Home orange tree. Citrus Secrets: How to Grow Lemon, Orange and Tangerine Trees. Proper feeding and watering

Probably repeatedly beginners or experienced growers, meeting a beautiful orange tree in flower shops, wondered how to grow an orange at home. In our apartments it is quite tender plant. But you can grow your own, hardened and adapted tree.

This will require a few seeds, a piece of cloth, a glass or a glass, earth, plastic bags, sun, water and, of course, your concern.

Planting seeds

Sowing seeds can be done at any time of the year. But it is better to do it in the spring. In this case, the plant will develop with more intense light and longer daylight hours.

Just before planting, select large and ripe orange fruits. Choose from them the most round and largest seeds. Flat and dried for sowing are not suitable. Place them in a damp cloth and put in a glass or a plastic cup from under the yogurt. Close the glass with a plastic bag. It turned out to be a small greenhouse. Put it in a warm place, keeping the temperature at 18-22°C. Do not forget to check the moisture of the cloth every 2 days and ventilate the mini-greenhouse.

Transplantation of sprouts

After 3-5 weeks, the first shoots should appear. As soon as the sprouts reach 1-2 cm, transplant them into the ground into pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm. To do this, pour a little expanded clay on the bottom of the pot, and on top - required amount ready ground for citrus plants. You can make this mixture from leafy ground, large river sand, humus and sod land in the ratio 1:1:1:3 parts. Do not use pure peat. It is advisable to put the pots closer to the light (but not under direct Sun rays).

When transplanting, do not bury the sprouts too deep. Optimal depth- 1.5 cm. Be careful with the roots - the plants are still very fragile. Therefore, cover the sprouts from one side with damp earth. This is necessary so that the stems do not dry out and break.

Young plants must be constantly watered and sprayed with clean, settled water. room temperature. The larger the tree becomes, the more water he will need.

After the formation of the first 4-6 leaves, transplant the seedlings into larger pots with a diameter of 9-11 cm. Use the transshipment method. Save the old big one earthen clod and plant the sprout with it.

At this stage, do not create ideal conditions for seedlings - additional lighting with lamps, mandatory spraying, maintaining the ideal temperature, etc. They undergo hardening and natural selection. Leave the strongest sprouts. They will be ideal tenants for your apartment.

crown formation

When orange trees grow up to 20 cm, you will have to pinch off a couple of leaves at the top. Then the plants will give side branches. They are considered branches of the second order. If you break off the tops of the branches of the second order, they will give branches of the third order, and so on. The crown of the tree is formed by you. Strive to ensure that many branches of the fifth order form on the bush in a few years. On these branches the first fruits will be tied.

Optimal conditions for growth

Keep an eye on air humidity. It is advisable to place a container of water or an indoor fountain next to potted orange trees. Optimum temperature air - 22°С.

Flowering and fruiting

While the plant is still small, it is advisable to remove the first buds. The tree can bear fruit in 8-10 years. If you want to receive delicious fruits before this period, graft a branch from a fruit-bearing tree to an overgrown tree. Instead of grafting, banding can be done (squeezing branches with wire or removing the bark on a branch in the form of a ring). And then your tree will bear fruit in 4 years.

To speed up fruiting, you can use the method of cold wintering. To do this, it is necessary to take the plant out into the cold (air temperature 2-5 ° C for 3 months), do not fertilize and water it from time to time. In this state, the orange tree is able to tolerate almost complete shading. In the spring, it is necessary to resume the usual temperature regime for the plant. Repeat cold wintering for 2-3 years.

Orange tree pests

Plant mites, scale insects, thrips and aphids can cause trouble to the plant. Therefore, to prevent pest damage, it is advisable to treat the bush with an insecticide 2 times a year.

Don't forget to feed. It is necessary to fertilize 2-3 times a month from March to November with liquid fertilizer "For citrus fruits". For these purposes, the old tea leaves, which are buried in the ground, are also suitable.

In general, the orange tree is a drought-resistant plant, does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil, and does not have a pronounced dormant period. Throughout the year it grows, blooms and bears fruit at the same time.

Good luck growing these sunny fruits!

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Orange tree is . It can be propagated by cuttings, grafting or seeds. If you want to grow this yourself, then it is better to choose the seed method, since it is the easiest of all.

