The orange tree will appeal to connoisseurs of the exotic. An evergreen plant can be grown in your own apartment not just as a decorative flower, but also as a source of tasty and healthy fruits. True, the tree is somewhat capricious in growing, but if you wish, you can learn to satisfy its whims and get a good harvest even in a city apartment. The fruits will certainly please all family members.

Basic information

Many of us have repeatedly wondered how oranges grow in nature? No less interesting is the following: is an orange a fruit or a berry? The natural habitat of oranges is subtropics. In Turkey or even in Egypt, there are entire gardens in which orange fruits ripen in abundance. Orange is extremely rare in the wild because it is a hybrid and requires some care. But people have learned to grow it not only in hot countries in open ground, but also in cold climates indoors.

Few people know, but orange fruits acquire their characteristic orange pulp color only in temperate climates. This happens for the simple reason that chlorophyll is destroyed due to air cooling. In countries with hot climates, where oranges grow in open ground, they are eaten green and only those specimens for export are painted. The yield of one tree under such conditions is about 5 thousand fruits per year. The description of the plant says that the orange fruit consists of a huge number of nests, and the seed is surrounded by juicy pulp.

It was decided to call the plant itself and its fruits an orange following an example from the German language, where literally translated this word means “Chinese apple.” Before this, in Russia it could be called completely differently: naranzh, orantsior, pomeranets. Orange comes from China, where for the first time about 2.5 thousand years BC it was possible to cross a tangerine and a pomelo. The plant came to Europe only in the 15th century, thanks to the Portuguese. In Russia, these trees began to be cultivated only in the 18th century. Even then, the miraculous properties of the fruits in the fight against epidemics of many diseases, including the plague, became known.

Orange tree

Domestic orange trees are characterized by rich green leaves that form a dense crown. The bark is colored light green. The tree sometimes reaches 2.5 meters in height. The flower of the homemade orange is soft white. Fruiting occurs 8 years after planting a young plant. The taste of homemade fruits is indistinguishable from those sold in supermarkets.

The famous writer Nikolai Leikin could not ignore the exotic fruit and wrote a book with the intriguing title “Where Oranges Ripen.” The potential reader is drawn to look into the epilogue of this work.

Plant characteristics

Many people believe that an orange is a large bush, but this judgment is erroneous. Based on a number of characteristic features and other comparative characteristics, scientists have firmly stated: an orange is a tree. Its maximum height depends entirely on whether it belongs to a particular variety. The plant is evergreen, powerful. Quite often thorns grow on the branches, up to 10 cm long. The leaf reaches a length of up to 15 cm and a width of up to 10 cm, has an oval shape, a dense texture and a rich dark green color. Close to the surface of the orange leaf are glands that produce aromatic oils. The lifespan of a leaf is up to 2 years. Both old and young specimens grow on the plant at the same time, the functions of which are different. With the help of young foliage, the tree carries out photosynthesis processes, and old foliage contributes to the accumulation of nutrients. Most of the old green mass falls in February or March, the rest throughout the year.

Orange does not have root hairs, which are used to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil. This is what distinguishes it from other trees. Citrus feeds by placing colonies of specific soil fungi on its roots, which receive carbohydrates and amino acids from it, and in return give off minerals and moisture. The mycelium of such mushrooms reacts painfully to drought, low temperatures, or exposure of the root system. That is why an important condition for growing oranges is that the soil should not dry out. It is worth replanting an indoor shrub only with a clod of earth, otherwise it will become very painful and may even die.

Orange flowers are bisexual, reach 5 cm in diameter, and are white or pinkish in color. Inflorescences include 6 buds, in some species each flower is located separately. Flower buds are formed in early spring. The tree begins to bloom at temperatures from 16°C. The flowering period lasts only a few days.

