How to grow calamondin at home?

Small citrus plants do great at home. They are planted in ordinary flower pots and kept on a windowsill, loggia or in a greenhouse. With proper care, the trees are able not only to delight the owners with their appearance, but also to bear fruit. One of these tropical plants that have taken root in apartments is calamondin. Home care for a small tree with delicate white flowers and fragrant fruits is not very difficult. So it's quite possible to grow your own tangerines on the balcony or in the kitchen.

What does citrofortunella look like

The plant is often called tangerine either by mistake or for simplicity. In fact, its correct name is calamondin. At home, he feels great and often bears fruit even with not very caring housewives.

At its core, a small tree of the Rutaceae family is a hybrid of mandarin and fortunella. The plant turned out to be surprisingly frost-resistant, completely unpretentious and perfectly fruitful. True, to the taste of his mini-tangerines, they bear little resemblance to their “older brother”. They are very aromatic, but not sweet at all, but with a bitter and sour aftertaste. So they often end up on the table in the form of jam.

Like all citrus fruits, calamondin can grow as a tree or as a shrub. On its branches are not very large bright green leaves with a glossy surface. If you touch them, a subtle scent appears in the air. At 3-4 years of age, in the spring, citrofortunella is covered with small white flowers, which after a while turn into green fruits. By autumn, mini-tangerines ripen, radiating cheerfulness and filling the room with warmth and light. It is noteworthy that green and ripe fruits, as well as flowers and buds, can be on the branches at the same time.

Content temperature

Despite its frost resistance, calamondin thrives in moderate heat. In summer, it can be 22-25 degrees (the heat will not do him good). And in winter, in order for the tree to rest, it is better to reduce it to 10-15.After spending several months at rest, calamandin will surely respond to an increase in temperature with active growth and flowering. In general, in the summer it is better to put it on the windowsill, and in the winter to take it out to the balcony or loggia, trying not to freeze it. The plant reacts to too high a temperature by shedding fruits, flowers and even leaves.

Watering

For those who do not know how to care for calamondin, the first step is to understand the hydration regime. During the period of active growth, flowering and fruiting (that is, from spring to autumn), it needs to be watered quite often, preferably daily. At rest (in winter) this is done less often, once a week will be quite enough. But this is subject to the correct temperature regime. If the plant remains in the winter on the windowsill or on the floor next to the battery, then it should be watered as in the summer.

The tree is quite capable of surviving drought. It will not die, even if you forget about it for several months. But the appearance will suffer from this. Firstly, without watering, you can not even dream of flowers (and even more so - fruits). Secondly, the plant can shed its leaves. But in general it will not die.

To make calamondin feel good, it is recommended to spray it. This is done in the spring before flowering and in the summer when the fruits appear. In winter, it is necessary to moisten the leaves only in case of excessively high temperatures. It is better not to do this during the flowering period, since the petals react quite painfully to water ingress. And don't pour Calamondin either. Care for him should be such that the soil is not too dry, but fungus does not appear. In the latter case, the plant may die.

Lighting

The tree itself, being unpretentious, feels quite normal without the sun. But only now it is unlikely to bloom and bear fruit in such conditions. Although the direct sun is also not very beneficial for the well-being of calamondin. If we consider ideal lighting, then in summer it is a window sill with an exit to the west or east, and in winter it is rather a north side or shade.

In warm weather, citrus fruits are often taken outside, leaving them to "breathe" the air and bask in their natural environment. In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, but you should not leave calamondin in the strong sun. Home care after outdoor "sunburn" can be complicated by the fact that the leaves begin to dry and fall off. With a lack of moisture and an excess of light, the fruits will also suffer.

Top dressing and reproduction

Citrus Calamondin, which is cared for in accordance with the recommendations, does not need fertilization. It is better to use top dressing during the period of active growth and flowering. For calamondin, use natural organic fertilizers or a special citrus blend. Sometimes formulations are used for flowering indoor plants. The intensity and frequency of feeding should depend on the age of the plant (the older, the more often) and its condition. The lack of minerals is indicated by small or pale leaves, lack of flowers.

Calamondin is recommended to be repotted regularly (in the spring before flowering), using light soil for young plants and heavier soil for older ones. Before fruiting, the procedure is repeated annually, then 2-3 times less often.