This article will discuss how to grow an orange from a stone in a pot at home.

general information

The tree has a dense compact crown. The leaves are bright green and dense. The branches are covered with light bark. It blooms with white, light flowers. indoor orange bears fruit after 7 years of life. The fruits can be eaten as they are very tasty.

Did you know? There are about 600 varieties of oranges in the world.

The height of the plant depends on the variety and can reach 1-2.5 m. Before you grow an orange at home, you need to decide on the variety.

The most popular are:

• This variety grows low, up to about 1 m. It bears fruit very well. The fruits ripen in about 9 months.
  
• "Gamlin"- grows up to 1.5 m. Has juicy sweet and sour oranges that ripen late autumn.
  
• - this variety is most preferred among domestic ones. The plant can reach 2 m. During flowering, the tree smells very pleasant. The fruits are quite large - their weight reaches about 300 g.
  
Growing an orange from a seed at home is quite realistic. Consider how to do it so that it is fruitful.

Growing from seed

In order for the seeds to germinate, it is necessary to plant them correctly, observing the conditions.

Planting seeds

Growing an orange from a seed is not difficult. Consider how to plant seeds at home. Seeds must be obtained from a ripe orange. They should be correct form, not empty and dry. They need to be cleaned of pulp, washed and soaked for 8-12 hours in water. The soil can be made by yourself from, sand, soddy land (1:1:2). Or you can buy a special one for .

Seeds can be sown in separate small containers, the volume of which is about 100 ml. Or it is allowed to plant all the seeds in one box. It is recommended to keep the distance between seeds 5 cm. Planting depth should be 1 cm.

After this, lightly primer follows, cover the container with a film and put it in a dark place until sprouts appear.

When the sprouts reach 1.5-2 cm and they have 2 leaves, they should be transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of about 8 cm.

Important!It is better not to use large containers for planting - the soil, where there are no roots, remains wet for a long time and turns sour.

Terms

loves the light, that's why the best place for the pot there will be south or southeast windows. To prevent sunburn on the leaves, it is recommended to shade the tree. But the lighting must remain bright.

The orange tree grown from the stone loves warmth. Therefore, in summer time+21 ... +25 ° С is considered a favorable temperature for the growth of citrus.
If it is higher, then the orange will begin to grow actively, but will not bear fruit. In winter, a temperature of + 10 ... + 15 ° С is suitable for the plant.

Important! The plant does not tolerate drafts, so you should protect the tree from them.

crown formation

In order for a citrus tree to bear fruit at home, you need to take care of a suitable crown for this. If it is not formed, then the fruits can be harvested no earlier than in 10 years.

The plant bears fruit on twigs not lower than the fifth order. The procedure consists in pinching the branches after they reach 10-15 cm. This must be done above the kidney so that it is outside.

You should also cut off weakened shoots that are too long and growing inward. Thanks to this pruning, after a few years it will turn out with many short shoots.

reproduction

Homemade orange tree is propagated by seeds, grafting and cuttings. A plant grown from seeds requires less maintenance. But the fruits of such a tree are different from the parent. How to grow an orange from seeds is described above.

The method of grafting retains varietal characteristics. To get you need sharp knife cut off a branch that is covered with bark and has a length of about 10 cm. They are planted in sandy soil and make a mini-greenhouse.
It should be in a bright place, but without direct sunlight. The soil should always be slightly moist. After 30 days, the cuttings should take root, and they can be transplanted into separate containers.

Vaccination allows you to get a quick harvest. The graft is recommended to be taken from a fruiting tree. Cut off the stem with a very sharp knife. It is recommended to graft on orange trees or those that have reached the age of three.

The vaccination process should go like this:

• at a height of 10 cm from the ground, you need to cut the crown of the selected tree;
• then you need to split the trunk and insert the cutting there;
• the scion must have 3 buds;
• then you should combine two branches and wrap the vaccination site using a film;
• to retain moisture, you should cover the plant with a film and put it in a bright place.
After 3 weeks, it will be clear whether the cutting has taken root: if it does not turn black, then the procedure was successful.

Did you know?In the New World in 1493, the first orange seeds and seedlings appeared thanks to Christopher Columbus.




Care

Growing an orange from a seed at home is proper care behind a tree.

Watering

Citrus tree should be regularly, as soon as it dries up upper layer soil. But you should not overmoisten, because the roots can rot. In winter, reduce to 2-3 times a week. Water should be settled and warm.

spraying

Caring for an orange tree at home includes spraying. The plant loves moisture, so in the heat it should be sprayed daily.