The citrus fruit has a structure similar to the entire family. Distinctive features are the oval or round shape of the orange. It is formed from the superior ovary and is called hisperidium, which is why orange is a fruit and berry. The pulp is represented by small slices, each of which is covered with a thin film. The lobule contains juice sacs. The taste of the pulp can be sweet, bitter or sweet and sour. Some oranges do not contain seeds at all, but in most cases the multi-germ grains are located in one segment on top of each other.

The orange peel is no more than 5 mm thick. The top layer and zest contain many glands with a high content of essential oils. The inside of the peel is covered with an albedo layer. It is thanks to this that the pulp has the ability to easily separate from the skin. In the total mass of an orange, the peel makes up 17-42%. The color of the peel can be either greenish or almost red.

Orange tree - fruits

Orange is a remontant tree. Along with buds and flowers, it can contain fruits in varying degrees of ripeness. Because of this, it is difficult to say exactly when oranges ripen. In general, this process takes up to 9 months. Ripe oranges remain on the tree for a long time without losing their commercial qualities. In the spring they tend to turn green again, and in the fall they acquire the orange color that is familiar to us. Over 2 seasons, the seeds in the fruits ripen much better, but the taste of the pulp deteriorates significantly. For consumption, it is better to use fruit that has ripened during one orange ripening season.

Characteristics of species and varieties

Orange is a tree that can grow and bear fruit not only in the wild, but also in an apartment. There are about 600 varieties of this amazing plant, but not all of them are suitable for growing at home.

The most popular ones are:

• Gamlin;
• Pavlovsky;
• Washington Navel.

Gamlin is a medium-growing variety, the height of an adult plant reaches 1.5 meters. Ripe oranges have an excellent sweet and sour taste; the ripening period occurs in late autumn. Pavlosky is the shortest species. An adult orange tree grows only up to 1 meter. Fruiting is abundant, but the ripening period of the crop is long - about 9 months. The tall Washington variety is the most popular among connoisseurs. It has an interesting property: during the flowering period, an amazing sweetish aroma spreads around the orange tree. The fruits are quite large, the weight of one of them sometimes reaches 300 grams. As a result of the mutation of the variety, a new pink orange of the Kara variety appeared. The unusual appearance and original taste of the fruit are in demand both among consumers and gardeners.

Washington Navel

The Navelin orange variety is no less worthy representative of the species than Washington. It is distinguished by earlier ripening, regular shape and beautiful color of the fruit. The taste is also excellent. The Fragol variety looks no less worthy compared to its competitors. Its specific fruity aroma is recognizable from thousands, and it is impossible to confuse it. The taste of oranges is also excellent. Translated, the name of this variety means Strawberry. The harvest grows in medium or large size, with excellent commercial qualities.

There is also a black (blood) orange, which has an unusual flesh color due to the presence of a large number of coloring pigments. This species is not widespread, especially for growing indoors. Although its taste and product indicators are at their best.

Growing an orange tree

What is an orange and how to properly grow it at home? Firstly, this exotic beauty needs good lighting. It can coexist with other indoor flowers only on the south or southeast side. To prevent orange leaves from getting sunburned, it is recommended to create slight shading, but in no case should the amount of light received be reduced.

Before planting a homemade orange, it is worth considering that it bears fruit only when the ambient temperature in summer is from +21 to +25°C. If the specified standards are exceeded, the tree will grow, but will not produce fruit. In winter, optimal temperatures range from +10 to +15°C. It is necessary to exclude any possible draft that can cause irreparable harm to the plant.

Growing an orange tree takes effort

Orange is a capricious plant that is quite difficult to grow from seed. However, nothing is impossible if you put in some effort and effort. For planting, you should choose fresh, dense seeds. The sprout of the future orange must be reliably protected by a hard peel, which will also prevent it from germinating prematurely. It is difficult to force dried grains to hatch. Before planting, the seed is washed with warm water, soaked overnight, and then planted in peat or loose nutrient mixture to a depth of one centimeter and covered with cellophane.

An orange seed germinates only after a month, so until this time the pot should be in a warm but shaded place. The greenhouse should be ventilated regularly and, if necessary, moistened the soil. Only after the grains have been germinated can the cover be removed.

