Indoor orange, orange tree (Care instructions). Orange Tree - Citrus Growing Tips

orange, or Citrus sinensis, is an evergreen fruit woody plant belonging to the genus citrus of the rue family. To date, biologists have not been able to detect a single species of wild orange.

The orange is native to Southeast Asia. European travelers brought the orange to Europe in the 15th century. Somewhat later, orange trees, along with the colonists, appeared on the African and American continents. Now orange is actively cultivated in almost all tropical and subtropical regions. the globe.

However, the orange itself loves the subtropical climate most of all. It is in the subtropics that orange trees bear fruit of the most High Quality. To obtain fruits with the same properties in the tropical zone, orange trees must grow no lower than at an altitude of 800-1200 meters above sea level. On the tropical plains high level humidity of the air orange fruits leave much to be desired.

Depending on which carts an orange is cultivated on, it can reach a height of 12 meters, or be dwarf (4-6 meters). In addition, there are also indoor varieties orange, the height of which ranges from 60-80 centimeters to 2-2.5 meters. The life span of an orange is about 75 years.

The growing season of an orange consists of 2-3 stages annually. Each phase includes a period of growth and a period of rest. The orange tree requires a temperature of at least 10-12°C to begin its growth period. If this temperature is not reached, the orange is at rest.

Orange trees are thermophilic plants. At temperatures below -5 ° C, their leaves begin to die, and if the temperature drops to -8 ° C-9.5 ° C, the entire aerial part of the plant dies off.

At the orange tree leathery leaves oval shape, pointed at the tip. The life span of orange leaves is approximately three years. The crown of an orange tree has the shape of a ball or pyramid. The branches often bear thorns, the length of which can reach 10 centimeters.

Orange flowers are white and very fragrant. There are species in which the flowers are collected in inflorescences, and species with single flowers. In species of both categories, the flowers are bisexual. Orange flowers are axillary, the number of stamens is 20-25 pieces.

Fruiting of a grafted orange tree begins in the 4th year after planting. Oranges bear fruit every year.

The number created by breeders is huge. Suffice it to say that every year 10-15 new varieties of orange trees appear on our planet.

The fruit of the orange, the fragrant ball so well known to everyone, is a multi-celled berry, or hesperidia. The size, shape and color of orange fruits are different in different types. The number of lobules in orange fruits varies from 9 to 13. The seeds are multi-embryonic, white in color.

Color is often used to classify varieties. orange peel but not pulp. The peel of oranges can be light yellow, orange or bright orange, almost red.

Another classification of orange varieties is based on palatability fruit pulp. The pulp can be sweet, sweet-sour and bitter-sour.

Another division of orange varieties into groups is based on the shape of the fruit. In this case, round-shaped fruits are distinguished (a group of “ordinary” varieties), fruits with a “navel”, or nevl, that is, a small round outgrowth on the top of the fruit (a group of “navel” varieties) and king fruits. Distinctive feature kinglet is small size and red flesh with a sour taste. Such varieties are called "bloody". Fruits of a rounded shape, as a rule, differ from the rest in a very even skin.

Content various substances in orange fruits varies depending on the variety. However, the averages are:
- 12% sugars;
— 0,6-2% citric acid;
- 50-65 mg of ascorbic acid.
In addition, orange fruits contain vitamins C, B1 and P, trace elements (calcium, potassium, phosphorus and many others), antioxidants.
The peel of orange fruits includes up to 2% essential oil.

Growing an orange tree at home is not easy. An inexperienced gardener is unlikely to cope with such a task, especially if he sets himself the goal of obtaining a fruit-bearing plant. However, with some effort and taking into account the recommendations given in this article, it is quite possible to succeed. If you have never “taken into the house” citrus fruits, try to first bypass a purchased orange tree. If the experiment succeeds, you can start trying to enrich your garden with a plant grown from a stone.

