, like all citrus fruits, is very fond of the sun. It needs to be kept on the south side, but shade a little, otherwise the leaves begin to turn yellow. Loves nitrogenous fertilizers for foliage color. Watering is plentiful, but it is impossible to overfill. Then he will delight with his fruits, but .. the first flowers, it is better to pinch off.
Good day. Perhaps I'm writing too late. But you can tell me. I bought a tangerine. White bloom on the leaves. Not sticky. There are no pests either. Does not wash off. The tree looks healthy. Leaves are falling. The leaves have small holes with a brown edge. But only a few. What is it. Thank you.
Which branch should you choose for rooting?
Rooting cuttings or grafting is one of the main propagation methods for most citrus plants. This method is especially well suited for breeding lemons, citrons, limes. I do not see the need to propagate the above species by grafting if their cuttings have a good rooting ability. Well, unless Meyer's lemon can be grafted onto other roots, in order to save oneself from Malsecco's disease.
The grown lemon from the cutting begins to produce in the 2-3rd year.The Novogruzinsky lemon begins to bear fruit later than the others for a year or two. For the successful rooting of a lemon cuttings, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for this: warm, light and moderately humid.
For grafting, I try to cut off a well-ripened branch of last year's growth. Young, green or, conversely, old, woody cuttings are very difficult and take a long time to root, if at all. The thickness of the cut branch should be about twice as thin as a pencil. Too thick cuttings I could not root.
So, we got hold of a lemon shank, and while a place with conditions for its successful rooting is prepared, wrapped it in a damp cloth, put it in a plastic bag and send it to the fruit compartment of the refrigerator. In this way, if urgently needed, cuttings can be stored for up to a month. I usually refrigerate them for about a week. This heat treatment is believed to have a beneficial effect on the rooting process. By the way, before sending the branches to the refrigerator, I definitely examine them for the presence of pests, and, if there are any, I get rid of them by wiping the cuttings with a damp cotton swab.
Greenhouse filling
Now let's talk about the rooting mixture itself. Here the choice is wide and everyone chooses the most optimal option for himself. Someone prefers perlite, someone vermiculite, someone peat tablets. I make a normal soil mixture, as for adult plants, only with less manure and a looser, lighter weight. I fill the bottom of the bottle with this mixture, leaving a space of three centimeters up to the top. Top up with coarse river sand. Sometimes I make a depression in the middle in the soil mixture and pour sand there. The meaning of such filling lies in the fact that callus forms faster in the coarse, wet sand on the cut, and from it later the roots, which grow up, reach the soil, receiving all the necessary nutrients for growth. Rooting directly in the soil gives a high percentage of rotting of cuttings, as well as rooting in fine sand.
After filling the greenhouse with sand and soil, I spill it with hot boiling water of a pink manganese solution for disinfection. Sometimes I just spill it with boiling water.
Before sending the cuttings to the greenhouse, I update the cut with a very sharp knife, trying not to crush the wood and not leave bark scuffs. I deepen the cuttings into the sand by about two or three centimeters, close them with the top of a plastic bottle and put them in a warm and bright place. Now all that remains is to wait and watch.
Once every two weeks, I carefully remove the cuttings and check the slices for callus and rot. If rot does appear, then I update the cut above to healthy tissue. If the rudiments of roots appear, then I no longer bother such cuttings and wait for the germination of the buds. Read more about monitoring rooting of cuttings here. After the young roots have appeared, it is time to accustom the stalk to life without a greenhouse. To do this, first I unscrew the lid on the top of the greenhouse bottle, after a few days I remove the top for a couple of hours, increasing the time every day, and then you can remove it altogether. It is ideal to remove the top in cloudy weather and preferably when the roots begin to grow, and the buds do not germinate yet, during this period, acclimatization without a greenhouse is easier. Further maintenance and care of lemon seedlings is the same as for all citrus fruits.
Homemade tangerine - how to grow in a pot, care, reproduction
Botanical name: Citrus reticulata.