As soon as two true leaves appear on a young plant, it needs to be pruned. It should be remembered that the seedling tolerates such manipulations well, so all work is carried out as carefully as possible. The young orange tree is transferred to a new place of growth along with a lump of soil. The root collar area should never be underground. It is preferable to carry out work in the spring so that the full range of measures is completed before the shoots begin to grow.

A step-by-step master class on growing an orange tree at home says that there is no way to do without replanting the plant. This procedure must be approached very responsibly. It is carried out approximately once a year, as the rhizomes grow. An adult tree can be replanted every 2-3 years.

It is important to know which pot to choose for growing oranges at home. If the seedling has 6 true leaves, then the diameter of the container is 10 cm. To ensure that the tree has a place to get nutrients from, prepare a mixture of turf soil, leaf humus, river sand and peat. During subsequent transplants of the orange tree, a small amount of clay is added. A drainage layer is preliminarily laid on the bottom to prevent stagnation of moisture and rotting of the root system during watering.

Features of care

To get a healthy harvest of orange fruits, you need to create a climate similar to the Mediterranean at home. In the summer season, the plant can be taken out into the fresh air, but at the same time protected from the scorching rays of the sun. During the formation of buds and the formation of ovaries, the temperature regime should be ensured at +15-18°C. In winter, it is worth reducing the number of waterings of the orange tree, and maintaining the room temperature above +12°C. At the same time, additional illumination with phytolamps is provided.

Care is important

The main mistake novice florists make is a sudden change in climatic conditions when growing an orange: turning the pot, moving the plant from one room to another. As a result, it begins to hurt, shed its leaves and wither. Caring for indoor orange involves applying complex mineral fertilizer once every 1-2 weeks. Also, fertilizing with iron sulfate is carried out every season. You can also apply a weak solution of potassium permanganate and water the plant with it.

With proper care, an orange seedling develops quickly and grows well. However, an orange tree grown from a seed will not always produce a rich harvest. Even if it bears fruit, the coloring of the fruit is by no means presentable, and the taste is poor. This is explained by the fact that the orange does not bear the characteristics of the parent plant and is a wild tree. It can be recognized at the age of one year by the presence of hard green thorns on the trunk.

In order for a home plant to ripen full-fledged and tasty oranges, it needs to be grafted. The seedling plays the role of a rootstock for a varietal cutting, which can be obtained from a fruit-bearing adult plant. As the tree grows, it will require shaping of the crown and pinching of the main shoot. Only in this case, after 6-10 years, you can get the first harvest of your own oranges.

Main diseases and pests

In indoor conditions, the orange tree is not safe from the effects of potential pests and pathogens. Most often, the plant is attacked by various types of scale insects, which tend to settle on the leaves. Spider mites are no less dangerous.

Less commonly, an orange tree is attacked by insects such as:

• thrips;
• various mites.

They are combated by treating the orange with insecticides with a broad spectrum of action. Scale insects are removed manually using a brush soaked in alcohol.

Growing oranges at home is not an easy task and requires certain skills and good theoretical training. Only in this case, the end result will be pleasantly surprising, and orange fruits from your own harvest will be on the festive table. Beginners should also not be afraid of the difficulties in growing an orange tree, but feel free to experiment. After all, experience does not come by itself, but requires constant work and self-improvement.

The tradition of growing orange trees under artificial conditions appeared shortly after Portuguese sailors first brought this fruit to Europe. Growing oranges at home became so widespread that special structures began to be built for this purpose, which were called greenhouses, from the French word “orange” (as this fruit was called in these parts). In this article we will look at how to grow an orange from a seed at home, using the experience accumulated over centuries.

How an orange grows

In nature, the orange tree grows exclusively in tropical and subtropical climates, but suitable conditions can be created for it in a home environment, for example in an apartment. Moreover, with proper care, you will grow oranges on a tree and enjoy the pleasant taste of this citrus fruit. To start growing oranges in your apartment, you don’t need to carry out complex botanical operations; you just need to purchase a fruit with seeds inside. But further actions will require a lot of effort and attention from you, since this plant is quite whimsical and requires special care.