It propagates, like all citrus plants, in two ways: by cuttings formed from twigs with 2-3 buds, and seeds planted in the soil. The second option is considered more laborious and requires mandatory grafting for subsequent flowering and fruiting. Calamondin, for which home care will be correct, takes root quickly enough. Before planting, it is recommended to dip the cuttings in a special liquid, and then cover the top with a cut plastic bottle. As soon as new leaves appear, it can be removed. It is more difficult to grow a tree from a stone, but this method is also very often used.

Pests and diseases

Being an unpretentious and hardy plant, calamondin, which is regularly and correctly treated at home, is resistant to infections and parasites. Perhaps this is due to the high content of essential oils.

However, with insufficient watering, its leaves can become stained, curl and fall off. The solution to the problem comes down to timely hydration. With excessive watering, fungus sometimes appears, which often goes away on its own if the plant is slightly dried.

Of the parasites that infect calamondin, the most famous are the scale insect, red spider mite and mealbug. Soap solution helps to cope with the former. An infusion of onions or garlic saves from ticks and worms (you first need to collect the parasite by hand).

Calamondin is a bright, beautiful and not very whimsical plant that can bloom and bear fruit in an ordinary apartment. If you follow the basic rules and recommendations for care, it will not only delight the eye, but also give a delightful aroma and great mood. And a wonderful jam comes out of the fruit.

Evergreen specimens create coziness and beauty in home interiors. Calamondin - a hybrid mandarin is also called citrofortunella. A popular and beloved plant by gardeners. It is used for decorative purposes, produces delicious fruits and is applied in landscaping projects. True, a subtropical climate is suitable for this. Small containers of calamondin are placed on terraces, patios, and garden paths. In the article, we will tell you how the planting and care of calamondin occurs, when to plant and how to grow at home.

How to help get accustomed to Calamondin purchased in a store network

Having received as a gift, or bought a fruiting calamondin, you find that the plant is losing leaves in its new place of residence. This comes from a change in conditions of detention and care. Read also the article: → "Caring for indoor plants in winter." To prevent this from happening, choose sturdy, healthy plants when purchasing. Pay attention to:

Parameter	Qualitative indicator	Should be avoided
Appearance	Leaves without damage, spots or deformation.	Breakage, unusual color.
Time of purchase	Spring Summer.	The beginning of winter or autumn.
Bush size	Medium without hypertrophied fruit	Large plants to facilitate further maintenance procedures.
The presence of flowers.	No flowers, but in good condition.	Abundant flowering.

Repot the plant with an intact clod to avoid the problem of engraftment

We adapt the selected plant to household conditions:

• remove all fruits and flowers;
• we transplant it into a spacious container with a citrus substrate along with an earthen lump;
• for two days we remove from sources of heat and light (on the floor);
• avoid feeding for 30 days.

What parameters are important at home for the development and growth of calamondin

The main indicators that gardeners adhere to:

1. Light. Bright, but not sunshine. Excessive lighting discolors the leaf mass, deficiency - increases the size and leads to shedding. Easily adapts to south-east facing windows. In winter, plants have to be illuminated to maintain their light characteristics. Daylight hours for calamondin lasts 12 hours.
2. Peace. An important component of plant life at home. Skipping a stage leads to the death of calamondine. This period is important in winter, when daylight hours decreases and the sap flow of the stock on which calamondin is grafted stops. Watering is reduced to 2 times a month, and the temperature is reduced to 5 ºС -10 ºС.
3. Moisturizing. Air and soil moisture are important for calamondine. When the soil dries out and in dry hot air, the plant suffers and dies. In this case, it is separated from the heat source by a screen and spraying is carried out. Drainage and proper watering are required.It consists in watering at the root after the top layer of the earth has dried. Optimally, we immerse the pot with the plant in a pan with water and wait for the soil to moisten.
4. Nutrition. Calamondin has an active nutrient consumption. Regular feeding of the plant is required. Otherwise, the bush will drop leaves and fruits. It is enough to feed calamondin once a week during the growth period; in winter, the regularity is maintained once a month. Foliar top dressing is useful with exact adherence to the dosage. Read also the article: → "Rules for feeding houseplants with folk remedies and fertilizers."

Potted Calamondin (Citrofortunella)

Why does Calamondin need pruning and how to carry it out correctly

Pruning ensures correct and beautiful crown formation. The result is a compact plant. The trimming steps are simple. Form a stem with a size of 20 to 25 cm. Skeletal branches are located at the top of the stem. The next are the branches of the highest tier. As soon as the branches of the fourth tier appear, the formation is completed.

