How to organize the care of an orange tree at home. Features of growing an orange from the stone at home

Among a variety of indoor plants sold in specialized stores, the eye quickly grabs neat trees with glossy leathery foliage and a mass of bright fragrant fruits. If you have patience and make a little effort, you can grow an orange tree from a seed at home, especially since a seed from a ripe fruit bought in a store is suitable as a planting material.

How to grow an orange at home from a seed?

orange pits:

  • washed in warm water;
  • soak for 8-12 hours;
  • planted in loose soil or peat to a depth of 1 cm under the film.

Until the moment of germination, which occurs in a month or a half, the seed container remains in a shaded, warm place. A mini-greenhouse needs to be periodically moistened and ventilated. And only after the appearance of sprouts, future orange trees are brought to light.

The picking of sprouts is carried out at the stage when two true leaves open on an orange, while it is important to take into account that the plant reacts extremely painfully to all manipulations associated with transplantation and possible damage to the root system. It is unacceptable that, when transplanted, the root neck of an orange turns out to be underground.

The best way to transplant a tree is the spring transshipment of the plant along with an earthy clod, until active growth of shoots begins and buds appear. An orange grown at home will have to be regularly subjected to such a procedure, each time choosing a container with a diameter of 1–3 cm larger than the old pot:

  • sprawling root system a young plant once a year requires the expansion of "living space".
  • Mature fruiting trees are transplanted every 2-3 years.

For seedlings with 4–6 leaves, a pot with a diameter of about 10 cm and a soil mixture of two parts of soddy soil, one part of leafy humus, the same amount of peat and sand are suitable. Already at the next transshipment, the proportion of soddy land in the soil is increased and a small amount of clay is added. An orange tree, which is grown from a stone at home, must be provided good drainage and an irrigation regime that prevents root rot.

Optimal growth conditions for an orange at home

Like all inhabitants of the subtropical zone, orange trees do not tolerate drafts, but they are very fond of light and are demanding on air and soil humidity. With a lack of lighting, citrus fruits can get sick or refuse to bear fruit, so it is better to grow them on sunny side, but protecting from scorching direct rays, especially in the summer. In autumn and winter, when the length of daylight hours falls, the orange grown from the seed is illuminated.

The humidity in the room where the tree is located should not be below 40%, otherwise the plant begins to quickly shed its leaves and may die. This happens especially often in winter, during heating season, or when the pot is close to heater. In this case, it is necessary to artificially humidify the air, spray the plant and make sure that the soil under it does not dry out.

The danger of drying out of the soil also exists in the summer, so daily watering, moisturizing the entire earthen ball, but not causing moisture stagnation, is essential for an orange.

Orange trees at home can die if the water for irrigation contains chlorine. Therefore, rain, melted water or settled water for at least a day is used, which is heated to 25-30 ° C.

Orange tree care at home

In order for the seedling to develop rapidly, and after a few years the plant began to bear fruit, it needs to create conditions, as in the Mediterranean and in northern Africa, where oranges grow in nature:

  • In summer, the tree can be taken out into the air, protecting from the scorching sun.
  • In the spring, when bud formation begins and ovary formation is expected, orange trees need to be at 15-18 ° C.
  • In winter, watering is reduced and a warm wintering is arranged at a temperature above +12 ° C, not forgetting about the illumination of the plant.

On transfer from room to room, changes in temperature, humidity and other growing conditions, up to turning the pot, an orange tree, as in the photo, at home can drop leaves, turn yellow and wither. Therefore, to rotate the plant so that its shoots grow more evenly, it is advised to approximately 10 ° every 10 days.

An actively growing orange once every 7–14 days needs complex top dressing fertilizer for citrus crops or a composition based on 10 liters of water and:

  • 20 grams of ammonium nitrate;
  • 25 grams of superphosphate;
  • 15 grams of potassium salts.

Caring for an orange tree at home implies that four times a year they are introduced into top dressing. inkstone, and to maintain the saturated color of the foliage, an orange is watered monthly with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Grafting an orange from the seed

If the tree is carefully looked after, it quickly grows and develops. However, not everyone manages to wait for flowering and ovary, and if the fruits do appear, they turn out to be small and bitter. The fact is that oranges grown from the stone may not carry parental characteristics and simply be wild plants. You can recognize such a wild animal already at the age of one by hard green spikes on the trunk.

How to grow oranges at home, as sweet and large as store-bought fruits? In this case, you can choose one of the following methods:

  • Carry out a classic grafting of a tree, using a seedling as a rootstock for a varietal cutting obtained from a fruiting plant.
  • Graft an orange with budding by implanting a bud cultivated plant with a small layer of bark and wood. For reliability, up to three eyes can be used at the same time, grafting them on different sides of the trunk.

The second method is less laborious and painful for the tree. If the seedling after grafting remains only as a stock, the operation is best performed on a tree at the age of 1 - 3 years, when the trunk diameter does not exceed 6 mm.

On an adult orange tree, in the photo, various citrus crops can be grafted, since the plant practically does not reject related species.

Forming an orange crown at home

Fruiting of an orange tree at home can begin 6–10 years after seed germination and only if the crown is properly formed in the plant. The buds, and then the ovary, in the same plants appear on developed branches of the fourth order. Therefore, to get early harvest crown formation begins when the tree reaches a height of 25–30 cm:

  • In spring, the main shoot is pinched at a level of 18–25 cm.
  • Of the side shoots, three or four of the strongest are left, which are cut off, forcing them to branch.
  • In the next season, two branches of the second order are left from the growth. They will subsequently give from 3 to 5 shoots of the third order.
  • And only then will horizontal fruit-bearing branches begin to develop.
  • Next, monitor the density of the crown and the timely replacement of branches.

On young trees, the first flowers and ovaries are best removed. The first harvest can be only 2-3 oranges, so that the plant does not lose too much strength when they ripen.

You can speed up the entry of the tree into the fruiting season by wintering the orange at a temperature of 2 to 5 ° C, limiting watering and not feeding for three months. When the temperature rises to 15-18 ° C in the room where the oranges grow, the set of buds and the formation of the ovary begin. A properly cared for orange at home can live up to 50-70 years, regularly pleasing with the appearance of white flowers and bright fragrant fruits.