Growing from seed

Getting a homemade orange from the seed is the easiest way to grow this citrus tree, but you should be careful when choosing the right seeds. Only fresh seeds without visible defects, with a hard skin and elastic to the touch are used. There are special varieties of homemade orange, but in practice a simple fruit bought at the nearest store will do; pay attention to the appearance of the fruit.

Planting seeds

Selected orange seeds must be thoroughly washed under running water and then soaked for eight to ten hours in warm water. Plant the seeds in pre-prepared soil, which you can purchase at the store or prepare yourself. The best soil is two-quarters sand and peat and two-quarters turf soil and humus. You can plant the seed either individually or in groups, but you should maintain an interval of five centimeters between them. A clay pot that absorbs excess moisture well is best suited for planting; you can use any other pot with a capacity of 100 ml. with holes for water drainage.

After you plant the seeds to a depth of one to two centimeters, the soil must be watered, cover the pot with film and place in a dark place. It is recommended to remove the film at night to prevent the plant from suffocating. When the seeds have sprouted and the root system has strengthened, and this will happen in a month or a month and a half depending on the variety and conditions, the tree can be transplanted into another pot and transferred to the light.

Conditions

Homemade orange, like all citrus fruits, is a light-loving plant, so it is recommended to plant it in early spring, when the length of sunny days begins to increase. Orange leaves love a lot of light, but to avoid burns, it is advisable to shade the plant.

In addition, in the room where homemade orange grows, a certain temperature regime must be maintained. In summer, the optimal temperature for this plant is on average +25 °C, and in winter +15 °C.

The domestic orange tree loves a humid climate; its usual humidity level is about 40%, so the plant can be sprayed periodically. It is also necessary to ensure that the soil in the pot does not dry out.

Crown formation

One of the most important factors in growing oranges at home is the correct development of the tree crown. The first fruits will appear only on branches of the fifth order, and their formation may take at least five years. On average, it takes up to ten years for the first fruits to appear on a home orange tree grown indoors.

The crown should be formed when the height of your tree reaches 25 centimeters. In the early stages, it is also recommended to pinch the plant to speed up the growth of branches. Of the side shoots, only 3-4 of the strongest ones should be left, and the rest should be cut off. It is recommended to do the same with second-order branches; increase side shoots only from the third season.

When an indoor orange begins to bloom, it is necessary to remove the buds so that the first harvest is no more than three fruits, this will help the plant not to spend too much energy on their ripening. Starting next season, you can increase the number of buds to five, and a year later – to ten.

The moment the first fruits appear on the tree can be accelerated if you keep your homemade orange in colder conditions in winter, limiting watering and fertilizing. With the onset of spring and rising indoor temperatures, accelerated growth of flowers and side shoots will begin.

Reproduction

In addition to growing a home orange tree from seeds, it can also be propagated by cuttings or grafting. To do this, you must already have a tree at least three years old. We will look at two ways to plant oranges without using seeds.

• How to grow an orange tree by cuttings. In order to get a new tree, you need to cut a branch at least ten centimeters long with a very sharp knife. Then plant this branch in specially prepared soil or peat and wait about thirty days for the cutting to strengthen. During this period, it is recommended to make a kind of mini greenhouse for the cuttings, make sure that the soil is moist and keep it in a bright place, but without direct sunlight.
• How to graft an orange. In order to get homemade oranges by grafting, you will need a cutting of an exclusively fruit-bearing specimen, but this time it will need to be “planted” on another tree. A young orange or lemon is best suited as an acceptor tree, the crown of which is cut off at a height of at least ten centimeters and the trunk is split. Then a cutting is inserted into the crevice in the trunk, and the grafting site is tightly wrapped with film. It is recommended to cover the tree with film and place it in a well-lit place. If after three weeks the cutting has not turned black, it means that the grafting was successful and you will be able to get a fruiting orange in a shorter time.