The beginning of pruning homemade Kalmondin is February, its first days. In summer, long shoots are shortened. They do the same with those who are fattening. To keep the crown symmetrical, rotate the pot a couple of degrees every day.

Tip # 1. Carry out pruning competently, observing the recommendations and parameters in order to form the crown correctly.

Breeding methods for calamondin

At home, the plant reproduces:

• with the help of seeds (seeds);
• cuttings;
• grafting.

Reproduction of calamondin will require patience from the gardener. Engraftment of cuttings and seed shoots do not appear immediately. The technique of propagation by cuttings requires knowledge of plant grafting.

For the stock, choose a sturdy plant that can give strength to the new calamondin.

How to grow calamondin from seeds at home

Having made the decision to grow calamondin from seed, we prepare the soil and planting container. The soil needs fertile and loose. The composition is classic - peat, earth, sand. The seed is buried to a depth of 1.5 cm. A separate container is taken for each seed to avoid problems with further care. Citrus fruits have a long root that requires room to grow.

The seed is taken from the ripe fruit of calamondin. They do not carry out special manipulations in preparation for planting and place it in the ground. The soil temperature is maintained at 17 ° C - 20 ° C above zero. The initial stage of care does not include fertilizers, additional lighting, stable humidity. The only recommendation is to cover the container with glass or plastic.

The seed will germinate in Spartan conditions, although this will not happen quickly. Fruiting with the seed method of reproduction will come in 4 years. It is important to consider that seed propagation involves grafting a plant. The term of the vaccination is before flowering.

Tip # 2. The seeds for planting are taken wet until they are dry. Otherwise, they sprout worse.

Propagation by cuttings

For reproduction, the apical parts are chosen, on which there are ripe leaves and 4 internodes.

1. Cut cuttings are prescribed in early spring.
2. The lower cut is dried, then immersed in a composition with hormonal phytocomponents and planted in the ground.
3. The stalk is immersed to the petiole of the lower leaf.
4. Cover the container with a handle with a glass jar, a cut-off plastic bottle, a plastic bag, or wrap it up with foil.
5. In the daytime, the shelter is removed for half an hour.
6. Maintain temperatures in the range from 24 ºС to 28 ºС, which promotes rooting within 16-20 days. For this, the soil is heated from below.

Cut the propagation cuttings wisely to avoid the death of the planting material.

Several cuttings are rooted at the same time to ensure that the planting material is obtained. During the day, the shelter is removed for 15-30 minutes. Rooting cuttings at a temperature of 24-28 °; lasts for 14-20 days.Since rooting is quite difficult, it is recommended to plant several cuttings at the same time.

We vaccinate calamondin on our own at home

The optimal rootstock for calamondin is orange seedlings with a developed root system and drought tolerance. The event is held during the period when the tree is actively growing (March-August). This ensures quick survival and growth of the scion. The technique used is “bark grafting”.

1. On the rootstock, remove the lower leaves and branches, cut the branch at the desired height and clean the cut with a sharp knife.
2. Make a vertical 2 cm incision, push the bark apart and separate it from the wood.
3. A one-sided cut is made on the scion. It is inserted into the prepared incision in the stock and secured tightly with electrical tape.
4. Cover with a plastic bag or wrap for 2 months. At the end of the term, the plant is freed from electrical tape and film.

How to deal with pests and treat diseases

Citrus plant pests:

1. Spider mite. Gives trouble for gardeners, sucking the sap from the plant. The leaves dry and fall off, the plant is bare. The fight is carried out using systemic insecticides. See also the article: → "Ways to combat spider mites on indoor flowers and plants."
2. Shield. It is removed with difficulty. Weakens the plant and moves to a healthy one. Treatment with a systemic drug is carried out repeatedly.
3. Mealybug. A rare guest on Calamondin, but harmful. First, the plant is sprayed with vodka, then the treatment is carried out.
4. Aphid. Preparations with efficiency - "Fitoverm", "Actellik", "Fufanon".

Diseases of calamondin that cause trouble for gardeners:

1. Sooty fungus (rabble). The leaf plate is corroded and falls off. They are treated with Fitosporin.
2. Anthracnose. Brown spots on the leaves. Treatment is performed with Bordeaux liquid or copper sulfate. Foliar feeding with manganese and zinc helps.

Examine plants closely for early detection of problems.