Homemade tangerine - family ... Root.
Homeland of the plant ... Southern China and Southeast Asia.
Description. Tangerines - short, evergreen trees with a round, dense crown and thin branches. Leaves are glossy, dark green, simple, lanceolate, on small petioles, emit a pleasant aroma when damaged. The leaf blades have small denticles at the edges.The flowers are small, white, fragrant. After flowering, flattened green fruits are formed, which turn orange when ripe. Often tangerines bear fruit unevenly - if in one year there was a bountiful harvest, then the next season the tree may give less fruit. Mandarins ripen within 9 to 10 months, so green and orange fruits can be found on the flowering tree. Many trees need artificial pollination for fruit to appear.
Height ... In nature, they reach 4 - 6 m. In height, in a tub they grow up to 1.8 m.
Citrus reticulate
This group is conventionally called "Sino-Indian", since it is represented by varieties that are of industrial importance for these countries. In addition to India and China, Reticulata tangerines are grown commercially in Taiwan, the Philippines, and Brazil.
The most popular representative of this group is the Poncan or Golden Mandarin, which is known in India as Suntara. Its fruits are large, round, or elongated with a small neck at the stalk. The rind is thick, easily peeled, bright orange at full maturity. The pulp is juicy and very tender, the bones are small and few in number. In the Philippines, the main commercial variety is Batangas, the finest flavor in this group.
1 how to grow a homemade mandarin
1.1 Care, pruning
When starting to grow, prune shoots that are too tall or weak to stimulate lateral shoots. Citrus plants can be placed outdoors during the summer. Remember that all plants should be moved gradually - so that they get used to the new conditions of existence. Many lemon varieties require artificial pollination for fruit to appear. For pollination, use a dry, clean brush and transfer pollen from one flower to another.
For the onset of fruiting and simply the harmonious development of a citrus tree, it is very important to correctly form the crown of the plant. The first pinching of rooted cuttings or plants obtained from seeds is carried out when they reach a height of 20 cm.The shoots extending from the main trunk of the tree are called first-order shoots - they are pinched when they reach a length of about 20 cm.This procedure, like the rest , it makes sense to carry out when the branches are still soft - so they can simply be pinched off and the plant will not even notice it. In the place where the shoots of the 1st order were pinched, a fork of the shoots of the 3rd order usually appears - they are shortened when they also reach a length of 20 cm.Accordingly, branches of the 4th order will form on their tops - they are left already about 10 cm long. shoots of 4 and 5 orders.
Cut off old and diseased branches in a timely manner - all work should be carried out only with a sharp sterile pruner and, if necessary, sprinkle the cuts with crushed activated carbon. Do not place plants near heating systems - they will react in autumn with abundant leaf fall. From time to time, the leaves will fall off - this is a completely normal process, because each leaf lives for about 2 years. If at the end of winter - beginning of spring, leaf fall is abundant and the plant greatly exposes the branches, lower the temperature of the content or increase the length of daylight hours with the help of artificial lighting.
1.2 Reproduction, how to plant an indoor tangerine
Stem cuttings about 10 cm long, in spring and summer, using growth hormones. Some of the leaves are removed from the cuttings or the leaf blades are shortened by half the length to reduce moisture loss. Rooting is carried out under cover of a transparent plastic cap or glass for 6 to 8 weeks. The successful completion of the process will be evidenced by new growth. Young plants can give buds in the first year of life, but you shouldn't let them bloom - it will take too much energy.
Seeding, however, is a lengthy process, and young trees may not inherit all the traits of their parents. The seeds are removed from ripe fruits and washed with water, and then placed in wet gauze - in this way they are kept until the sprouts are pecked. After sowing in moist nutrient soil, seedlings appear in 2 - 4 weeks. A young plant develops rather slowly, in the winter months it simply stops its growth. By grafting, in this case the trees begin to bear fruit as early as 3-4 years, and not only tangerines, but also any other citrus trees can be grafted.