Grafting citrus fruits at home - video

Is it possible to grow a pretty and also fruitful orange tree from a seed? Yes! In this article, we will figure out how to plant an orange and what care it will require in order to please the owners with delicious fruits. There are several ways to grow an orange at home, including from seeds.

Preparation and sowing of seeds

So, let's look at how to grow an orange from a seed at home. The seed for germination should be taken as fresh as possible: we eat the fruit and immediately begin to prepare orange seeds for sowing. If they dry out a bit, it will make it difficult to germinate. We need seeds that are full-weight, without skin defects, of the correct shape, fully ripe. They need to be washed with water at room temperature, and then soaked in boiled water 8–12 hours.

Then, to grow an orange at home, plant the seeds in citrus soil. You can buy it or make your own. The best option: 1 part of leafy soil (or peat), 1 part of well-washed river sand, 2 hours of soddy soil. The container must have a hole for water to drain. You can use both individual (about 100 ml) and general. In the latter case, the distance between the seeds of oranges should be at least 5 cm: orange seeds are multi-embedded and can immediately germinate as a bush. An orange from the seed should be planted to a depth of 1–2.5 cm.

Then, to grow an orange from the seed at home, cover the container with cling film to help retain moisture. When choosing a location, avoid direct sunlight, however, the illumination should be good: since oranges grow in southern countries, such conditions will help create optimal microclimate. It is better to remove the film at night so that the planted orange does not suffocate.

The rate of seed germination depends on a number of factors and can range from 20 to 45 days. After the appearance of sprouts, the film can be removed completely. Growing an orange from a stone at home is best done in the spring, when daylight hours naturally lengthen - then citrus fruits grow better.

The first picking can be carried out after the appearance of two leaves on the sprout. It is necessary to replant the orange carefully so as not to injure the tender roots and neck that have grown, it is best to simply transfer the earthen lump into a new pot. Some experts recommend not doing this at all, only adding new soil to feed the plant. If the seed has given several shoots, you need to leave only one, the strongest, and pinch the rest. For a sprout with 4-6 leaves, a pot with a diameter of 10 cm will be optimal.

For each transplant, the container is taken 3–4 cm more; an adult plant is simply changed in a pot upper part earth. It is permissible to plant the sprout initially in a large container, but then you need to monitor watering so that the land that is not covered by roots does not turn sour. In this case, the grown shoot must be periodically fed. We learned how to grow an orange seedling from a stone. Let's take care of it.

Conditions for successful cultivation

Growing indoor orange, you need to provide the plant good lighting away from direct sunlight (may cause burns), no drafts and timely watering. Since it is impossible to grow an orange at home at low humidity (it must be at least 40%), you should regularly spray the plant or place a container of water where the tree grows. This is especially important in winter, when batteries dry the air.

plant care

Growing an orange requires daily watering (without flooding and acidification of the soil) in the summer. In winter, it needs to be reduced, but daylight hours need to be extended with lamps: being subtropical plants, they require a lot of sun. The temperature in winter should be maintained low, + 12–15 degrees.

When deciding how to grow an orange tree, do not forget about fertilizers: it is advisable to use them once every two weeks. You can buy a ready-made complex mixture or prepare it from 25 g phosphate fertilizers, 15 g of potassium salts (with the exception of potassium chloride) and 20 g nitrogen fertilizers. This mixture is taken per 10 liters of water.

To obtain fruits, the tree will need to be cut correctly, since the ovaries will appear only on branches of the 4th order and above. When the tree grows to 20-30 cm, pinch the main shoot and pinch further side shoots, which he will give after that, until you get branches of order 4. In order for the plant to become healthy and strong in the future, it is advisable to leave no more than 3 ovaries for the first time.

Pests and diseases

To protect against them, spraying with an insecticide twice a year will help. If an infection has occurred, you can use store-bought preparations, tincture of garlic or laundry soap. Of the diseases, the appearance of root rot is possible. To prevent it, water the plant once a month with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

plant grafting

It must be borne in mind that a planted tree from a stone at home may not have the qualities of a parent and its fruits cannot be eaten due to bitterness. In order to enjoy the grown crop, it is possible to vaccinate from a varietal plant. This can be done classically by using a seedling as a rootstock, as well as by budding, by planting one or more buds of a cultivated plant with a piece of bark on the stem.

Video "Planting orange seeds"

In this video, you will learn how to properly plant orange seeds.

If you think that it is impossible to grow an orange from a stone at home, then you are deeply mistaken. Undoubtedly, it is not enough to lower the seeds into the ground and wait for shoots. It will take a lot of patience and time until the orange tree will delight you with its fruits.

Orange is the most unpretentious of citrus fruits. For planting, bones obtained from fresh fruit are quite suitable. Most gardeners prefer to grow these trees from seedlings. But for decorating a house or a greenhouse, which with French translated as "winter orange garden", you can grow a plant from a seed.

Varieties of orange

Bergamot

A hybrid of citron and orange. It has a pronounced bitter-sour taste.

All oranges are equally useful and tasty. They contain a huge amount of vitamins, amino acids and trace elements. We will present you the best varieties.

Washington Neville

Sweet and sour fruits with a thick porous skin. Many are mistaken, believing that the birthplace of this variety is the United States. In fact, this variety comes from Brazil. Its fruits are practically seedless.

Valencia

Blondeau Commune

Variety from Sicily. For a long time it was the most popular at home, but in last years gave the palm to the two previous varieties. It has many seeds and grows well from them.

Oval

Tarocco

Another early ripe Sicilian variety. The fruit picking season runs from November to January. These oranges have not only a pleasant taste and exquisite aroma. However, fruits are popular not only because of their excellent palatability, but also because of the unusual blood-red color of the pulp. How to grow a red orange from a stone, we will tell a little later.

In conclusion small review I would like to say that Moroccan and Abkhazian oranges today compete with the varieties described above.

Soil preparation

Before planting the seeds, it is necessary to prepare the soil for the future tree. It is prepared from:

  • leaf land;
  • sand;
  • humus;
  • turf.