What kind of orange is grown in the house

From citrus fruits designed specifically for indoor cultivation Three are the most popular:

  1. Pavlovsky orange. It is low - a meter maximum. Quite fruitful, you can get additional specimens by conventional cuttings. However, the fruits ripen for a long time, up to nine months, during which the tree needs increased attention and careful care.
  2. Gamlin. It will be taller - it grows up to one and a half meters. The fruits are juicy, sweet-sour, there are few seeds in them. Harvest should be expected in late autumn.
  3. Washington Navel. The most beloved orange tree among home gardeners. Can grow up to two meters; below one mature plant can not be. An additional bonus - it smells charming during flowering, the hairstyle is able to bear fruit from the age of three. The fruits are quite large, up to a third of a kilogram.

It is advised not to buy a fruit-bearing orange tree: when changing residence, it may refuse to bear fruit for a couple of years. Let it already agree to “feed” you when it settles down.

How to choose the right place

In order for a homemade orange tree to agree to stay with you, you must first put it in a place that fully meets the needs of the plant. Light is needed - plentiful, but not too bright. Eastern and South side suitable in the event that the tree will not stand close to the window. You can determine the desired distance by the state of the leaves. If the leaves begin to stretch and corrugate - you need to move closer, without waiting for the fall. If they begin to turn yellow, they should be moved a little further (although this rarely happens). An additional care should be to rotate the pot periodically so that the orange tree is exposed to the light on different sides, and the crown forms harmoniously. And in the summer it would be nice to take it out into the garden or onto the balcony.

Temperature

With regard to heat, you also need to be careful. If the temperature drops below 5 degrees, the orange tree may die. At high (25 and above), it will begin to grow actively, but will not even think of bearing fruit. It is desirable to maintain it in the range of 15-18 degrees. If ovaries have already appeared, vigilance can be weakened, just not to allow drying out. The southern tree will handle itself.

Accurate watering

In principle, the orange tree (photo) loves water. So in the heat you need to water and spray it daily. Water for these purposes should be not only settled, but also warm. However, heating it is not recommended. It is better to put it next to the pot ahead of time so that it is at the air temperature at the time of watering. During cold snaps and in winter, spraying stops, and watering is done in a day or two. With the volume of water like this: let less than more. The leaves twisted from water starvation will then straighten out, but the roots that have rotted from stagnant water cannot be saved.

A beautiful crown is not only for aesthetics

Since you have already understood the basic rules for growing an orange tree, now you need to figure out how to get it to bear fruit. And for this, the plant must have a formed crown suitable for reproduction. If this is not done, you can get a harvest only after a decade. Branches of the fifth order bear fruit. Therefore, in spring, branches longer than 10 centimeters are pinched and the lower leaves are torn off. So you get a branched tree with a uniform crown.

Such manipulations are carried out in the spring. Actions must be performed above the kidney, so that it is outside. Particular attention is paid to shoots that are weakened, strongly elongated and growing inside the crown. And if the orange tree has grown strongly, above a third of a meter, with a weak development of lateral branches, the top is mercilessly cut off.

Transfer

Rule to transplant houseplants does not apply annually to the orange tree. It should be relocated about once every three years. Young specimens can be transplanted after two, but not more often. This is done by transshipment, without crushing the roots. Particular attention is paid to drainage - its layer must be thick enough. And the movement must take place before the orange tree (photo) blooms. Moreover, this process is unacceptable when it already “feeds” the fruits.

Stimulation of fruiting

In order for an orange tree at home to bring you a crop, you will have to give it extra time. Without care on your part, its fruits will be small and bitter. There are two ways to improve their quality:

  1. graft. If there is another tree that has already given fruit, small identical pieces are carefully cut out of the bark of both and swapped. So that the damaged place does not rot, it is wrapped with cellophane. The operation is quite dangerous for plants. If you are afraid of not coping - call a professional for help;
  2. wintering in extreme conditions. Fruiting will begin somewhat later than with grafting, but much faster than without it. Orange tree take out to the cold (not excessive, so as not to freeze), stop watering and feeding. In such harsh circumstances, it must withstand at least a month. In the spring, he is again surrounded by care. Already in the third year after hardening, it will give flowers.