1.2.1.How to plant a homemade tangerine?
There are 2 methods of vaccination - budding and copulation. For budding take only one bud from a varietal fruiting plant - it must be taken from a well-lignified cutting - this is scion... You can graft such a bud anywhere in the plant - wild, which is also called rootstock... Budding is carried out only 2 times a year at certain periods - when the plants have intensive sap flow. The first period begins with the very beginning of new growth - in the spring, the second is the right moment - this is the first half of August. A small incision is made on the rootstock branch with a sharp sterile knife, leaving the tongue, and the kidney cut off with a sterile instrument is inserted between the branch and the tongue so that the edges of the slices coincide as much as possible. The vaccination site is wrapped with a special tape. New growth can be found in this area as early as 2 weeks.
Copulation it is carried out already with a whole branch, in early spring - with swelling of the buds - and at the site of the cut, the scion stalk and the rootstock branch should have the same diameter. Compliance with the diameter is very important, since the branches must be completely aligned - only in this way all their layers will successfully grow together. Slices are made at an angle of about 30 degrees with a sharp sterile pruner, then the stock and the scion are combined as much as possible and fixed with a special tape for grafting or a tape made of simple polyethylene.
1.3 When it blooms
The flowering time is in the Esna.
1.4 Diseases and pests of mandarin
Citrus trees are susceptible to a large number of fungal diseases affecting roots, trunk and branches, foliage and fruits. When exposed to a stream of cold air, the leaves immediately curl. Yellowing of the leaf plates (while the veins remain green) indicates the onset of chlorosis - feed the plant with iron chelate. If the tips of the leaf blades, especially during the winter months, become brittle, brown and dry, then the plant may be overflowing - for such specimens, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering. From fungal diseases, plants can be susceptible to anthracnose if kept in too warm and very humid rooms. Scab can appear as ugly, pinkish-yellow spots on fruits and small yellow spots on young tangerine leaves. The sooty mushroom appears as a black coating on the leaves and shoots of the tree.
With too frequent and abundant watering, as well as with insufficient drainage, the plant can be affected by root rot. With the onset of this disease, the trees will lose leaves abundantly. If a tangerine tree is located too deep and its root collar is sunk into the ground, then the plant can be subjected to hommosis, which manifests itself as the appearance of small transparent drops of resin on the branches. Powdery mildew attacks mandarin when kept in too cool, humid conditions. This disease looks like a white fluffy bloom on the leaves. Deformation of leaf plates, a change in their color and a general suppression of the plant may indicate the appearance of viral diseases. Trees that have been affected by the virus are subject to complete destruction. If small, rounded, brown spots appear on the fruits, surrounded by a lighter, yellowish circle, then the plant may have citrus cancer.
Aphids cause the leaves to curl and become corrugated. Whiteflies hide on the underside of leaves, sucking out the sap. Red spider mites. Mealybugs prefer young trees.
1.5 Containment Temperature
The optimal temperature range is considered to be from 18 to 24 ° C. At night, it is desirable to lower the temperature to 13 - 15 ° C. At a higher temperature of the content, it is necessary to increase irrigation and air humidity. At temperatures below 13 ° C, plants slow down their growth and fall into a dormant period.
1.6 Lighting
The maximum possible illumination with access to direct sunlight in the morning and evening hours for 5 - 6 hours daily. Light shading is possible only on too hot summer days. The plant pot must be rotated about каждую of a turn every week for the mandarin to develop symmetrically. The duration of daylight hours should be at least 12 hours - if there is a lack of natural light, use additional lighting with fluorescent or phytolamps.
1.7 Soil
Mandarins adapt well to most soil types, even nutrient-poor ones. The soil should be composed of peat, leaf humus, perlite or vermiculite to improve drainage and have a slightly acidic pH.
1.8 Fertilizer Mandarin
Every 2 weeks in spring and summer. Plants respond positively to both mineral and organic fertilizing.