How to care for an orange

Throughout the growth of a homemade orange, it is necessary to adhere to certain conditions, as at the time of planting. In the room where the orange will germinate, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature regime, humidity level and lighting. Also, do not forget about the correct soil, watering and fertilizers. Caring for a home orange tree is quite labor-intensive and painstaking work, but the result is worth it.

Lighting

Unlike young seedlings, a mature home orange tree is more resistant to direct sunlight. Moreover, the plant needs a sufficient amount of light, so you can place it in a well-lit place, closer to the window. Lack of sunlight can negatively affect fruit ripening and quality. During the period of the year when the sunny day is too short, homemade oranges can be illuminated with special devices; a place with diffused lighting is also suitable.

Temperature

Orange is a heat-loving plant, so the temperature in the room where it grows should be quite high. In summer, the optimal temperature for homemade orange is 25-28 °C, and in winter the temperature is 15-18 °C, respectively. Some experts recommend lower temperatures to avoid pests and diseases, although they note that plant growth slows down at low temperatures.

Air humidity

Under natural conditions, an orange grows in an environment with high humidity (at least 40%), so the room in which the orange tree grows must be regularly sprayed or a large container of water must be placed. Do not allow drafts in the room under any circumstances, otherwise this may negatively affect the condition of the plant. But don’t forget about ventilation, the air in the room must be renewed.

Fertilizers

In the warm season (summer and spring), it is recommended to “feed” homemade oranges with special fertilizers for citrus fruits, at least once a week. But in the fall, feeding the soil must be completely stopped, since the plant goes into hibernation.

Watering

It is necessary to water your houseplant at least once a week in summer. In winter, the intensity of watering must be reduced by half, since the temperature in the room will be lower. The main thing is to prevent dry crusts from appearing on the surface of the soil.

Pests

Proper planting and care will not provide you with a 100% guarantee of success; you also need to protect your homemade orange from pests and diseases. To do this, regularly inspect the plant and take preventive measures. It is recommended to spray your home plant twice a year with special solutions that can be purchased in stores.

With proper care of an orange at home, it grows and bears fruit for up to 70 years, delighting owners not only with healthy fruits, but also with the pleasant aroma of a flowering plant. In addition, a flowering or fruiting orange tree is an excellent decorative addition.

You can grow an excellent orange tree not only from a cutting, but also from a fresh orange seed. The plant is unpretentious, but will still require attention and patience - trees do not grow quickly. Simply sticking a seed into a pot of soil is not enough. It is possible to obtain an evergreen, fruit-bearing orange tree with a spreading crown up to 1.5 m in height, exuding an amazing aroma during flowering.

Special conditions for orange

All plants require grooming and care. A houseplant grown in a pot will not provide a high yield, but it will delight you for many years. When growing all citrus fruits, there are rules common to all:

1. 1. Plants are photophilous, but do not tolerate direct rays of the sun. It will not be possible to grow a tree indoors with windows facing north. The pot must be placed some distance away from the window and periodically unfolded, so the crown will become more spreading and will not gather in a “heap”. During the period of flowering and fruit formation, the sun is especially necessary, and in the summer it is worth taking the orange outside.
2. 2. Exotic citrus trees do not tolerate drafts or cold at all. At t +5, the plant will die, but too high a mark on the thermometer of +25 will have a bad effect on both flowering and fruiting, and the tree will begin to grow. The optimal temperature is from +15 to +18.
3. 3. Weakened shoots must be pruned in time and the crown thinned out - this will reduce the load on the entire tree.
4. 4. Drought is contraindicated for people from the tropics; the soil should always be abundantly watered. Watering schedule: spring/summer – 1 time at night, autumn/winter – 2 times a week. But you need to spray every day. Every week, mandatory loosening, in the spring - application of suitable fertilizers.