All components in equal parts mix thoroughly, and the soil is ready. The soil for an orange should be saturated with trace elements, so you can buy ready-made soil with the inscription "Rose" or "Lemon", which is perfect for an orange (tree). The plant needs drainage. To do this, you can use small pebbles or expanded clay. The best time for planting a tree - spring.

Seed selection

For planting, you can use any bone from a freshly eaten fruit, and if you wish, you can buy seeds of a particular variety. It is necessary to choose whole, intact and most attractive seeds. If you decide to use them from a freshly eaten fruit, then they should be washed carefully, being careful not to damage the shell.

After that, they are soaked overnight in warm water. Then the bones are laid out on a damp cloth and covered with it on top. This way you retain the moisture needed for germination. Drying will adversely affect the germination of the plant. After that, place a napkin with seeds in a bag, creating a greenhouse effect for the seeds. Orange is a thermophilic plant, so keep the bag of seeds in a warm room.

seed germination process

For seed germination, a temperature of about +25 ° C is recommended. If necessary, the seeds in the bag must be moistened. They should always be kept moist and not allowed to dry out. Germination takes on average about two weeks, sometimes a little longer. It is important to periodically ventilate the greenhouse.

Landing

Now you need to plant the seeds in a pot with sterile soil. To do this, calcine the purchased or prepared soil composition in a pan for several minutes, spreading it in a thin layer. You will see the first shoots in three weeks. When they grow to two centimeters, the seedlings must be transplanted into pots with a diameter of about nine centimeters.

Lay a little expanded clay on the bottom of the container, creating the necessary drainage. The sprouts are transplanted into a larger flowerpot when the fourth or fifth leaves appear on them. The next pot should be at least 9 cm in diameter. An old clod of earth that tightly envelops the roots should be saved. Do not try to remove it - this may damage the roots.

During this period, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for strengthening the sprouts and hardening them. Each transplant is carried out in a container with a diameter of five centimeters larger than the previous one. Transplants are stopped when they begin to form the crown of the tree. After planting, the bone should immediately be watered with settled, filtered or boiled water.

Cover the pot plastic wrap, creating the effect of a mini-greenhouse. Place it on a windowsill and keep it out of direct sunlight. You can cover it with paper. At night, the film is removed so that the seedling is ventilated.

Interested in how to grow a fruiting tree from an orange seed, you need to know that this plant needs moist soils, so it should be sprayed daily. Water the soil as needed, but do not fill it with water.

How to grow an orange from a stone: plant care

The main requirements that this plant makes are watering and pruning. Even a beginner can grow an orange. Caring for a plant requires only accuracy, patience and following simple rules.

Watering, as we have said, should be periodic. In this case, there should be neither waterlogging nor drying out of the soil. Pruning is done annually. An orange from a stone at home for the second year is cut off the crown, leaving no more than twenty centimeters. After that, the tree will throw out healthy side shoots, however, they will have to be removed.

Thus, skeletal branches are formed. When your tree begins to bear fruit, fruit branches are pruned as needed. It must be borne in mind that too many fruits on the branches most often leads to the depletion of the plant.

Indoor orange: top dressing

Feeding the seedling begins six months after planting. Organic and mineral fertilizers are used, which today are offered in a huge assortment by specialized stores.

How to form a crown?

This heat-loving plant needs crown formation. This work should be started from the moment the tree grows to thirty centimeters. It is necessary to cut from two to four leaves from the top of the plant. This will give a powerful push, and it will launch side branches, which are second order branches.

Subsequent pruning of these branches stimulates the growth of shoots of the third and subsequent generations. The branches are cut when they reach a length of thirty centimeters. This is how all shoots are shortened. As a result, the trunk of the formed plant is fifteen centimeters, and the crown is made up of three or four branches, which are covered with small shoots.

The goal of the grower is the branches of the fifth order, since they are the ones that bear fruit. But usually it happens for 5-7 years. This largely depends on the characteristics of the variety and the conditions of detention.

First flowers and fruits

How to grow an orange from a stone, so as not only to admire beautiful plant but also to get fruits from it? Surely the answer to this question is of interest to all flower growers. The tree begins to bloom in the fifth year after planting. But the first buds should be removed, since the plant at this age is not yet strong enough to bear fruit.

The plant will give real fruits for 8 years. There are several secrets that allow you to get a crop ahead of time. We present you some of them:

  1. Grafting (graft a sprig from a fruit-bearing tree to a tree).
  2. Transplant the plant often (2-3 transplants in the summer will enhance the development of the root system).
  3. Ringing - pass the branches with a wire or remove the bark in the form of a ring. As soon as the plant begins to bloom, the wire is removed.
  4. Cold winters. Take the tree to a room with a temperature of +5 ° C for three months. Cold wintering is very effective. They are recommended for the first two or three years. At this time, the plant is not fertilized, you can only water it, but not abundantly.

After these procedures, the orange will begin to bear fruit in the fourth year.

reproduction

How to grow an orange from a seed and propagate it later? At home, this can be done in two ways: seeds and cuttings. In the middle latitudes, it is not so easy to get a cutting. You can ask for it from friends who are engaged in the cultivation of these citrus fruits, or buy it in specialized greenhouses.

For propagation, cuttings 15 cm long and 0.5 cm in diameter are suitable. The cut is made under the kidney and above it, above and below. There must be at least four buds and three leaves on the stem. The cutting is treated with a root growth stimulator. After that, it is placed in water for several days, and then planted in the ground.

Rooting can take from one to one and a half months. After rooting, the cuttings are transplanted into pots by transshipment. You already know how to grow an orange from a seed. The process is more complex, but very exciting. A tree grown in this way has strong genetics and different characteristics from its parent.

The cuttings completely inherit the donor's genetic code. At the same time, cuttings significantly reduce the time for the onset of fruiting.

Diseases and pests

Many pests can attack an orange. The tree may be affected by some diseases. His main enemies in indoor floriculture is an spider mite and shields. In addition, an orange seedling can be affected by viruses and fungi.

You can fight diseases and pests with the help of fungicides and insecticides. The affected areas are cut out and smeared with garden pitch. In advanced cases, the diseased seedling is recommended to be burned.

oranges are very healthy fruits. They reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, strengthen the immune system, normalize blood pressure. It is not at all surprising that many flower growers and gardeners dream of growing this plant. It is unlikely that anyone will call this culture unpretentious, however, it will not cause great difficulties in caring. Constant care, painstaking work and a great desire to grow an exotic plant will definitely give a positive result.