Types of fertilizers for calamondin used by gardeners when growing

The following types of fertilizers are suitable for the plant:

Name	Dignity	disadvantages
"For citrus fruits" TM "Stimovit"	Liquid form. Natural components (vermicompost). A complex of vitamins and nutrients for citrus fruits. For foliar and root dressing.	Not marked
"Mister color"	Complex composition in liquid form. Suitable for hydroponic solution, root and foliar feeding.	Strictly observe the dosage. Use clean, settled water.
"Bona Forte"	Promotes flowering and fruit production. Convenient form. Budget cost.	Bad smell
"Flower happiness"	They are used for dressing and for transplanting.	No explicit ones have been identified.
"Pokon"	Complex composition with trace elements. Convenient container. Application every 7 days.	The price is not for everyone.

Varieties suitable for home cultivation

The most common varieties are:

Name	Peculiarities
Unshiu	Frost resistance, productivity, short stature. Seedless fruits.
Kovane-wasse	Weak branching. Large variety for apartments. Abundant flowering. Tough leaves.
Shiva Mikan	Early with profuse flowering. Compact bush. Fast growth.
"Murcott"	Sweet rare variety. The bush is compact. The fruits are sweet.

Calamondin - a tree with sunny fruits

Mistakes of florists growing Calamondin at home

• Allow stagnant water in the sump, which leads to waterlogging. Use hard water.
• The plant is transplanted at the wrong time, which disrupts the biological rhythms of calamondin and leads to the death of the plant.
• They clean the roots from the earth during transplantation. This is traumatic for a plant. It is necessary to soak the roots and carefully separate.
• Do not inspect the plant for pests. As a result, Calamondin sheds leaves, stops flowering and fruiting.

Florists' questions when caring for a flower

Question number 1. Can excessive watering cause calamondin leaves to drop?

This happens if, after the purchase of the plant, it was not transplanted and abundant watering was carried out. You will have to cut off the existing fruits, change the soil and continue moisturizing after the top layer dries. Gardeners practice warm irrigation of the plant.

Question number 2. Two sprouts sprouted from one bone. What is it connected with and what to do next?

Citrus seeds are multi-embryonic. To get a strong plant, the shoots will have to be divided, otherwise they will not have enough nutrients. To prevent the oppression of one seedling by another, transplant the shoots in different containers or remove the weak one.

Question number 3. When buying calamondin, 3 bushes grew in one pot. Need to soak roots when transplanting?

Yes. If this is not done, it will be difficult for you to separate the plants and injury cannot be avoided. If the plants are of Dutch selection, then hold the roots in Heteroauxin for 7-8 hours before planting.

Question number 4. My calamondin has completely shed the leaves. Will you have to part with him or will something save the plant?

If all the leaves have fallen, then there have been changes in the conditions of the citrus plant. Cut off the fruits, do regular spraying once a day. Apply Epin, Zircon, Heteroauxin until shoots appear. You should not give up, save the plant until it is fully restored.

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Calamondin is an ornamental tree obtained from crossing a kumquat (fortunella) and a common tangerine. Homemade tangerine is the "popular" name for the hybrid, citrofortunella is the scientific name.

The tree has a compact size - the height reaches a meter. Leaves are dark green, glossy. The flowers are small, white, and exude a pleasant aroma.

Can you eat the fruits of Calamondin?

Small yellow, bright orange fruits appear in place of flowers. They are edible, but sour taste, more like lemons, have a lot of seeds.

Even beginner flower growers can grow a decorative mandarin. It has a bright appearance, a pleasant citrus aroma, and is quite easy to care for, which makes it very popular.

The homeland of the homemade mandarin is southeast Asia. For fruits to appear, you need to provide plenty of warmth and light. If done correctly, fruiting will last all year round. Flowering begins at 3-4 years of age.

Calamondin after purchase

Citrofortunella after purchase what to do

Due to its exoticism, pleasant aroma and the presence of fruit, calamondin can be a pleasant gift. If you were presented with such a tree or you decided to purchase it yourself, be calm: you cannot call it capricious, so caring for the plant will not be difficult.

Adaptation

In the first two weeks after the appearance of citrofortunella in your home, it must be sprayed daily, provide good lighting. The soil also needs to be moistened. It is recommended to transplant the plant after 2 weeks.

Having moved from the store to your home, the indoor tangerine begins to adapt to new conditions. In the early days, leaves may fall off. In this case, you need to increase the humidity by simply covering the tree with a plastic bag. Remember to ventilate daily when doing this.