The orange does not grow quickly, but every 2-3 years the pot is changed to a larger one. In order not to damage the fragile root system during transplantation, the “transshipment” method is used. To do this, water the soil well, carefully remove the tree and place it together with the soil ball in a new pot. Then fresh soil is added until the new container is completely filled. It is important to remember to provide the plant with good drainage to prevent moisture stagnation.

Which oranges are suitable for planting?

Indoor oranges are divided into several varieties and varieties. There are about 600 varieties in total, but not all are suitable for growing at home.

Types of oranges

There are several types of oranges, the most commonly found on sale are the following:

• sweet ones are either Chinese or Portuguese fruits;
• sour – another name for orange, bitter taste, a hybrid version of tangerine and pomelo;
• bergamot is a hybrid version of citron and orange, the taste is sour and bitter.

Sweet varieties are more often found on sale. But in terms of benefits for the body and the amount of vitamins, neither one is inferior to the other.

Orange varieties

In addition to types, citrus is divided by taste, size, color of pulp, fruit shape and variety.

There are also a number of hybrid oranges. Scientists suggest that grapefruit is one of these hybrids.

Citrofortunella – evergreen orange

One of the most amazing hybrids is the evergreen citrofortunella. A fairly compact potted plant with miniature fruits. It is grown exclusively for decorative purposes. Oblong-oval leaves, many small white fragrant flowers are eventually replaced by mini-oranges. The fruits taste bitter. With proper care, this orange blooms all year round. The tree can reach more than 1 m in height.

Seed preparation

Seeds for planting are taken from ripened fruits of good taste. The seeds have a regular shape, typical for this variety, and are full-bodied. You can try planting seeds from several fruits, but of the same variety.

You need to take seeds that have just been extracted from the fruit. Their peel is very dense, and after drying it is practically “impenetrable”; the germination rate of such seeds is as low as possible. After removing the orange seed, you need to:

• extract from the pulp and its remains;
• rinse under the tap;
• soak for at least 8 hours (no more than 12) in water. It is advisable to dilute some fertilizer with vitamins that stimulate growth.

The seeds will sprout well without fertilizers; they can also be dipped in plain water.

Planting seeds

If everything is simple with the seeds - soaked and planted, then the ground must be prepared in advance. The easiest way is to buy ready-made soil for citrus fruits in the store. But you can do it yourself. It would be correct to take:

1. 2. Sand without stones – 1 part.
2. 3. Humus – 1 part.
3. 4. Turf - 3 parts.

Mix the soil thoroughly. In the future, proceed step by step:

1. Be sure to put drainage (expanded clay) at the bottom of the container (pot) and fill it to the top with soil.

2. Plant the seeds about 2 cm deep into the ground, sprinkle them, and compact them slightly.

3. After this, you need to water it. It must be either filtered, settled, or simply boiled.

4. Cover the container with polyethylene to create a greenhouse effect.

5. If the seeds were sown in one large box, then the distance between them is set at 5 cm, to the sides of the box - 3 cm.

6. Place the pot with seeds in a warm place out of direct sunlight. This does not have to be a window sill, especially if the window is sometimes opened for ventilation - orange does not like drafts.

7. The soil should be warm and moist. To do this, it is not watered, but sprayed regularly.

After 30-45 days, the first shoots should appear. Now you need good lighting. As soon as the first true leaves appear, make a pick. Leave the root collar at the same level and handle the delicate root system with extreme caution.

As soon as 5-6 leaves have appeared, it’s time to identify the sprouts in personal containers. They should be about 10 cm in volume. Only the soil is now taken in different proportions:

1. 1. Turf – 2 parts.
2. 1. Rotted foliage – 1 part.
3. 3. Peat – 1 part.
4. 4. Sand – 1 part.

When the tree reaches a size of about 20 cm, the next transplant is done. Now you need 3 parts of turf and you will have to add a little clay. With each new transplant, the size of the pot increases by 3 cm. Adult plants are replanted every 3 years. When the tree reaches the age of 10 years, replanting is stopped. Now you can only replace the top soil layer.