Few true amateur flower growers have not tried to grow citrus on their own at least once. The bone sprouted, but the matter did not go further than this. It is quite possible to grow an exotic orange from a seed and get a fruit-bearing tree at home.

But this fruit requires increased attention and proper care, as it is quite whimsical. The taste of orange citruses grown at home in a pot can not be compared with store-bought ones, but this does not stop true lovers of indoor plants.

Varieties of orange

Oranges are divided into two large groups: sour (bitter) and sweet varieties. There are three types that are most often found on sale in our country.

Sweet. Chinese or Portuguese fruit. The most common and popular variety.

Sour. Usually these are hybrids of mandarin and pomelo. They have a bitter-sour taste. These fruits are often called oranges.

Bergamot. A hybrid of citron and orange. It has a pronounced bitter-sour taste. All oranges are equally useful and tasty. They contain a huge amount of vitamins, amino acids and trace elements.

Washington Navil. Sweet and sour fruits with a thick porous skin. Many are mistaken, believing that the birthplace of this variety is the United States. In fact, this variety comes from Brazil. Its fruits are practically seedless.

Valencia. Variety of Spanish oranges. They are distinguished by a thin skin of a bright orange color with red patches. The flesh is the same color. These oranges have a pleasant sweet taste.

Blonda Kommun.Sort from Sicily. For a long time it was the most popular at home, but in recent years it has given the palm to the two previous varieties. It has many seeds and grows well from them.

Oval. The name accurately describes the shape of the fruit. The taste of this variety is almost no different from Valencia.

Toropko. Another early ripe Sicilian variety. The fruit picking season runs from November to January. These oranges have not only a pleasant taste and exquisite aroma. However, the fruits are popular not only because of their excellent taste, but also because of the unusual blood-red color of the pulp.

How to prepare an orange seed for planting

The stone of an orange is covered with a rather dense, hard peel, on the one hand, preserving the sprout from all kinds of damage, and on the other, preventing its germination. If the seed dries up, it is very difficult to make it hatch, so only fresh seeds are used for planting.

orange pits:


Planting an orange at home

Since in countries where oranges grow in nature, trees generously receive both heat and light, it is possible to provide seedlings with the longest daylight hours by planting seeds at the end of winter or in March. But even in this case, young orange trees respond well to the extension of daylight hours with the help of special lamps.

A clay pot with a diameter of about 10 centimeters is perfect for this:

How to care for an orange at home

To grow an orange at home, you need to carefully care for it.

First, timely watering. To find out when a tree needs watering, take wooden stick and tap it on the plastic pot where the orange grows. If you hear a dull crackle, then the plant needs to be watered. Usually, an orange requires the most abundant watering in summer and spring - to grow an orange at home, water it in the morning and evening during these periods.

Secondly, maintaining the level of humidity. Moisture conservation is achieved primarily by the application of organic fertilizers. Orange loves high humidity, so once every 1-2 days, spray the plant with a spray bottle or place a humidifier next to it. Give the plant a shower every three weeks by covering the ground with cellophane.

Thirdly, nutrition. In specialized stores there is a large assortment of mixtures for feeding orange trees. The only thing worth paying attention to is that the mixture should contain only organic substances (in extreme cases, the vast majority of the ingredients should be of organic origin).

Orange transplant at home

Due to the peculiarities of the root system, the orange does not tolerate transplantation, especially with damage to the earthen coma, it is transplanted only by transshipment, and if the roots have not filled the entire space of the container, they simply replace the upper and lower soil layers.

Fruit-bearing trees are transshipped every two or three years, young, intensively growing - annually, into a pot with a diameter larger by 1-2 cm than the previous one. Transplanted in the spring before the start of growth, this kind of work should not be done during flowering, fruit ripening, or at rest. When planting, make sure that the root neck is not buried.

The soil mixture recommended for young specimens consists of soddy, leafy soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1, for mature trees the proportion of soddy land increases (3:1:1:1) and a small amount of clay is added.

Forming and pruning the crown of an orange at home

If not regularly pruned, an orange will usually not bloom. Moreover, the crown of such a plant has an unattractive appearance. A flowering orange must go through all the stages of formation: flowers are formed only on branches of a certain age and order. In other words, if the crown is not formed, and the tree grows unpruned, the plant will not bloom. Active formation of the crown occurs before the tree reaches 3 years. In a young plant, several of the strongest shoots of the first order should be left, shortening them to 20 cm in length, and cutting off all the rest. Branches of the second order are shortened by the same length, and the third and fourth order involve cutting only 5 cm. That's all, the formation of the crown is almost over. You just have to remove weak shoots at the beginning of each next year, gradually giving the orange crown the desired shape and proper appearance.

Propagation of homemade orange cuttings

As cuttings, choose stems with a diameter of 4-5 mm and a length of about 10 cm. The cut should be made under the kidney from below, and above the kidney from above. On the handle you need to leave 3-4 live buds and 2-3 leaves. For a greater effect, the cutting should be treated with a root growth stimulator, and placed 1/2 length in water for 3 days. To root cuttings of homemade orange, plant them in boxes or pots with soil consisting of a mixture of humus, coarse sand and flower soil in equal proportions. Plant the cuttings in a compacted substrate to a depth of 3-4 cm. Initially, the branches have no roots, this does not allow the plant to get enough moisture from the soil, so the orange tree requires daily spraying of the leaves with water. The soil should be well moistened, but do not allow acidification. The optimum temperature for rooting is + 20 + 25 degrees. The final rooting occurs after 30-45 days. Then the homemade orange tree can be transplanted into a separate small pot.

Latest articles about gardening and gardening

Why do orange leaves turn yellow and fall off?

Sharp temperature drop. This happens if the plant is brought from the street into a warm room. In such a situation, everything must be done to save natural humidity for an orange and he stood in a place that gets diffused light.

Irrigation failure. This culture does not tolerate strong overdrying of the soil, as well as its waterlogging. In summer, the plant needs to be watered once a day. warm water. In addition, the plant must be provided high humidity air, so it needs to be sprayed additionally. In winter, the plant needs to be watered only a couple of times a week, preventing the soil from drying out.