If the capricious nevertheless deigned to bloom, it can be pollinated - with an ordinary brush. However, if there are a lot of flowers, and the extra ones are plucked, then the fruits will appear even without pollination.

The bone will come in handy!

If you are suspicious of the specimens offered in flower shops, you can try growing an orange tree from a stone. To do this, go to the nearest supermarket and buy a ripe, rich color fetus. Its bones cannot be stored after being eaten, they must be planted immediately. The pot for the future tree is taken clay. Since it is not a fact that the selected bone will sprout, several should be placed in the container at once. In case of increased success, the trees can be planted in separate "apartments" later. The land is bought special, for citrus fruits - or it is assembled independently, from medium-sized sand, humus, leafy soil and turf - it is taken in three parts, all other components one at a time. The seed from which the orange tree should grow is immersed in the soil by two centimeters, after which the surface is sprayed with water, and the pot is covered with glass or wrapped in polyethylene. For a week, the container is placed in darkness and heat, and then moved to the windowsill (again, warm). Until sprouts appear, the shelter is not removed.

  • Kind: citrus
  • Flowering period: December, January, February, March
  • Height: 50-1200cm
  • Colour: orange, yellow, white
  • perennial
  • hibernates
  • sun-loving
  • moisture-loving

Bright lemon, orange and tangerine trees with their huge flowers and mouth-watering fruits, they are always the main accents of any garden. But, unfortunately, they do not grow in the Russian climate in the open air - only in greenhouses and at home. But then where in Russian gardens Do trees like this appear in the summer? Simply at home in a country house or in an apartment, it is quite possible to grow a beautiful citrus tree up to at least one and a half meters high! And in the summer, put it in the garden and enjoy the incredibly fragrant large flowers, for which modern landscape designers ready to give a lot. Agree, any garden for 90% consists of plants, each of which has its own time. Yes, in the Russian climate, a citrus tree is a seasonal decoration of the garden, but what a thing!

In its development, the tangerine tree will not be particularly whimsical. The main thing is to provide him with abundance sunlight all 12 hours a day all year round. So if you want to grow natural beautiful tree, you will need additional intensive illumination winter evenings. There will also be some professional secrets to help.

Choosing a tangerine variety

Now let's look at the varieties a little:

  • Unshiu is frost-resistant and very productive variety. You will get a low tree, with a spreading crown of flexible thin branches, and with corrugated leaves. This tangerine grows fast and gives good fruit. And if you add artificial lighting, things will go even better.
  • Shiva Mikan is a compact tangerine tree with large dark green foliage. Blooms and grows fast.
  • The variety of honey is the most rare variety, with very sweet tangerines.
  • And the tangerine Covane-vasse is the tallest, as for home conditions. For the garden - that's it!

See what wonderful citrus trees grow with the right choice of variety:

Proper seed preparation

So, the first step is to get the bones for the future tangerine tree. For this purpose, ripe fruits from the store are ideal: take at least 10 of these seeds. The more, the better: you know for sure that any planting material does not come up 100%.

Second step: let the bones hatch. To do this, they need moisture. Wrap the bones in damp gauze and leave it like that for a few days. Gauze, in turn, will not allow moisture to evaporate quickly, and at the same time, the bones will “breathe”.

Now let's prepare the soil. The easiest way is to buy it in a flower shop, it is called "special for citrus", or roll up your sleeves and make a nutrient base yourself. Simply combine leafy soddy soil with compost or rotted humus into equal parts. The main thing is that there is no peat in your land.

In details:

Now you can plant hatched bones in this land. But be patient: the first sprouts will appear from 3 weeks to a whole month, because the mandarin grows slowly and from time to time also stops its growth according to some biological laws unknown to us.

Abundance of moisture

The tangerine tree loves moisture, and in the summer it must be watered (but not flooded). And in winter, you should reduce the amount of moisture, while making sure that the soil does not dry out. After all, future fruits need to “pour”, as they say among the people.