In cool weather, this procedure can be carried out 1-2 times a week. If the air in the apartment is dry in winter, then the tree needs to be sprayed every day.

Every 2 weeks from March to October, it is recommended to feed the orange tree with a complex fertilizer for citrus fruits. You can cook this at home.
For this, it is necessary to dilute (20 g), (25 g) and (15 g) in 10 liters of water. It is recommended to add to this mixture 1 time per season, and 1 time - a little.

An orange tree with a dense crown is more and more common in the apartments of flower lovers. In nature, there are more than 6 hundred varieties of this plant. To grow an orange tree at home, you first need to choose a variety suitable for these purposes. Most best option- plant Merheul orange at home. Its height is not more than 100 cm. With good competent care, after 7 years the tree will begin to bear fruit and give up to 4 dozen oranges. They are quite edible, moreover, they can even boast good taste. Many housewives have learned to grow such a miracle from an ordinary orange seed.

How to grow from a bone in a room

The procedure for growing an orange from a seed requires patience, but minimal effort must be made. For planting an orange tree in home, indoor conditions, a seed from a fruit purchased through a retail network is suitable. Orange must be ripe - this is the main condition. Healthy rounded seeds are taken.

Soil for planting

After cleaning the bone, you need to rinse it well. running water and soak for 10 hours in water at room temperature. During this time, prepare the soil. You can buy it at a flower shop or make your own. Take in proportions 1/1/2 fine sand, peat and turf.

How to plant

Each seed is placed in a separate pot. But it can also be placed in a group in a small container. Between the bones you need to maintain a distance of 50 mm. Deepen 10 mm. After planting the seeds, the soil needs to be leveled and moderately moistened. Then create a greenhouse effect and put the containers in a dark room until sprouts appear.

Transplanting emerging sprouts

As soon as the seedlings grow up to 20 mm, and they have 2 full-fledged leaves, you need to do a transplant. Sprouts grown by the group method are planted in separate pots. Seedlings grown in separate pots are transferred to a larger container with a diameter of 80 mm in the presence of 5 leaves. Pots must have drainage holes. As a drainage, fine expanded clay or pieces of polystyrene are laid out at the bottom.

Growing conditions

In order for a full-fledged indoor orange tree to grow from a small seed, you need to learn how to care for the plant, starting from the moment of planting. An important issue is the creation optimal conditions for citrus culture, so that the orange feels like in nature.

Light mode

citrus - photophilous plant and react negatively to movement. Therefore, a flowerpot with a seedling should be immediately identified at the place where it will constantly stand. Orange will thrive in south-facing rooms. With a lack natural light, you need to take care of artificial lighting. In order for the tree to form a crown of the correct shape, the flowerpot must be slightly rotated daily. But beware of direct sunlight. Young leaves may get burned.

Temperature regime

At an air temperature of 18-27 ° C, the orange tree feels comfortable, but remember: it is very afraid of drafts. AT winter season an orange can be briefly kept in a room with a temperature of 5-10 ° C. If an orange long time in the summer it will be in a hot room, this will lead to shedding of buds and growth retardation. At optimal temperature regime, while in a pot, the orange tree will skip the rest-sleep period. If you move it to a cool greenhouse or to covered balcony, will fall into a deep sleep.

Air humidity

Growing a citrus tree room conditions need to be constantly maintained elevated level air humidity. This is easy to achieve.

1. It is worth spraying every two days with a spray bottle.
2. Flat containers with water can be placed next to the flowerpot.
3. Once every 3 weeks, the orange should be washed in the shower, covering the soil with a film.

AT winter months if the plant is near the radiator, it also needs to be sprayed.

You can always grow a beautiful fruiting orange tree at home. In addition to the basic rules of care, you need to know how to plant citrus.

Often the grower is waiting for the flowers to appear and the formation of the ovary, but this does not happen. Or the fruits fall off before reaching maturity. What is the reason? An orange tree grown from seed may turn out to be "wild" and not get the varietal characteristics of its parent.

“If there are hard thorns on the trunk of a one-year-old orange Green colour, it means "wild".

At room conditions, you can grow an orange tree from a seed, which will have fruits, according to palatability slightly different from those bought in a store or on the market. But the tree needs to be grafted. Grafting material is taken in greenhouses, it can also be brought from the resort or exchanged with other lovers of growing indoor trees. Activities begin when the lignified shoots reach a diameter of 0.5 cm. The scion is preliminarily harvested.