Lots of fertilizer. Orange must be fertilized, but it is important to follow some rules. Plant signing should occur no more than once a week. To do this, use special fertilizers shown for citrus fruits - superphosphates, organic salts, ammonium sulfate and potassium.

Diseases of home orange

This culture can be affected by many types of fungi and viruses, but most dangerous disease, and at the same time the most common is gummosis, also known as gum disease.

With such an ailment, parts of the bark die off from the orange tree, from where a sticky liquid of golden yellow color is released - gum. This disease appears due to various fungi that settle at the root collar and layers of wood. Deep landing, insufficient drainage, mechanical damage can provoke the appearance. To fight, you must first get rid of the external cause, and then, with a small affected volume, the wound is cleaned to a healthy layer of tissue. After disinfection, cover with garden pitch. If the plant is seriously affected, it is better to burn it. Among other things, oranges can suffer from fungal infections such as warty awn, anthracnose. These diseases are treated with fungicides. If the plant is affected viral disease, such as the trieste, the best way out is to destroy it. Proper crop care will reduce the likelihood of orange diseases.


Orange is a fairly popular plant from the Rut family, which is not found in the wild. According to some reports, in the territory of modern Southeast Asia, the tree was first cultivated even before our era, distant four thousand years ago. It can be seen from the chronicles that the orange was also grown two hundred and twenty years before our era in China, and later in Egypt and the Mediterranean countries. Orange from the genus Citrus is remembered much earlier than other plants, however, the taste of this fruit was significantly different from the current one. The soldiers of Alexander the Great became the first Europeans to taste this unusual and juicy fruit. Since the eleventh century, Europe has known the taste of sour orange, which was brought to these territories from the Mediterranean regions for cultivation. So, oranges have become an integral part of aristocratic gardens. Since their owners could pay a considerable amount Money, then they ate not sour oranges, but sweet ones.

Translated from Arabic, the orange sounds - naranji, and in French it is called orange. It is not difficult to guess that in translation these words mean "golden". In 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered the orange tree while he was sailing, as a result of which the Americans began to grow these fruits. Some sources say that in the Renaissance, when these wonderful trees appeared in France, the local gardeners found the opportunity to candied oranges when they were still hanging on the branches. And this was done for the most respected nobles of that time. They, strolling in their large garden, could even then taste fresh candied fruits, simply picking oranges from a tree. In the seventeenth century, the fruits of the orange became available to Russia, where they were called "golden apples."

Today, many gardeners are interested in growing a wonderful and healthy orange tree. And, despite the fact that this citrus crop grows in a hot tropical climate, you probably could see these small green trees on the shelves of flower shops. In order for an orange to grow into room conditions, new special varieties were developed, more suitable for the local unstable temperatures. Breeders have done a lot of work, made a lot of experiments in this area. And all so that everyone can admire the orange tree at home. This plant is not so easy to grow, it requires special care. Actually indoor varieties there is not a wide variety, but even from them you can choose the flavor of the fruit that suits you, as well as their color.

Sweet and large oranges are most often found in indoor navel trees of the Navel variety (photo 1). They got this name because of their protruding part, located at the point where the footboard is attached to the branch. Slightly smaller are indoor red oranges, which were obtained by crossing with a tangerine tree. Another variety - with a thin skin, appeared due to the crossing of the previous type of orange with tangerine. Different types of trees suitable for home growing, can also be found in botanical gardens. Among many gardeners, hybrid tree species such as lemonandzh, or tangor, are also of interest.

How to plant an orange at home from a stone

Among the variety of exotic fruits, oranges are already used by many lovers for home cultivation. Despite the fact that the tropics are the birthplace of this plant, the curiosity is still very popular. Thanks to breeders, gardeners can now not only admire the many varieties of this beautiful tree, as well as try to germinate the seeds yourself at home. The nature of the ornamental orange is not so capricious that a beginner without great experience in gardening could not cope with its cultivation.

Planting all citrus fruits involves a laborious process that requires certain rules and your efforts. The main thing is that from the very beginning of planting the seed, the future tree should be provided with proper care and temperature conditions.

By adhering to the following tips, you will probably succeed in planting an orange from the seed at home:

  1. When buying fruits, pay attention to their appearance and ripeness. Despite the fact that oranges are brought to supermarkets from far away, they already have time to ripen enough for consumption, and therefore for planting.
  2. Selected bones should not dry out. It is better to plant them in a fresh extracted form. If you still have dry seeds, then before planting they must be soaked in water for about twelve hours.
  3. Prepare in advance flower pot, it is desirable that it be made of clay material. clay nai in the best way will maintain an optimal supply of moisture for the plant. The diameter of the container can vary from ten to fifteen centimeters. Choose the height of the pot the same, not more. If there are no holes at the bottom of the landing tank, then make a couple of small holes that will serve to drain stagnant water.
  4. Drainage is also an essential component for normal plant growth. Expanded clay, or charcoal with sand will great helpers in keeping the root system of the orange from drying out. It is not necessary to pour out too thick a layer, about four centimeters will be enough. Substrate for citrus fruits, sod land, humus are also suitable as drainage.
  5. Orange soil can be purchased at any specialized houseplant store. You can easily cook your own soil mixture, taking the ground in autumn under the fallen leaves (two glasses). Only soil from under poplar and chestnut is not suitable. Pour the earth from the top layer, deepening to a maximum of ten centimeters. If there is humus (half a glass), then its constituent components with mixed river sand (one glass) will be a good addition to fertile soil. Pre-mix all the ingredients until smooth and add water for a quality consistency.
  6. Finished orange pips should be stuck to a depth of no more than two and a half centimeters. When planting several seeds at once, use different containers for this. So, after the first shoots, you do not have to pick seedlings. Moreover, after the recent appearance of the greenery of the plant, it is completely unconfigured for another transplant.
  7. The first watering should be plentiful. Further, the top of the pot is covered with plastic, or cling film.
  8. Place the landing container in a place where the sun's rays, and light in general, do not penetrate. The recommended temperature for seedlings should be set at twenty-five degrees Celsius. In this position, long-awaited sprouts will soon appear from your bones.
  9. Remove the film after a month, or even five weeks after planting. After a couple of weeks, green shoots will appear.
  10. Now the seedlings must rapidly gain growth, and for this they need to get used to the light. The pot can be put on the windowsill, but not immediately under direct sunlight.