In a flower shop, capsules with growth stimulants are often administered, which provide active vegetation and flowering, but this may be incompatible with the conditions of the house / apartment - perhaps the tree will begin to fade before our eyes. An emergency transplant will help here.

Transfer

How to transplant calamondin after buying a photo

2 weeks after the purchase, the indoor tangerine must be transplanted. You need to transplant into a slightly larger pot with new soil. If you find rotten roots, be sure to trim the damaged areas.In general, you need to try not to damage the roots, otherwise the plant may die: it is better to carefully handle the tree, without violating the integrity of the earthen coma.

Overheating of the roots should be avoided: plant immediately in a white planter or wrap the container with a sheet of paper; it is not recommended to put it in a sunny place right away. When re-replanting, it is better to preserve the earthen lump as much as possible by adding only a new layer of soil on top, removing a little old one.

How to care for calamondin at home

Seat selection

A place for citrofortunella should be chosen with good diffused lighting. The sunny side of the house (east or west) is suitable so that the plant does not suffer from burns, enough light penetrates through the transparent curtain. In winter, tangerines will lack natural light. The pot should be placed on the north side and artificial lighting should be applied. Fruiting depends on the correct lighting.

Air temperature and humidity

The air temperature should be moderate. In summer, the temperature regime for calamondin is comfortable not higher than 25 ° C, in winter - about 18 ° C. A decrease in temperature in winter corresponds to the habitat of a tree in nature, which will contribute to abundant flowering and subsequent fruiting.

Spray the calamondine foliage regularly. Water as soon as the top layer of the soil dries up by about 0.5 cm. Water for irrigation immediately from the tap with an increased concentration of harmful impurities is detrimental to the plant. Water it with warm boiled or filtered water.

In winter, the dryness of the air increases, the number of sprays should be increased so that the beautiful crown does not dry out, but reduce watering.

Crown formation and pruning

How to crop calamondin photo

The formation of a beautiful round shape of the crown is facilitated by the daily rotation of the pot with the plant literally a few millimeters clockwise. It is impossible to immediately roughly unfold the tangerine tree with the opposite side to the light, this can greatly harm it.

The tree will need timely regular pruning:

• To form a beautiful spherical shape, you need a stem (part of the trunk from the ground surface to the crown) about 25 cm long.
• Begin the formation with skeletal branches (the largest ones that make up the skeleton of the crown), reaching the branches of the fourth order.
• You need to start the procedure in February, level it until the summer, and in the summer, cut off only the extra sticking out branches.

Bonsai from calamondin

Bonsai from homemade tangerine calamondin photo

• To form a bonsai from indoor mandarin, you need to leave several branches on one central trunk, and cut and pinch the rest so that they do not grow further.
• The trunk can be beautifully bent using available materials: you can tie ropes to the branches and fasten them at the base of the pot, as if pulling them down.
• You can use thick wire for the same purposes: winding it on branches and a trunk, carefully make bends in the right direction.
• When the trunk and branches are lignified and take the desired shape, the accessories are removed.

Top dressing

Like other plants, calamondin needs additional minerals and nutrients during the flowering period. In the period March-September, you need to apply fertilizers in 1-1.5 weeks. The rest of the time, monthly feedings are sufficient. Feeding mixes can be purchased at any gardening store. Especially popular is "humus for citrus fruits", you can use formulations intended for indoor flowering plants.

Planned transplant of homemade tangerine

Calamondin photo home care

Young citrofortunella are transplanted every spring, it is enough to disturb adult specimens every 2-3 years.

• You will need a large pot, because the root system of the mandarin develops well and the tree can reach quite large sizes.
• The root collar must be placed at the same level as before the transplant.
• An earthen lump should not be greatly destroyed.
• Be sure to arrange drainage at the bottom of the pot, its layer should be about 3 cm. Next, lay a mixture of sod land, manure and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.
• Gently transfer the tree from the old pot to the new one, adding soil to the sides and lightly pressing it with your hands.
• Pour in a little water, be sure to drain the excess from the pan.

Within 1.5 months after transplanting, you do not need to feed the tree, because the new soil is quite rich in essential substances.

Reproduction of calomondin

Calomondin can be propagated in the following ways:

• Vaccination.
• Growing from a bone.
• Cuttings.

Any method of reproduction is complex, requiring a lot of effort.

An orange seedling with strong roots that is not afraid of drought is suitable for the scion.