1. One-year or two-year-old shoots are cut from an orange tree.
2. The leaves are removed, leaving only the buds and petioles.
3. From below, the handle on both sides needs to be sharpened to make an impromptu wedge.
4. Make a cut under the lowest kidney.

Now you need to cut the orange with a sharp pruner, stepping back from the ground 10 cm. Cut the trunk vertically by 2 cm. Place the graft in the cut with the lower part. Combining the bark of the rootstock and the cutting as much as possible, wrap them tightly with electrical tape. Treat the places of cuts with garden pitch. After 45 days, the winding must be removed. The graft will take root if the vaccination was carried out according to all the rules. The tree will begin to grow. After 2 years, the first flowers will appear on it, and the fruits will ripen.

How to care for indoor orange

You need to carefully and correctly take care of citrus crops at home, only then will it be possible to taste delicious fruits grown with your own hands.

fertilizers

Indoor oranges need to be fed with complex fertilizers, which are sold in any flower shop. You can make your own fertilizer. Add to a bucket of water: 20 g of superphosphate and nitrate, 15 g of potassium salt. The culture responds well to organic fertilization. It can be a weak infusion of rotted manure or wood ash - 1 teaspoon per liter jar water. To increase the nutritional value of the soil, it is recommended to add coffee grounds or tea residues. Feeding frequency:

• in summer - once a week;
• in spring and autumn - once a month.

Irrigation mode

The orange tree needs regular watering. However, waterlogging is fatal for him. AT summer season- daily watering. In winter - once a week. In no case should you water the tree with tap water. Moisturize only with settled warm water.

Spraying procedure

Spraying is an integral part of home care for an orange tree. He likes daily spraying in summer. In autumn and winter, the plant is sprayed every five days.

We form a crown

Indoor orange begins to bear fruit in the seventh year of life, subject to proper care and a properly formed crown. On developed shoots of the 5th order, after flowering, fruits are tied and ripened.

In order for the ripening of oranges to be early, the crown should be formed at a plant height of up to 30 cm.

1. AT spring time pinching is performed at a height of 20-25 cm.
2. Leave 3-4 strong side branches, cutting them off. This procedure leads to maximum branching.
3. In subsequent years, from the resulting growth, again leave 2-3 shoots, which in turn will also branch.

And so pinch up to the branches of the 5th order. Weak, diseased and improperly growing shoots are subject to removal. The procedure will allow you to form a wonderful tree with large quantity short branches.

How to transplant

Transplanting a citrus tree should be done in the spring. Preferably before flowering. The flowerpot is taken larger. Be careful not to damage it root system, rolled orange. Soil composition:

• 2 hours of turf;
• 1 hour humus;
• 1 hour fine sand;
• 1 hour sheet substrate.

The vase should have drainage system. Seedlings up to 5 years of life need an annual transplant. An adult citrus crop is transplanted every three years. Old orange trees should be replanted after 6 years.

How it breeds

There are three ways to propagate an orange in a room. The simplest and least expensive is growing from the stone. In this case, it is required minimal care at home behind an orange tree. Fruits appear on the 7th year of life. Propagation by cuttings allows you to get several seedlings at once. Lignified cuttings 10 cm in size are cut and placed in moist sandy soil, creating a greenhouse effect. Containers are placed in light warm room. After a month, rooting occurs, and the seedlings are placed in individual pots. With this method of reproduction, the traits of the variety are preserved as much as possible. The tree bears fruit in the third year. For the purpose of high-quality reproduction, the plant is grafted by cutting the graft from an orange that is already bearing fruit.

What hurts and who harms

As a result of severe waterlogging, a homemade orange can get sick:

• root rot;
• sooty fungus;
• scab.

The tree loves moisture, but overflowing for it is fraught with infection. The most common pests are: flower scale insect, mealybug, spider mite. Insecticide treatment helps protect the plant.

Life span of an orange at home

In natural natural conditions citrus lives for a long time - more than a century. At home, with proper care, the orange tree can please the owners with a bountiful harvest for over 70 years. At room conditions, some varieties of orange can treat with juicy fruits all 12 months of the year, while having a small crown. By planting 3-4 trees, you will get a real citrus oasis in your home.