If you have planted more than one seed, then look through them all and choose the most healthy and strong ones by planting them in different pots. Oranges are transplanted already at the age of six months. The container is chosen larger in diameter and height by about five centimeters. After transplanting, the leaves are sprayed a small amount permanganate-potassium solution, it can also be watered.

A young orange tree is usually replanted every year. During this time, they manage to start up new shoots, and their root system grows and becomes less fragile.

Propagation of an orange

Oranges grown in your home can be propagated by grafting. This method is often used in horticulture and has been successful in every single case. When copying by cuttings, trees fail, because the rooting of the branch does not take place properly. Indoor orange seedlings are used as a graft to a tall tree. Some varieties of orange tree are not suitable for propagation at all, for example, one of them is poncirus trifoliate. Due to its biological characteristics, this plant is not suitable for cultivation. If you are sprouting citrus for the first time, keep in mind that the fruits on the tree may appear ten or even fifteen years later. Often, an orange grown at home is used as an ornamental plant.

Watering an orange

In order to determine the degree of soil moisture in a pot, you need to check it with your fingers by simply squeezing a bunch of the top layer. The soil should not be completely dry, or crumble through your fingers. It is normal when the tree is watered regularly, but not often. It will be better to pay attention to the condition of the soil every day. Sticking earth is a sign of enough moisture for the plant. In the summer, it is especially important to protect the orange from drying out and the bright rays of the sun. If you live in apartment building with centralized water supply, then the use of this water can also harm the tree. citrus plants do not tolerate chlorine in such in large numbers, and alkali metal compounds often cause chlorosis (leaf spots). In order not to violate metabolic processes occurring during the growth of an orange, some gardeners advise pre-boiling city ​​water. But this option does not always help. It is best to put the hot collected water to stand for a day, since it contains the content of chlorine and salt within the permissible limits. If you take water from a well or lake, then let it warm up to room temperature. Collect rain water it is not worth it, extraneous, not useful impurities accumulate in it. Any collected water from the above should be defended, at least for a day, so that it is soft and warm. In winter, the growth of the tree stops, the processes of movement of the juice occur much more slowly, therefore, watering is carried out less often at this time of the year.

Fruiting indoor orange

After working through all the stages of growing a tree from a seed, the question arises about its fruiting. As mentioned earlier, getting fruits from a houseplant is not so easy, but possible. Homemade oranges need to ensure not only regular watering, but also timely feeding. Various means in the form of component soil additives can be purchased at flower shops. Fertilizers are applied once every two weeks. You don't need bees to pollinate an orange.

But that is not all. In order to get a crop from an orange, you need to carry out the grafting procedure with a cultivated commercial variety. Such a branch can be purchased at the greenhouse, or brought on your own from distant hot lands. After cutting the shoot, do not hesitate to vaccinate. It is better when the width of the branches is almost the same. Take a sharp knife and make an incision for the scion, and then carefully connect both sides. Wrap the joint with electrical tape, but with the adhesive part on the outside, cover it tightly with cling film. Leave the plant at temperatures up to thirty degrees with a plus sign. It will be possible to remove the film in a month, and the electrical tape a little later.

To form beautiful crown tree, you need to pinch the tips of the branches of the fourth or fifth rows. So, the orange will grow both on the sides and up.

How to protect an orange from harmful diseases

Orange, like any other plant, tends to get sick. The most common fungi and viruses can affect the condition of a tree in a striking way. If you notice that the leaves begin to curl, or white spots appear on them, the web is a sign of a mite infestation. Fortunately, such an inhabitant can be immediately seen and removed. To prevent reappearance mite on an orange, you can use the following ingredients:

  1. In one glass of boiling water, you need to dilute a handful of tobacco dust.
  2. Let this solution sit for one week.
  3. Stretch laundry soap(ten grams) and add to a glass.
  4. Treat an orange by spraying the leaves three times. Repeat after six or seven days.

Also, as a preventive measure, you can use softened garlic. To do this, one small head should be infused in boiling water for about forty-eight hours. Further, the resulting broth is filtered and, in the same way as with tobacco dust, an orange tree is sprayed.

When it comes to houseplant, then it is better to choose the most gentle products made on the basis of biological components and not pesticides.

Very often the attention of amateur flower growers is attracted exotic plants, which are found in many flower shops. Having bought and decorated an apartment with a beautiful citrus tree, you give it the necessary attention and proper care. But for some reason, the plant stops growing, sheds leaves and noticeably weakens. So he will wither until there are two dozen leaves left on him. Why is this happening?

The reason may be a change in growth conditions. In the greenhouse where the plant was grown, there was a certain temperature and humidity. The plant is accustomed to them and life in other conditions weakens it (sometimes it can completely disappear).

To avoid such a scenario, it is best to grow the desired seed tree yourself and track its growth. So it will be more hardened and adapted to the conditions of your home. So it’s worth doing this, and we’ll tell you how to grow an orange from a seed.

But first, let's say why is it called orange.

Orange was obtained by the Chinese by crossing mandarin and. In China, for the color of the peel, it was called gold or "qin". In most countries it is called "orange". But our name came from the Prussian "Chinese apple" - appel + rank, which eventually transformed into a well-known name.

So, how to grow an orange from a seed?

Proper planting of seeds

Where should you start growing? Naturally with the choice of seeds! You can take any bone from the fruit you eat, or you can buy seeds of a specific variety. It is best to choose the whole and most attractive seeds from just the fruit eaten. They need to be gently rinsed with your fingers under a clean running water trying not to hurt.

After cleaning the seeds from the pulp, they must be soaked in warm water overnight. Then the bones are placed on a damp towel and covered with it on top. This retains the moisture needed for germination. Drying negatively affects the germination of the plant. Then it is recommended to place a paper towel with seeds in a bag that creates a greenhouse effect for the seeds. Keep the bag of selected seeds warm.

seed germination process

The recommended temperature for seed germination is 20-25 degrees. Seeds in the bag are recommended to be moistened if necessary. They should be moist and not dry out. Germination time can take about two weeks, maybe a little more, the main thing is to periodically ventilate the greenhouse you have created. Next, it remains to plant the seeds in a pot with sterile soil. To do this, bake it in a pan in a thin layer for several minutes.