Growing citrofortunella from the seed

How to grow calamondin from a bone photo

• Planting seeds in a pot is considered the easiest way, but in order for them to hatch, the soil must be regularly fertilized with special compounds that promote growth (growth stimulants). It is better to plant one bone at a time in separate cups, be sure to provide drainage: make holes in the bottom if there are none.
• The germination process takes a long time, while the seeds germinate, it is better to cover them with a bag and ventilate them daily.
• When the seeds germinate, the bag is removed.
• You need to water regularly, but without fanaticism: excess moisture is fraught with the death of plants.

Cutting home tangerine

How to root calamondin cuttings photo

Rooting cuttings is not the easiest task, but perhaps the most acceptable for novice florists. Reproduction by cuttings has its own nuances.

• You need to choose an apical stalk with large internodes and developed leaves.
• Carefully cut the stalk, hold it for several hours, or even a day, in a special rooting stimulator (zircon or root).
• The stalk must be placed in the ground up to the level of the petiole of the lower leaf.
• To maintain high humidity, top with a jar, cut-off plastic bottle or clear bag.
• Within 30 minutes, it will be necessary to ventilate daily.
• It is better to water through the pallet.
• With proper care, the cuttings will take root in a month.

Diseases and pests of calamondin

This indoor culture can be subject to diseases such as anthracnose, gommosis, black fungus.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose on calamondine photo

A disease in which the leaves become covered with yellow spots, which leads to the death of some parts of the plant. If calamondin is not treated in time with a solution of copper sulfate (copper sulfate), then a complete discharge of the leaves will occur.

Sooty fungus

It appears as a black film covering leaves and shoots. The affected areas must be mechanically cleaned of plaque (wipe with a damp sponge). Be sure to treat with an infusion of ash, a solution of colloidal sulfur or a special preparation - Fitosporin.

Gommoz

Complete yellowing of the foliage, the fruits are covered with brown spots and lose their taste. All the affected parts need to be cut out, treat the "wounds" with copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

Pests

Calamondin pests photo

Indoor tangerine pests: aphids, spider mites, pseudo-scale insects, scale insects, whiteflies. In the initial stages, it is possible to defeat pests by ordinary rinsing with warm water, but in advanced cases, it is necessary to use insecticides with repeated treatment.

Calamondin sheds leaves What to do?

From drafts, lack of lighting, high temperature and dry air, calamondin can shed leaves.

You need to find the lack of care and eliminate it, then the plant will recover:

• Move the plant away from vents and open doors.
• Place a humidifier next to it.
• Maintain room temperature without sudden changes.
• Provide supplemental illumination with phytolamps if the room is dark.
• Make an urgent transplant by checking the condition of the roots (if you regularly flooded the plant, it can be infected with rot). Remove all affected areas, treat the plant with a fungicide (for example, phytosporin).

Calamondine varieties Citrofortunella microcarpa

Calamondin variegata citrofortunella microcarpa variegata photo

Indoor tangerine itself is bred as a hybrid and does not have a large varietal variety. Breeders have created only a few varieties with bright foliage and various fruit shapes.

Calamondin tiger citrofortunella microcarpa tiger photo

The most popular varieties found in flower shops:

1. Variegated - the edges of the leaves have a border in the form of an uneven strip of a whitish shade.
2. Tiger - the leaves are framed with a thin strip of golden color.

Homemade tangerine in interior design

Calamondin in interior design photo

Calamondins are good in full size version, but they can also be shaped like a bonsai.

The fruits are edible. Interestingly, the citrus pulp itself is sour, and the skin is sweetish. You can add dried peels to your tea.

Calamondin is an exotic fruit obtained by crossing mandarin with fortunella, therefore it has another name - citrofortunella.

Sometimes it is called indoor tangerine, golden orange. Calamondin belongs to the Rutaceae family, widespread and popular in Southeast Asia.

General information

Citrus calamondin is an evergreen small tree about 1 m high with bright yellow-orange edible fruits. In the usual habitat, the height of the tree can reach 5 meters. Many amateur flower growers would like to see this beautiful plant in their greenhouse.

It does not take much time and costly to care for calamondin. This plant propagates with the help of seeds and cuttings. Since calamondin is considered a houseplant, it tolerates winter well in an ordinary apartment, a greenhouse. Being at home, it bears fruit for a long time. In the summer, Calamandin feels great on the balcony.