To compensate for dryness home air, it is advisable to spray tangerine leaves every day with clean boiled water (or filtered).

Neat transplant

When the tangerine tree has grown, move it to a larger pot. perfect time- February March. Such a plant should be transplanted using the transshipment method in order to preserve as much as possible earthen clod and not damage the delicate root system.

A few weeks after the transplant, when the tree can get used to the new place and the so-called "housewarming syndrome" has passed, root system starts to grow rapidly. Moreover, for the entire spring-summer period, the tangerine will have several points active growth, in which it will need to be fed with organic and mineral fertilizers once every 1-2 weeks. The tree will especially like the used tea leaves - just dig it into the soil.

As a result, thanks to your efforts, you will grow a good tree up to one and a half meters tall. Miniature, cute and especially bright during the fruiting period. And during the flowering period, the tangerine tree is strewn with flowers so that it is not impossible not to pay attention to it!

How to grow an early ripe lemon tree?

Lemon is a perennial evergreen tree, with spines on the branches and beautiful dark green leaves. Of particular value to landscape design represent just lemon leaves, with their juicy colors and excellent decorative qualities. A real decoration for any garden!

When transplanted to open ground lemon quickly reaches a height of up to 5 meters. But, if you grow it only at home, and only leave it in the garden in the sun for the summer, then it will reach “only” 2 meters.

Another value of the lemon tree for landscaping is that it can bloom several times throughout the year - in spring, summer and winter. Its flowers are especially beautiful: snow-white, with a waxy color and with a delicate aroma. And it is also surprising that at the same time on the same tree there can be fragrant flowers, and green ovaries, and even ripe fruits. Moreover, lemons can safely hang on parental branches for up to 2 years, periodically becoming either green or yellow again.

And growing this miracle of nature is easy:

Choosing the right variety

The first step in growing a lemon tree for your garden is to choose a variety—and there are about 900 of them! Among the species of this evergreen citrus plant there are those that grow exclusively in the tropics and subtropics, and there are those that feel great indoors. winter garden. And it's important to guess!

  • Pavlovsky lemon grows up to 2 meters in height. And all you need to do is root the cuttings under glass jars and then transplant into pots. Moreover, this lemon is most adapted to life at home or in a winter greenhouse, and it blooms in the second or third year and then begins to bear fruit.
  • Meyer lemon will bloom all year round, although it will remain dwarfed. But its beautiful round crown great for shaping. True, there are many thorns on the branches of this lemon.
  • Novogruzinsky lemon is obtained with a stronger tall crown and an impressive number of thorns. It will bloom a little later than the Pavlovsk lemon, but it will be distinguished by a stable harvest.
  • But the Lisbon lemon is different in that it tolerates high temperature air.

Here's how wonderfully a varietal lemon tree grows:

Preparing for landing

As soon as you pull the seeds out of the lemon, immediately start planting, otherwise the similarity will be lost every hour. Then do everything according to the following instructions:

  • Step 1. First rinse the seeds well under running water and dry on a windowsill on a sheet of paper.
  • Step 2. Next, spread them on a layer of damp cotton wool so that the seeds swell. Moreover, cotton wool will need to be periodically moistened.
  • Step 3. Take plastic bottle and cut off the neck. Make a couple of holes in the bottom.
  • Step 4. Fill out plastic bottle soil, pour a little and plant the seeds to a depth of 2 to 4 centimeters.
  • Step 5. Now water every two days with fresh water.
  • Step 6. When lemon Tree reaches a height of 10-15 centimeters, transplant it into a pot with the same soil. It is important that the root system is not cramped in it.

You will see the process in more detail at the master class:

But, unfortunately, the lemon that you have grown from the seed will bear fruit only for 12-15 years of life. That is why it makes sense to purchase a cutting or buds already from a fruit-bearing tree, and graft them onto your plant. And your lemon will be ready for grafting when the thickness of its trunk reaches 80 millimeters.