First transplant

The first shoots appear after 3 or 5 weeks. When they grow to 2 cm, it is advisable to transplant them into pots with an approximate diameter of 7-9 cm. Cover the bottom of the pot with a small amount of expanded clay, creating this kind of drainage.

Sprouts are placed in a large flowerpot at the time when they acquire the fourth or fifth leaf. When transplanting into a larger pot (9-11 cm), it is important to keep the old clod of earth enveloping the roots. Do not remove it by force - this can damage young roots. At this time, it is necessary to create the most favorable conditions for hardening and strengthening the sprouts.

Each transplant is carried out in a pot with a diameter of 5 cm larger than the previous one. Transplants are completed when they begin to form a crown at the tree.

Priming

You can buy ready-made soil for citrus fruits, or you can combine the necessary mixture yourself. For its preparation, use leafy soil, coarse river sand, humus and sod land(recommended ratio is 1:1:1:3). It is not recommended to use pure peat for growing orange trees.

growth conditions

Pots with sprouts must be placed in a well-lit place; it is advisable to avoid direct sunlight (paste the window with sheets of white paper). When transplanting a plant, do not dig it too deep. The recommended depth is 1.5 cm. The sprouts and roots are fragile, so the transplant must be carried out carefully.

Sprouted future trees should be regularly watered and sprayed with clean, warm water. With growth, the amount of water consumed will increase.

How to form a crown?

Crown formation is an important point of care. The shape of the future tree depends on how its crown will be formed. The beginning of formation begins when the orange grows to 20-30 cm. Then you need to cut a few leaves (2-4) from the top of the plant. This will provoke the tree to start up side branches, which are already considered branches of the second order. Trimming the crown of branches of the second order gives growth to branches of the third and subsequent orders.

The branches should be cut when their length reaches about 20-30 cm. Thus, all new shoots are shortened. Thus, the trunk of the formed plant is 15 cm, and the crown consists of 3-4 branches, which are evenly covered with small branches.

Your goal is the formation of branches of the fifth order, it is they who begin to bear fruit. But usually the fruits appear already at 5-7 years of growth. It all depends on the characteristics of the variety itself and the conditions of its cultivation.

First flowers and fruits

The tree can bloom as early as 4-5 years. But it is better to cut the first flowers, as the plant is not yet strong enough to bear fruit. good fruits an orange will give already for 8-10 years of growth. There are several options for obtaining fruits earlier than the specified period. Here are a few of them:

Grafting (graft a branch from an already fruitful tree to your tree);
Frequent transplantation (2-3 transplants, which are performed in the summer, enhance the growth of the root system);
Ringing (pass the branches with a wire or remove the bark in the form of a ring. After flowering begins, the wire must be removed);
Cold wintering (take the tree into a room with a temperature of 2-5 degrees for about 3 months).

Cold wintering is very effective. They are recommended for 2-3 years. During wintering, you should not fertilize, you can only water it not very often. After such procedures, the orange will begin to bear fruit after some 4 years.

Orange top dressing

Fertilize an orange in the spring. Starting in March and right up to November, feed the tree 2-3 times a month. Perfect fit liquid fertilizer"For citrus" or at least old tea brewing.

As you near the end of the conversation on how to grow an orange at home, don't forget about possible pests as well. For prevention, treat the orange twice a year with an insecticide. It is easier to prevent the appearance of pests than to get rid of them later.

In summer, it is recommended to feed the tree with ammonium nitrate, 5 g per 1 liter. water. Such top dressing is carried out regularly, with a break of 10 days. Once a month it is worth pouring with a solution of superphosphate, 5 g per 1 liter. water. It can also be watered with fermented manure diluted with water (1:10).

In winter, fertilize only once a month. It is not recommended to pamper the plant with heat. The main thing is that the room is well lit, and the temperature is allowed from 1 to plus 6. Verandas are perfect for growing citrus in winter, covered balconies or well-lit corridors.

On the top layer of the earth can be applied wood ash, scale, which contains ferrous oxide, as well as crushed bones.

We wish you success in growing your orange!

How to grow an orange on a windowsill? It turns out that this is no more difficult than growing herbs and vegetables on the windowsill . For this, you only need necessary knowledge, which you will now learn about and a little patience.
How many positive emotions can cause a tree that has grown in a pot from the seed you planted. It is quite possible to grow an orange or a lemon at home, but it will require patience and diligence.

Growing an orange at home can be tricky and requires a lot of patience. Such a homemade orange tree bears fruit no earlier than after 7 years. And that's even better. The tree may not bear fruit at all. But even without the cherished oranges on the branches, a tree can become an ornament your interior .

So, the first step in growing an orange at home is planting seeds. The pot should be with holes at the bottom, it should be covered with earth specially designed for citrus fruits (it is sold in flower shops). Plant seeds in this soil to a depth of about two centimeters.

Keep the soil moist. For the appearance of the first green sprouts, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for the plant - to provide high temperature and humidity. For this purpose, a plastic bag is used, which is pulled over the pot, thereby creating greenhouse conditions .

The next step is to provide the plant with light. But direct sunlight must be avoided. Need to find optimal location and also use additional lighting. It is not recommended to rearrange the plant from place to place. The plastic bag needs to be removed from time to time, it is better to do this in the evening, allowing your tree to “breathe”.

For glaze water should be used at room temperature and preferably settled. The first sprouts are usually expected three weeks after planting. You can sometimes turn the pot with the plant to ensure uniform growth, as the branches facing the light can develop more strongly.

A transplant is done about a year later, in the best way in the spring, while it is important to choose the right size of the pot. It is important when growing an orange tree to take care not only of the harvest, but also of the correct transplantation.

Thirdly, we must not forget about humidity. A sufficient level of humidity can be achieved with regular spraying, you can (and should) install a humidifier next to the pot, and give the plant a shower once a month. In this case, the soil should be covered, since it is necessary for irrigation warm water. In the summer and spring couple, the plant needs especially thorough watering. Water twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.