The beginning of the flowering period of citrofortunella occurs, as a rule, at the end of spring and continues through the summer, the flowers are in the form of graceful white stars with a pleasant aroma. The flowering process can be observed even in the presence of fruits.

To ensure the guaranteed fruiting of the golden tangerine, it is best to pollinate the flowers by hand using a soft brush. Fruits can form even on small plants, tree height 25cm.

The fruits have a bitter-sour taste and aromatic odor, they contain a lot of seeds, the peel tastes sweet.

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Calamondin home care

Most often, imported calamondins are on sale, grown in special conditions using special technologies.

The roots may contain capsules with special hormones. If, after purchasing citrus in the store, leaves begin to fall off, you must immediately start transplanting it. Examine the roots, remove decaying roots, transplant into a new pot.

Do not be upset if calamondin sheds leaves, the plant can still be saved. You just need to remove individual branches, cut off all the fruits, since they take away the strength from the plant.

Spray daily with a nutrient solution, apply preventive measures to protect indoor plants from diseases and pests. Soon citrus calamondin will again delight young shoots.

Any indoor plant requires constant attention. Regular care of calamondin involves not only certain types of feeding, watering, transplanting and reproduction, but also maintaining a certain temperature, humidity, light.

The plant is difficult to adapt to new habitat conditions. The microclimate of a flower shop is usually different from that of a home. Therefore, sometimes after buying calamondin and moving it to a house, apartment, leaves fall.

To eliminate this unsuccessful factor and increase the humidity to 95-100%, it is necessary to put a plastic bag on the plant, fixing it on the trunk. The bag is opened daily for ventilation.

The room in which the citrofortunella is located should be sufficiently warm and bright; in winter, you can additionally use a lamp. In summer, it is necessary to protect the plant from direct sunlight.

In order to avoid the fall of flowers during flowering and fruiting, calamondin cannot be actively moved, rotated, rearranged. To form a symmetrical crown, the tree must be turned very carefully and literally 1mm per day.

Despite the fact that citrofortunella is a thermophilic plant (optimum temperature +18 + 20 ° C), wintering must be cold in order for the plant to bear fruit.

In winter, the air temperature in the room must be maintained from +12 to + 15 ° C, although it can withstand a significant drop in temperature up to +4 degrees. In hot weather, watering should be abundant and moderate during the cool period.

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Fertilizer for Calamondin

To feed Calamondin, you can use any complex fertilizer with trace elements for citrus fruits. Since the plant bears fruit constantly, therefore, fertilizing must be applied throughout the year.

The most effective is considered to be liquid outside root dressing. In order not to spoil the surface of the leaves, it is better to spray the nutrient solution under them.

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Calamondin diseases and pests

Calamondin, like any vegetation, needs protection from pests. Its main pests are scale insects and false scales, spider mites, whiteflies, and aphids. If they are found, the plant must be treated using a preparation designed to destroy this type of pest.

The treatment is repeated several times (2-3 times) at the intervals specified in the instructions for the preparation. Then cover the citrus calamondin with plastic wrap, a bag, put it on the windowsill away from direct sunlight.

It must be remembered that both when treating a plant from diseases and pests, and when spraying with a nutrient solution, it must be moved from one place to another.

Therefore, based on personal experience, flower growers recommend making a small landmark (mark) on the flowerpot in order to remember the constant position of the pot on the windowsill. After the necessary procedures, the plant returns to its usual place, and the flowerpot is set to the light according to the marked mark.

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Calamondin transplant

It is best to transplant citrofortunella in a large pot, because, despite a small tree, calamondin has a large and branched root system.

The following mixture is used as planting soil (2 parts of turf land + 1 part of rotted manure + 1 part of sand). During the month, the plant is not fertilized, since this planting mixture contains a sufficient amount of nutrients.

When transplanting, an earthen lump should be preserved, not destroyed. It is also necessary to provide for drainage in the pot. Planting depth, the root collar in the new container should be at the same level.

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Calamondin propagation by cuttings

The breeding process is long and complex. It will take many years to grow calamondin from seeds and get the first fruits.

Planting material from cuttings is rooted in a loose substrate in greenhouse conditions with mandatory bottom heating.The optimum temperature for the appearance of roots is + 23 + 25 ᵒС, therefore, it is preferable to cut a plant in early summer, when the air is warmed up to the required temperature and sufficient daylight hours. Even though these conditions are met, not all cuttings take root. At this stage, the use of phytohormones is recommended.

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