All this is perfectly shown in the video:

The Importance of Proper Soil

Unfortunately, the situation is not uncommon when seedlings are bought even in a well-known company store, and after a week the lemon dies. That's why it's so important to get the right soil first.

The soil for the lemon tree you will need is balanced in structure and rich in nutrients. The recipe is the same as for the tangerine tree. But take care of the temperature: at -5-6° the lemon leaves die off, at minus -7-8° the crown is damaged, and at minus -8-9° the tree is already dying. Therefore, to overwinter your lemon tree, you need a temperature in the range of + 15-18 ° C.

When taking your citrus fruit into the garden in the summer, place it under the crown of a larger fellow: apple or sea buckthorn, and relative to the same cardinal points. After all, open sunny place you can’t put a lemon tree - the leaves will burn.

Here is a good illustration proper care behind a growing lemon tree:

Correct watering temperature

You can also easily grow a lemon tree from a cutting that begins to bloom in the third year after planting:

  • Step 1. In early spring take cuttings with four to five leaves.
  • Step 2. Hold such a cutting in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and cover the cut with crushed coal.
  • Step 3. Remove the bottom leaves, leaving only the top three.
  • Step 4. Next, plant the cutting in wet river sand.
  • Step 5. Cover with a jar or bag and place in a dark place.

Like here:

The key is to keep the soil moist. If droplets of water appear on the walls of the jar, it means that the roots are releasing the stalk. And as soon as the plant is rooted (check this by lightly tugging on the stalk), bring it to the light and remove the jar.

In winter, you need to water the lemon tree only once or twice a week, and in summer - every day, but just a little. And warm water, 2-3 degrees above the air temperature. If you water it colder or warmer, the plant will not like it. Indeed, this is the capriciousness of the lemon tree, which does not like both the lack of moisture and its excess. Experienced gardeners know one tricky secret: tap the pot with a wooden object. If the beats are sonorous, the ground is already dry, and if they are deaf, there is still moisture.

You still need to turn the lemon tree on the windowsill, no matter what the sellers tell you there. All this in order to get a beautiful crown, otherwise there will be light and shadow leaves that will no longer fit into the landscape design of your summer garden.

The color of the leaves of the lemon tree is also affected by top dressing. So, from March to September, once every 1-2 weeks, feed your plant with manure or droppings. During the fruiting period, do this every 10 days, and this time give preference to a complex of mineral fertilizers.

Formation of a beautiful crown

Next interesting secret: it is easy to form the future crown of a lemon along its roots. After all, the root system is mirror reflection crowns. Therefore, plant a lemon in a pot of the shape you want to see its crown.

in the spring young plant 20 centimeters high, you need to cut off the top, and leave 5-6 packs so that they give side shoots. And in March-April, prune this tree, removing old dry and diseased shoots, as well as those that are trying to grow into the crown, and not from it.

And one more important point. From time to time, the lemon tree becomes crowded: usually once every 2-3 years. At this time, it gives its little signal, rising above the soil level and bringing the roots into the drainage hole. So, it's time to transplant the tree into a larger pot. It is advisable to do this before mid-February, while new shoots have not yet begun to grow. And keep in mind that an adult lemon tree already feels better not in light soil, but in heavy loose soil. You can get it yourself by mixing one part leafy earth, one part sand and one part humus, adding a little clay to such soil.

Help with pollination

Another secret to getting a really beautiful lemon tree is that you have to pollinate it! Yes, this is a self-pollinating plant, but it still has male flowers with only pollen. Collect such pollen cotton swab and bring it to the pestle, which is large and conspicuous.

In the summer, be sure to take the lemon out into the garden, and it will become a wonderful attribute of landscape design. Organize in the winter additional illumination: fluorescent lamp or Reflux lamps, at a distance of 10 centimeters from the upper leaves of the tree.

How to grow an orange tree with a beautiful crown?

An orange tree is a real find for the landscape design of any garden. It is neat, with glossy leaf skin and beautiful fruits.

