Top tips on growing calamondin at home

Often housewives are afraid to grow citrus trees, because caring for them at home is different from caring for an ordinary plant, although it is not so difficult to a large extent. Practically every pot plant lover dreams of growing a tangerine tree in a pot. A good ally in this matter is Calamondin. About how to care for a plant, so that it will delight you with its decorative look and fruits, we will discuss in this article.

Kalamondin - what is this plant

Calamondin has many names: “citrofortunella”, “room tangerine”, “golden orange”, however, it is often called “room citrus”. Calamondin is a hybrid plant obtained by crossing mandarin and kumquat.Citrofortunella is a representative of the Ruta family, he came to our territory from Southeast Asia.

Let's try to explain what calamondin. The plant is represented by a tall tree, which in room conditions does not grow by more than 1 meter, although at home it can reach 5 meters in height. It has a strongly branched crown and elastic brown shoots. The dark green, smooth leaves are rather small, oval-shaped with a pointed tip. They clearly stand out the central vein, along which the sheet twists upward. If the leaf is crushed, or crushed, it will begin to exude an unobtrusive smell. Small white flowers bloom in spring. Fruits are small, weighing 12 grams, with yellow-orange, thin peel, in shape, resembling a mandarin. Most often, citrofortunella is used to replace lemon, but fresh fruit is better to use with the peel, as it compensates for the sour taste of the pulp.

We create optimal conditions for growing in the house

Of course, the natural habitat of its habitat is best for any plant, however, if you create optimal conditions in your home, you can grow them yourself. About where and how best to place Calamondin we talk further.

Location and lighting

In order for your citrofortunella to feel comfortable in room conditions, it must be properly positioned. It is best to place the tree in a spacious room so that it can easily grow. For calamondin, a west or east window is suitable in summer, and the north side is in winter.

A well-lit room with diffused sunlight is best suited for Calamondin, but with particularly intense sunlight on the plant in the summer, it is better to shade it. In the summer, it is desirable to make the plant "breathe" on the street, however, and here it should be protected from direct sun. In order for cytrofotunella to grow evenly and the crown to be even, its every day, a few millimeters, you need to turn to the sun. It is also important to ensure that Calamondin is protected from drafts, as it can get sick from them.

Temperature conditions

Calamondin - a flower that is equally well tolerated by cold and heat. However, it is better to grow it at room temperature, maximum + 25 ° С. In winter, the temperature is reduced to + 15 ° C.

Care of the calamondin at home with knowledge

An important factor in the care of calamondin is watering, because golden orange is a moisture-loving plant. Top dressing and pruning is necessary both for preventive purposes and for crown formation. About how and when to carry out these procedures let's talk further.

Watering and humidity

In the question of how to water Calamondin, first of all, it is necessary to accurately calculate the temperature in which the plant will "live" in order not to pour out citrofortunellu and correctly draw up a watering schedule. An important signal that the plant needs to make a liquid is the degree of drying of the topsoil by 0.5 cm.Particularly intensive watering should be done in spring and summer, by the fall - the amount of moisture and the frequency of moisture should be reduced.

If you do not follow irrigation regimes - calamondin will dry up, and the leaves will turn yellow and curl. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to regularly sprinkle citrofortunella. For this purpose it is necessary to use only a spray with a good spray. Water is better to take at room temperature, separated. It is undesirable to spray Calamondin during flowering, because the petals do not tolerate contact with water.

Fertilization

In order for the plant to feel comfortable in the indoor environment, and the forces expended during the growing season were fully compensated, it will need an additional source of energy. To fill them can be carried out both root and foliar dressing. Best of all for a golden orange is suitable complex fertilizer for citrus fruits, which must be applied 1 time in 10 days (in summer), and 1 time per month - in winter. If for some reason it is not possible to use a special fertilizer, it can be replaced with a solution of ammonium nitrate and calcium chloride in the following ratio: 5 grams of saltpeter, mix with two grams of calcium, then dilute this mixture in 1 liter of water.

Cropping and crown formation

An important factor in the care of Kalandin is pruning the tree. Such a procedure is carried out with two objectives: to form a beautiful uniform crown, or to update / treat the plant. Pruning begin in late February, gradually cutting the tree so that the shoots from the 4th row remain. Pruning ends in summer or early fall. Then, in Calamondin, all sticking out sticking, spoiling decorative ornamentation is cut off. Sometimes, it happens that cutting off shoots is necessary not only to give the tree a shape, but also to remove the diseased parts. In this case, all diseased shoots are cut off, and the sections of the slices are covered with garden pitch or coal.

Calamondin rest period

Kalamondin - one of those plants that needs a well-organized wintering. The rest period (wintering) should begin in November and last until February. In order for this period to pass successfully, it is necessary to provide Calamondin with full light day and a cool temperature - no higher than + 12 ° C. At this time, the number and frequency of watering is also reduced, which in a month should be carried out 1-2 times in 4 weeks. The plant "wakes up" in March, after which its growth and vegetation are activated.

Correct transplant

Over time, citrofortunella needs a transplant.. The first time the plant is transplanted 14-20 days after purchase. For calamondin, there is a definite schedule of transplants: young plants are transplanted annually, mature - once every three years. Transplantation must be performed so as not to destroy the earthen room, from the previous pot.

This process takes place in the following order:

• in a spacious pot you need to pour a layer of drainage;
• add soil (a mixture of sod land, sand and manure will work well);
• plant the plant in a new container without deepening the neck of the flower;
• after transplanting, water and protect the plant from drafts;

After transplanting fertilizer can be applied only after 1.5 months.

Diseases and pests: features of care and treatment during this period

Like most houseplants, calamondin can be damaged by disease. Of the diseases, most often, citrofortunella suffers from soot fungus, anthracnose and gommozom.

Signs of these diseases are:

• blackening of leaves (the method of struggle - the constant removal of plaque from the shoots and leaf plates);
• partial yellowing of the leaves (this can be dealt with using a solution of copper sulfate);
• full yellowing of the plant (the fight is carried out by treating calamondin with fungicides).

Most of the problems associated with the fact that calamondin does not bloom, sheds leaves or does not bear fruit are the result of mistakes made in caring for it: lack of moisture and nutrients, drafts as well as constant and sudden changes in temperature will weaken citroforunella and make it more “accessible” for various diseases. As you can see, with enough effort and effort, you can grow a beautiful plant that will delight you not only with its decorative appearance, but also with tasty fruits.