The orange tree will please its owner not only with an attractive view, but also with sweet citrus fruits. This "green pet" is somewhat moody, but if you study given material, then you can create for it the necessary conditions. Consider how to grow an orange tree at home so that it gives you real natural fruits.

General description and popular types of orange tree

The homemade orange tree has dense, bright green leaves that form a compact, dense crown. The branches are covered with light-colored bark. The height of the plant varies in the range from 1 m to 2.5 m. This representative of the flora blooms with pale white flowers and begins to bear fruit at 7-8 years of age. An orange grown at home tastes almost the same as a store-bought one.

In total, about 600 varieties of oranges are known. Here are the most popular ones suitable for room culture:

• "Gamlin" - reaches a height of 1.5 m. Fruits that ripen in late autumn have a pleasant sweet and sour taste;
• "Pavlovsky" - undersized variety (grows up to 1 m). It has good fruiting, but oranges ripen for quite a long time - about 9 months;
• "Washington Navel" - is the most popular among fans room flora. Can reach 2 m in height. In the process of flowering, each flower of the orange tree of this variety exudes a pleasant sweetish aroma. Quite different large fruits weighing about 300 grams.

Reproduction of indoor orange

Orange tree at home can be propagated in three ways: seeds, cuttings and grafting. The simplest method is propagation from seeds. Instances grown in this way require much less maintenance. But young fruits will differ significantly from the original ones.

How to grow an orange tree from seed:

• We buy a special soil for citrus fruits or make a mixture on our own from soddy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, respectively;
• First, extract the seeds from the orange a high degree ripeness. They must be of the correct form, not damaged, not dry and empty;
• We clean them from the remnants of the pulp, rinse thoroughly and soak in water for 10-12 hours;
• We plant the seeds to a depth of 1 cm in a container of a small volume (about 100 ml), keeping a gap between the seeds of 5 cm. You can also plant in one box;
• We lightly water the soil, cover the container with a film and remove the mini-greenhouse in a dark place until the first sprouts appear. After they reach 1.5-2 cm and 2 leaves “hatch” on them, we transplant into small separate pots with a diameter of about 8 cm.

It is better not to choose large containers, since the soil in which there are no roots, for a long time stays wet and rots. An indoor orange tree can be additionally illuminated with special phyto-lamps, as if increasing the length of daylight hours.

Homemade orange can also be propagated by cuttings. This allows you to save all parent features.

• To obtain a cutting, we cut off a 10-centimeter branch with bark with a sharpened knife;
• We plant it in sandy soil and create a mini-greenhouse by covering the container with a film;

• We install the container in a bright place where direct sunlight does not fall. The soil should always be slightly moistened;
• After about a month, the cuttings take root, and they can be planted in separate containers.

Another way to propagate an orange tree is grafting. This is the most the best option for a faster harvest. The graft is best taken from an already fruiting plant, carefully cutting off the stalk with a sharply sharpened knife. It is recommended to vaccinate a specimen that has reached the age of three years. The scion must contain 3 buds.

Step by step process:

• We cut the crown of the tree at a height of 10 cm from the soil, split the trunk and place the cutting in it;
• We combine two branches and wrap the vaccination site with a film;
• To preserve moisture, cover the plant with a film and leave it in a bright place.

After 3 weeks, you need to look at the condition of the cutting. If it does not turn black, then the grafting procedure was successful.

Conditions for growing an orange at home

For a plant to be healthy appearance, did not suffer from pests and gave bountiful harvest, you need to know how to care for an orange tree correctly.

Lighting and temperature for indoor orange

• This plant is photophilous, so the windows on the south and southeast sides will be the best place for its location. So that the leaves do not suffer from sunburn, it is necessary to create a slight shading for them, but the brightness of the lighting should not change.
• The citrus tree is very fond of warmth. The optimum summer temperature for its growth is + 21-25 degrees. If the specified values ​​\u200b\u200bare exceeded, the "green pet" will begin to grow actively, but will not bear fruit. Suitable winter temperature for a tree - + 10-15 degrees.
• It also does not withstand drafts.

Watering and spraying citrus

• The plant should be regularly watered with warm settled water when the top layer of soil is covered with a crust and dries up. But excessive moisture should also not be, otherwise it can lead to rotting of the roots. AT winter period watering should be reduced to 2-3 times a week.
• Do not forget about spraying. In the heat, it must be produced daily, as the plant is very fond of wet air around. In cool weather, the frequency of procedures is reduced to 1-2 times a week. If the air in the home is very dry, then spraying should be done daily.