Proper planting of seeds

You can grow this tree from an ordinary bone:

  • rinse the removed seeds in warm water;
  • soak for 12 hours;
  • deepen the hatched seeds into the ground, to a depth of 1 centimeter under the film.

You can do this in late winter or early spring:

When caring for a growing plant, do not forget that orange trees are residents of the subtropical zone. They do not like drafts, but they love an abundance of indirect sunlight and are capricious of air and soil moisture.

And about the selection of soil for an orange, we suggest you watch the video:

Abundance of light and heat

Orange should receive a lot of light and heat - this is the main requirement. If you properly care for an orange tree, it grows quickly and pleases with a beautiful crown. But, if you want your beautiful tree to also bear fruit over time, pay attention to the green thorns on the trunk: if they are solid already at the age of one, you have come across wild plant, the fruits of which are no good. Then it is worth carrying out the usual vaccination.

At home, a cultivated orange tree will begin to bear fruit 6 years after seed germination. What can be accelerated if you winter the orange at a temperature of +2 to +5 degrees, limiting watering and feeding.

Proper feeding and watering

For seedlings, a pot with a diameter of about 10 centimeters is well suited. The main thing is not to allow the humidity in the room to be below 40% - otherwise the plant will shed its leaves. And you can not water the orange tree with running water with chlorine - only distilled water, heated to 25-30 degrees Celsius.

Feed the orange tree diluted in 10 liters of water 20 grams ammonium nitrate, 25 grams of superphosphate and 15 grams of potassium salts. Four times a year, it will also need to be introduced into its top dressing. inkstone, and once a month water the orange tree with a solution of potassium permanganate - so that the leaves have a rich color.

It is necessary to replant a grown plant by the transshipment method, with a whole earthy clod. Since the beginning warm summer take your tree into the garden, while protecting it well from the scorching sun.

More oxygen!

All citrus trees are a bit tricky to care for, and everyone loves to have their root system oxygenated. Therefore, to grow an orange tree, we recommend that you use large wooden blocks or pottery pots. And so that mold does not appear in any case, be sure to treat them inner surface blowtorch.

Also, all citrus trees need good drainage, so always put small pebbles on the bottom of your tree, but without sharp edges. After all, citrus fruits have very tender roots.

As you can see, all citrus trees are propagated by seed and then grafted or cut. Can't you handle it? Yes, easily! And on quiet summer evenings, real exotic citrus trees will delight your garden!

. At the same time, there is another type of orange tea - tea with orange flowers. I must say that the benefits of tea with orange flowers are no less, and in some cases even more than.

Orange flower tea has the most beneficial effect on nervous system person. Today in Europe, teas that include orange blossoms are considered one of the most effective teas. natural remedies against insomnia and nervous tension.

Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to make your own orange blossom tea. Well, the orange tree does not grow in our latitudes. Of course, you can use, but there are not many flowers on such a tree. You can go on vacation in the hot southern country and stock up on orange blossom there. However, in this case, you are unlikely to succeed, because the orange flowers must be properly dried, otherwise they will not bring any benefit.

However, you should not despair. Fortunately, there are many tea companies in the world that produce ready-made teas with orange flowers. To date, in Russia, the easiest way to purchase the following brands of teas with orange flowers.

All professional orange blossom teas can be divided into two groups. The first includes teas in which orange blossoms are just food additives to tea, for example, black or green. In the second group there are teas, which are exactly flower teas without the addition of tea in the traditional sense of the word.

Teas with orange blossom as an additive

TeaHelios "Tea Orange with Flowers"

Brand teaHelios« TeaOrangewithFlowers"is a black tea with the addition of orange blossoms. It is recommended to brew this tea like regular black tea.

Tea "Constellation of Love"

Tea "Constellation of Love" is produced by the Finnish company "Aaro Forsman". "Constellation of Love" is green tea with the addition of orange blossom and hibiscus, as well as pieces of papaya and apples.