1.9 Spraying
If the air in the room becomes too dry or the temperature of the content is high, increase the humidity with a room humidifier or by placing the plant on a pallet with damp pebbles. Make sure that the water in the tray does not touch the bottom of the plant pot. You can spray the leaves with soft water at room temperature in the morning. Mandarins love well-ventilated rooms with a constant flow of fresh air, but no cold drafts.
1.10 Watering
The soil should be evenly moist, but not waterlogged. Between watering, the top layer 3 - 5 cm thick is slightly dried. In the fall, the frequency of watering is slightly reduced.
1.11 How to transplant a mandarin
Young plants are replanted annually as they grow into larger pots. Mature plants need replanting every 2 to 3 years. In large tub plants, they simply change the topsoil to fresh every year.
1.12 Purpose
Citrus plants are capable of disinfecting the surrounding atmosphere.
Note ... With proper care, tangerines can grow and bear fruit for many years in indoor culture.
Hydroponics .
Botanical description
Mandarin is an evergreen plant belonging to the genus Citrus. It grows in the form of a spreading shrub or small tree up to 5 m. Life expectancy is up to 100 years, the tree enters the peak of abundant fruiting when it reaches 25 years of age. The root system of the mandarin is very sprawling and powerful, its width far exceeds the diameter of the crown. Leaves change completely every four years. Flowers are presented in brushes of 4-6 pieces. Mandarin blooms from April to mid-June. At this time, the tree is especially beautiful - white or delicate creamy flowers spread a pleasant smell, somewhat similar to the scent of bergamot. Pollinated independently. Mandarin leaves are oval and slightly pointed, dense and with a glossy sheen. Petioles can be with small wings or completely wingless. Young shoots are dark green, while older ones are brown. Fruits are round and multi-celled, with juicy pulp, with or without seeds. They are covered with skin of different thickness and density. Fruits of some varieties are extremely easy to peel, while others, on the contrary, are difficult to peel, since the skin is thin and tightly attached to the pulp. The weight of one fruit is from 30 to 100 grams. Tangerines ripen in October-December.One tree, whose age has reached the mark of 30-45 years, is capable of producing 500-900 fruits per year. This indicator, of course, varies depending on the varietal characteristics of the tangerine tree, its health and the conditions of the growing environment of the plant. The culture loves light, moist soils. The number of waterings is increased during the period of active growth. The cultivation of tangerines will give good results if it is carried out on slightly acidic, light, fertile soils. On heavy soils, a drainage device may be needed so that during watering the root system does not suffer from stagnant moisture.
Mandarin is a valuable dietary product; 100 grams of the edible portion contains only 53 kcal. It contains many minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins A, C, D, K, B4, riboflavin, ascorbic acid. Mandarins will be useful to everyone, of course, except for those who are allergic to citrus fruits, high acidity of the stomach, gastritis, diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer, chronic kidney disease. Mandarins are recommended to be consumed in winter, as they are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is indispensable in the fight against colds, fatigue, and vitamin deficiency. In addition, the regular use of tangerines will help protect the body from the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system, skin diseases, some researchers have noted the ability of citrus fruits to suppress the development of cancer. It is worth remembering that the acids contained in the pulp of tangerine can negatively affect the tooth enamel, therefore, it is advisable not to forget to rinse your mouth with water after eating tangerines.
For pregnant women, tangerines will help to cope with nausea in case of toxicosis, they also saturate the body of the mother and child with the necessary vitamins and minerals. Lactating women will benefit from tangerines too, but it is worth limiting their number, as the child may develop a severe allergic reaction.
The peel of tangerines, which everyone is used to throwing away, has no less valuable properties than the pulp itself. It is used for the manufacture of various tinctures, mixtures, which are very effective in diseases of the respiratory organs and appetite disorders. It contains a significant percentage of essential oils, so the peel is also used as a raw material for the manufacture of tangerine oil used in medicine and cosmetology.