The fourth step is feeding. In modern specialized stores you can find a wide range of feed products. Do not forget only about the fact that it is desirable to feed the soil with organic matter, and do not use or reduce to a minimum any chemistry.

It is very difficult to achieve a flowering plant at home, because an orange blooms at temperatures above +15 degrees. Such conditions can be created by placing a tree in a special insulated and glazed loggia for the autumn-winter period. Plants need to be grafted to produce a crop. It is better to address this issue to experienced professionals. Crossing an orange with a lemon or grapefruit will help improve the quality of the fruit.

And finally, in the end, pruning of its branches will positively affect the development of your orange tree. Trim the ends of the branches, leaving a few buds on the branch. Branches are pruned until branches of the fifth order appear. Cut in this way, the plant will become a lush green bush that will decorate your home, and in the future, with proper care, it may give a fragrant harvest.
Now you have learned how to grow an orange from an ordinary seed from him.

And in this article you can learn everything about growing pineapple and kiwi at home.

Now watch this helpful video:

Probably every flower grower at least once in his life tried to grow an orange from a stone by sticking it into a flower pot. But rarely has anyone managed to grow an orange tree to a decent size without observing certain conditions. Therefore, in order not to torment the plant and not suffer yourself, it is better to study the recommendations for growing oranges at home.

We plant correctly

How to grow an orange from seeds? Bones must be taken for planting raw fruit, cooked fruit will not work. You need to plant a fresh seed as soon as you eat an orange - immediately start planting, the chances of germination in this case are great.

  • It is worth preferring a clay pot. Its walls breathe, absorb excess moisture well, and, if necessary, give it back to the ground.
  • A drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the landing tank. Expanded clay is quite suitable as drainage.
  • Soil for citrus fruits should be nutritious. You can buy it in a specialized store or make it yourself. For planting an orange, a mixture of 1 part sand, 1 part humus, 1 part leafy soil and 3 parts sod is made.
  • It is better to plant several seeds at the same time, using a separate pot for each, deepening them by 2.5 centimeters.
  • After planting, the earth is moistened, covered with a film and placed in a bright place without direct sunlight.
  • Shoots will appear in about 3 weeks, before that the film should not be removed. It is desirable to maintain the temperature all this time in the range of 22-25°C.
  • The orange has multi-seeded pits, so several sprouts appear at the same time. For further growth, the strongest of them is left, the rest are pinched.

How to care for a seedling

If you grow an orange tree, home care comes down to creating ideal conditions for its growth and development. In the room, the tree grows up to 2 meters in height, so care must be taken to choose the right place.

Orange prefers bright diffused light. Unless necessary, you should not rearrange it to another place, but it is necessary to turn it around its axis - in this case, the crown will grow evenly. Once every 10 days, slightly turn the pot with the plant (by 10-12 °). During the summer months, it is useful to expose the orange to fresh air, so that it is not exposed to the sun.

The lack of light does not affect the plant in the best way.: growing shoots stretch out, and the leaves become smaller and may even fall off the tree. Therefore, in a room with windows to the north or west, growing an orange from a stone at home, it is placed on the windowsill. But in rooms with southern and eastern windows, the pot is placed a little to the side.

An adult orange tree does not like a transplant, its roots painfully endure this procedure. So that the plant does not feel a deficiency nutrients, fed regularly. Upper layer earth in a pot is replaced from time to time with fresh. Young plants are transplanted annually as they grow, using a slightly larger pot.

Watering, spraying, top dressing

Citrus fruits love water. therefore, watering an orange at home should be regular and plentiful. A layer of drainage will prevent stagnation excess moisture at the roots and their decay. Water should be soft and without chlorine, room temperature. Preliminarily, it is better to defend it for 1-2 days. In the cold season, when the temperature drops, the frequency of irrigation is reduced and less water is used for them.

Spraying the shoots will affect the plant in the most favorable way. For this procedure, it is better to use boiled or bottled water so that whitish salt spots do not remain on the leaves after drying. In hot weather, an orange is sprayed 4-5 times a day. AT heating period spraying is also necessary. As an alternative, consider installing a humidifier nearby. These devices are quite affordable and serve as an additional interior decoration.

In phase active growth orange needs feeding every 7-10 days. It is best to alternate application mineral fertilizers and organics. Use any complex fertilizer for citrus or weak solution organic fertilizer. Once every three months, iron sulfate is introduced under the root - this will prevent yellowing of the leaves. Any top dressing is applied to moist soil so as not to damage the root system.

Wintering

Proper care of an orange tree in winter is important for further flowering and fruit formation. The plant just needs a cold winter. A pot of orange should be moved to a cool room with a temperature of 6-12 ° C, they stop feeding it and reduce the frequency of watering to 1-2 times a week in small portions.

If it is not possible to provide the plant with such conditions, it is left with a summer growing scheme with the same frequency of watering and fertilizing. Spraying is carried out more often. In order for the plant to suffer less in heat with a short daylight hours, it is necessary to provide lighting. fluorescent lamps in the evenings and on cloudy days.

How to grow an orange so that it bears fruit? The formation of the crown is important for the proper development of the ovaries and the production of fruits. In an ungrafted orange grown from a seed, flowering occurs in the 5th year at favorable conditions content. By this age, it is necessary to achieve a well-formed bushy crown with horizontally arranged branches. All vertical shoots must be cut.

The first forming pruning is carried out, leaving the main trunk 18-23 cm in size with four strong developed shoots. In the future, two main branches are left on each of them. 3-5 shoots are formed on them, which are no longer touched. Subsequent pruning is reduced to cutting out dry or inward-growing branches and pinching young shoots to stimulate branching. Do not allow excessive thickening of the crown.

Possible mistakes in care

Compared to other citrus crops an orange is considered quite capricious. If the plant does not like something in the care, it begins to drop leaves, flowers and ovaries. Foliage may suddenly turn yellow. What are the reasons for this?

In conclusion, it can be said that not all growers manage to achieve orange blossom from the stone at home and try its fruits in the future. But, in the end, we can buy oranges in the store. An elegant tree with glossy leaves in itself will enliven and decorate any interior.

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