Tea Mabrok "1001 Nights"

Tea from the world famous Ceylon company "Mabroc Teas (PVT) Ltd" is an amazing blend of black and green teas with the addition of rose petals, orange flowers, sunflower and cornflower, as well as natural strawberry extract.

Tea "Orange flower"

Elitchay Orange Flower tea includes semi-fermented Chinese oolong, or red tea, orange flowers and.

Proper brewing of this tea requires two teaspoons of dry tea per 300 ml of water, boiling water and five minutes of time. Only if all these conditions are met, "Orange Flower" tea will turn out golden color, sweet in taste and will be fragrant with the aroma of orange blossom.

Flower orange teas

TeaSidroga- "Orange Blossoms"

Sidroga is a German-Swiss company specializing in the production of natural teas. Tea "Orange Blossoms" is available in the form of portion bags.

Curiously, the taste of Orange Blossom tea depends on how many times it is brewed. The company's specialistsSidrogaIt is recommended to brew this tea three times. All three times hot water but not boiling water. Brewing time is five minutes.

After the first brewing, Orange Blossom tea has a rich honey aroma. After the second brewing, the aroma of tea becomes more delicate. After the third time, it fully corresponds to the aroma of a blossoming orange tree.

In addition to Orange Blossom tea, the Sidroga company produces another type of tea, which also includes flowers. This is tea Sidroga Apple with Cinnamon. Wellness».

Tea Sidroga Apple with Cinnamon. Wellness» is prepared on the basis of dry apples, orange flowers, hibiscus and cinnamon. Just like Orange Blossom tea, this tea is indispensable for nervous strain and stress.

Tea Fleurs d`Oranger "Orange Tree Blossoms"

Tea brand Fleurs d`Oranger "Orange Tree Blossoms" includes blood orange flowers. Tea comes in bags and must be brewed with hot water.

Orange(from Dutch sinaasappel, German Apfelsine - "Chinese apple") - the fruit of an orange tree (Citrus sinensis), originally from China. A hybrid obtained in antiquity, apparently, by mixing mandarin (Citrus reticulata) with pomelo (Citrus maxima).

Orange is considered a symbol of fertility and is closely associated with the symbolism of love and marriage.

How to grow Orange tree at home?

In stores they sell lemon, orange, tangerine trees with fruits and you can’t believe that it can survive at your place. And yes, their prices are high. But you can grow your own!

What you need:

Pitted orange, gauze (piece), yogurt cup, earth, water, plastic bags, sun.

Step 1 Eat citrus fruit and put the bones in one pile. We must choose the most chubby.

2 step The best seeds immediately placed in a humid environment for further germination. It is optimal to take a piece of gauze or a rag, wet it and wrap the bones in it. Put the bag in a glass of yogurt (you can take a glass) and close the bag. Get a greenhouse for germination.

Step 3 Put in a warm, well-lit place and check the moisture content of the fabric every 2-3 days. The first roots will come out in 3-6 weeks (the speed is no longer up to you).

Step 4 When the root grows by 1 cm, you can plant it in the soil (or you can wait up to 2 cm). It is very important to choose the correct planting depth of the bone. 1.5 cm is enough. Do not damage the root by pushing it deep.

Step 5 The emerging sprout loves spraying and needs the sun. Keep it in the MOST sunny place.

Step 6 When the second pair of leaves appears, you can transplant into more comfortable spot. Once every six months, it is advisable to transplant into a larger container.

Your bush will grow quickly. Do not forget to water, spray regularly and undead it in the sun. In order for a stick-bush to begin to give lateral branches, you will have to pinch off the crown (2-3 leaves). But do not rush, give your tree time to grow. And over time, you will have your own, accustomed to the conditions of your apartment, and in a few years, a fruit-bearing tree!

Orange tree at home: care

For citrus tree it is necessary to prepare special soil with the addition of sand, peat and fine expanded clay. The prepared substrate should be light, well pass moisture and air.