Transplanting and feeding plants

It is better to transplant citrus fruits in the spring, before flowering and fruiting begin. This procedure should be done every 2-3 years.

• An orange tree in a pot should feel free, so you need to pick up a container a little bigger size compared to the previous one;
• Transplantation is done by transshipment to eliminate the risk of damage to the roots;
• The soil mixture should consist of sod and leaf soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 2:1:1:1, and the bottom of the tank should have good drainage.

Every 2 weeks from the beginning of spring to mid-autumn, it is recommended to feed the plant with a special complex fertilizer intended for citrus fruits. You can buy it in the store or make it yourself. To do this, dilute in 10 liters of water 15 g of potassium salt, 25 g of phosphoric and 20 g nitrogen fertilizers. This mixture once a season can be supplemented with a small amount of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.

Formation of the crown of an orange tree

In order for the "green pet" to bear fruit, you need to carefully monitor the condition of its crown. If this is not done, then fruiting will begin no earlier than in 10 years. Fruits appear on branches not lower than the fifth order.

• The correct formation of the crown consists in pinching the branches when they reach 10-15 cm. This should be done above the kidney so that it remains outside;
• It is also necessary to remove weakened, growing inward and elongated shoots. This pruning helps to get a lot of short young shoots.

Domestic orange pests

It is necessary to regularly inspect the tree for the presence of pests. Usually they settle on citrus fruits:

• whitefly;
• Spider mite;
• Shchitovka.

To combat them, drugs such as Biotlin and Fitoverm are used. Can also be used folk remedies, for example, a solution based on laundry soap, an infusion of garlic or hot pepper.

Video: How to grow an orange tree from a stone

In nature, orange grows in warm climates and does not shed its leaves in autumn. Grow it evergreen tree you can do it at home using seeds, cuttings or the grafting method. Newbie better try seed propagation, since it is the simplest. The orange tree will do well in flower pot, first in a small one, then in a larger one.

General information

Orange is a compact plant with a small, well-leafed crown. Bark light color, the leaves are dense, hard, bright green. The flowers are very beautiful, bright white. A tree grown from seeds bears fruit at the age of 6 years. If you graft one variety onto another, the first orange fruits will appear in 3-4 years. oranges that gives indoor plant, almost do not differ in taste from those ripened in the open field.

Thanks to the work of breeders, several hundred varieties of this citrus fruit have been bred. Among them there are tall and short ones, but indoors most reach 1.5-2 m. This does not happen immediately, but after 10-15 years. At good care The life expectancy of the plant reaches 70 years. For growing at home, the Pavlovsky variety is excellent. It takes 9 months from flowering to harvest. mature tree has a height of about 1 m.

Another interesting variety, suitable for breeding in the room - "Gamlin". Its height reaches 1.5 m. Juicy fruits they ripen in October, they taste sweet, with pronounced sourness. Among fans of indoor gardening, Washington Navel is also popular. At the age of 10-15 years, the tree reaches 2 m. The flowers are very fragrant, the fruit weight is 270-300 g. Other citrus crops are also grown indoors:

• calamondin;
• mandarin;
• citron;
• lemon.

All of them are more difficult to grow, so it is better for a beginner to grow an orange at home first. When the first experience appears, you can move on to other cultures.

Growing from seeds

A seed will only germinate if it is planted correctly. First you need to remove the seeds from the orange. They should be ripe, medium in size, with hard shell not dry. The seeds are washed so that no traces of pulp remain, and put in water for 12 hours. Prepare cups or pots with a volume of not more than 100 ml.

You can plant citrus fruits both in ready-made soil mixture bought in a store, and in soil made by yourself. The components are taken in the following ratio:

• 2 kg of turf land;
• 1 kg of sand;
• 1 kg of peat.

Instead of several containers, you can use one low wooden box. In this case, the bones are placed at a distance of 5 cm from each other. It is recommended to close up to a depth of 1 cm. After planting, the soil is slightly compacted, moistened from a room sprayer, covered with polyethylene and placed in an unlit place. You can place the box on the windowsill, then it should be covered with an opaque cloth on top.