Oranges are photophilous and thermophilic plants. Flowerpots with orange trees should be placed at the western or eastern window and the temperature should be from + 15 to + 18 ° in summer and up to + 12 ° C in winter. Plants should be hidden from the scorching rays of the hot sun. in spring and summer seasons Citrus fruits need daily watering. In winter, it is enough to water the plants once or twice a week. Water for irrigation should be warm and soft. Nitric and oxalic acid, as well as vinegar, soften water well.

reproduction


Citrus fruits are propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafting. Plants grown from seeds are most resistant to low air humidity and lack of light, but they begin to bear fruit only after 7–15 years (the exception is lime, in countries with a tropical climate it reproduces by seeds and bears fruit after 3–4 years).

To obtain standard and bush, abundantly fruiting plants, they are grafted. For citrus rootstock, it is better to use seedlings of lemons or other citrus fruits (oranges, limes, pompelmuses), which can be grown from the stone. Scion - cultivars. The grafting is done in February, March and August on seedlings with a stem diameter of 7–10 mm. Fruiting occurs already in the 3-4th year after vaccination. It is quite difficult to make a budding with a sleeping eye or, moreover, a vaccination correctly on your own. Fans are advised to purchase an already grafted or rooted orange seedling. Necessary condition upon purchase - the seedling must have a closed root system.

The most thermophilic and capricious plant among citrus. The orange is native to India and Southeast Asia. The plant sets fruits as a result of cross-pollination and self-pollination. orange has healing properties known to the ancient Egyptians. 100 g of orange fruit contains: water - 87.5 g, proteins - 0.9 g, carbohydrates - 8.4 g, fiber - 1.4 g; minerals: sodium - 13 mg, potassium - 197 mg, calcium -34 mg; vitamins: carotene - 0.05 mg, B - 1-0.04 mg, PP - 0.2 mg, C - 60 mg. The evergreen orange sheds its leaves periodically.

Location: Bright diffused light. It is recommended to use additional lighting. So that the tree does not look one-sided, turning its entire crown towards the light, the pot should be gradually turned so that the pot makes only one turn in a year. Frequent changes of location and sharp turns are bad for the well-being of the plant.

Watering: Abundant in summer (morning and evening), moderate in winter. Only soft (settled, thawed), warm (23-25 ​​C) water. Avoid waterlogging and drying of the soil. Every 2-3 weeks it is necessary to arrange a cool shower (cover the soil from ingress of unsettled tap water).

Air humidity: Frequent spraying. Shade after this procedure. Does not tolerate dry air.

Temperature: In winter and summer - 16-24 C. It is undesirable to take it out into the air. Does not tolerate drafts.

Pruning: The crown should be in the form of a bush and consist of 3-4 skeletal branches located on the stem. To do this, the shoot developing from the cutting is pinched at a height of about 20 cm so that 5 well-developed buds remain. The shoots grown from these buds and reaching a length of 20 cm are pinched. This will be the skeletal branches in the future.

Transfer: In the spring, as the tree grows, once every 2-3 years.

Top dressing: Spring-summer - 1 time in 10 days with mineral and organic fertilizers, winter-autumn - once a month. As a top dressing, you can also use sleeping tea or coffee grounds, which contain many trace elements. When dried, they improve soil structure. Once a month (not more often) it is possible to water the plants with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, but only in the evening.

Pests: spider mite, aphid.

Bones must be planted immediately after removing them from the fruit. Planted in pots with earth for citrus fruits to a depth of approximately 2.5 cm. Moisten the earth with boiled and settled water, cover with a transparent bag to make a greenhouse. Put in a well-lit place, but not under direct sun. In the evenings, open the greenhouse for ventilation. After about 20 days, the first shoots will appear.

In China, an orange is considered a fruit that brings happiness.

Since orange fruits contain seeds, this fruit symbolizes fertility. Seeing an orange in a dream good sign: to take an orange in your hand means to receive the fruit of love.

Can be grown at home exotic plant and decorate the interior of the house with them. A little work and you will achieve the desired result!!

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