After what time sprouts will appear, it is impossible to guess. More often this happens after 3 weeks, if the room temperature does not drop below +24 °C. In phase 2 of these leaves, the plants are planted in pots with a diameter of 7-8 cm. Larger containers for growing an orange from a stone at home are not recommended. The fact is that the earth, where there are no roots, often turns sour.

growing conditions

Orange seedlings grow well in full daylight, so it is best to place them in windows facing south or southeast. There are burns from the sun, so the plant should be shaded closer to dinner. The temperature must be maintained from +21 to +25 ° C. If it is hotter, it is not very good: the plant forms a lot of foliage and shoots, but does not produce fruits. In winter, the temperature is lowered to + 10 ... + 15 ° C. Citrus fruits should not be placed in a place where drafts are possible.

When the shoots reach a height of 10-15 cm, pinch them. Shaping is required in order for citrus to form fruits. This measure is necessary only at home to speed up fruiting. If the crown is not formed, the first crop can be harvested no earlier than in the tenth year of the plant's life. Fruit buds are laid on the shoots of the fifth order and above. Pinch in such a way that the kidney is at the very edge of the branch.

The tree also needs pruning. During this procedure, diseased, weakened and damaged shoots are removed. Cut branches that grow crooked or directed inward, as well as thin and elongated. If everything is done correctly and every year, in a few years the tree will form a beautiful crown with short branches, while it will look lush and strong.

Cuttings and grafting

In addition to seeds, an orange tree can be grown from cuttings and by grafting. The use of seeds is the easiest option, but it does not always allow you to get offspring with the preservation of varietal characteristics. If you want to get a tree that will have the same fruits as the parent, it is worth using cuttings.

A branch 10 cm long is cut from the selected specimen. Cut as many seedlings as you want to get. Shoots should be lignified, that is, covered with bark.

Chopped cuttings are planted in a mini-greenhouse. It should be located in a bright place, but at the same time it should not be exposed to direct sunlight. The soil is made from equal parts sand and garden soil. Within 30 days, the soil with cuttings is regularly moistened. The film is opened for 2-3 hours a day, the rest of the time it must be closed in order to remain high humidity air. After about a month, strong roots form. Then the plants are planted in pots, after which they are looked after as usual.

If you want to get the first harvest as soon as possible, they are vaccinated. A stalk is cut from a fruiting plant and grafted. A three-year-old orange or lemon tree is used as a stock. How is vaccination done?

Beginners do not always succeed in planting cuttings, but this is normal. Will have to practice to see nice results, It is better to do several vaccinations in advance, using less valuable cultures. So, you can plant a cherry on a cherry, a pear and an apple tree on a quince, a peach on a cherry plum.

seedling care

Most important event for the care of an orange tree at home - watering with warm settled water. You can also use bottled, which is sold in the store. Moisten the soil moderately so that the roots do not rot, but at the same time do not allow drying out. In winter, water 1-2 times a week, in summer more often. The need for moisture is determined empirically. In addition, the orange tree is sprayed daily. Without this, the culture will feel bad.

AT cold weather when the heating is on, the air in the apartment dries up, so you need to use humidifiers. Once every 15 days young tree fed with complex fertilizer for citrus fruits. It is easier to buy ready-made in the store, but you can make a nutrient mixture yourself. The proportions should be:

• 10 liters of water;
• 20 g of urea;
• 25 superphosphate;
• 15 g of potassium salt.

All components are diluted in water, 1 liter of solution is spent on 1 citrus tree. In the spring, it is recommended to transplant the crop into a larger pot. This must be done every 2-3 years, otherwise the roots will be crowded. Optimal time transplants - when buds did not begin to form on the tree. If the orange has already begun to bloom, it is better to postpone the event until next year, as there is a risk of destroying the plant. A layer of drainage material is placed at the bottom of the pot with a layer of 2-3 cm. A layer of soil mixture of the following composition is poured on top:

• 100 g of sand;
• 100 g of humus;
• 100 g of leafy land;
• 200 g of turf.

An orange plant is taken out of an old pot along with a clod of earth and rearranged into a prepared container. The space between the walls and the clod of earth is also filled with soil mixture, and a little more is poured up.

Pest control

At home, citrus fruits are often damaged by pests. The tree must be regularly inspected in order to take action in time. Most often, the following species settle on an orange plant: whitefly, aphid, spider mite, shield. From them insecticides "Biotlin", "Fitoverm" help well. If you want to do without chemistry, you can spray the plant soapy water, infusion hot pepper or garlic.