Both for planting and for replanting (transferring) an orange at home, the best time is the first month of spring, when the first leaves and buds have not yet appeared.

How to care for an orange tree?

Caring for an adult orange is not very difficult. This mainly involves pruning and periodic watering. The soil should not be dry, and if waterlogging occurs, the root system will rot. In order to grow a strong, powerful, healthy tree, it is necessary to create the following conditions:

1. 1. The temperature in winter should be between +12 and +15, reduce watering, and lengthen daylight hours.
2. 2. The temperature in spring is increased to +18.
3. 3. In summer, the pot with the tree is taken out into the fresh air, but direct rays of the sun should not fall on the plant, watering daily.
4. 4. All year round, except in winter, fertilizing with fertilizer is needed. It must be comprehensive. You can buy it at the store, or you can cook it yourself. To do this, take nitrogen fertilizer - 20 g, phosphorus fertilizer - 25 g, potassium salts (potassium chloride will not work) - 15 g, this mixture is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Once every three months the mixture is supplemented with iron sulfate, once a month with potassium permanganate.
5. 5. The growth of a tree is affected by its position relative to sunlight. The pot is turned 10 degrees every 10 days.

The first feeding is done through6 months after planting the seedling.

Orange trees grow best if they are pruned every year. To begin with, the crown of a two-year-old seedling is cut off. Leave about 20 cm. As soon as shoots appear after pruning, they are also removed. This is how skeletal branches are formed. After fruiting, these branches are pruned.

Reproduction and grafting

You can grow new orange trees at home either by seeds or cuttings:

1. 1. Cuttings. An excellent method for preserving all the characteristics of the selected variety. The cutting is taken from a tree covered with bark. It is cut with a knife to a length of 8-10 cm. The cutting must have 5 leaves under the bud, with another bud located at the top. The leaf from the lower bud is removed. The cuttings are placed in a greenhouse, the soil is prepared as sandy, and it is regularly moistened. After a month, the rooted cuttings are transplanted into their own pots.
2. 2. Planting with seeds. On the one hand, plants grown in this way require less care, grow well and quickly, and on the other hand, they begin to bear fruit only after 10-15 years. While for cutting trees this period is halved. Plants from seeds do not inherit the parental characteristics, and what will come out of them is a lottery.

Graft

Vaccination will help speed up the fruiting period. For this purpose, the scion must be taken from an already formed, fruit-bearing tree. This is done during the period of sap flow as follows:

1. 1. The knife must be extremely sharp.
2. 2. The tree to be grafted onto must be at least 2-3 years old.
3. 3. Cut off the top of the crown 10 cm from the ground.
4. 4. Split the trunk.
5. 5. Insert the cutting, making the lower cut obliquely.
6. 6. There must be 3 buds on the scion.
7. 7. Combine the split branches and wrap the grafting with film.
8. 8. To retain moisture, the tree is covered with film and placed in a bright place.

In a month it will become clear whether the cutting was successfully grafted or not. If the plant is alive and not blackened, everything worked out.

Many citrus fruits are affected by infectious or non-infectious gommosis.

One of the most unexpected dangers is chlorine, which is found in irrigation water. This needs to be monitored especially carefully.

For root rot, it is necessary to reduce the acidity of the soil using a solution of regular tooth powder or Fitosporin.

Growing a full-fledged orange tree at home is troublesome only at first. As soon as the plant is 8-10 years old, it will begin to bring only joy to its owner. In general, indoor oranges safely live up to 70 years.

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

Translated from Arabic, orange sounds like naranji, and in French it is called orange. It is not difficult to guess that these words mean “golden” when translated. In one thousand four hundred and ninety-three, Christopher Columbus discovered the orange tree while he was on a voyage, as a result of which the Americans began to grow these fruits. Some sources say that during the Renaissance, when these wonderful trees appeared in France, local gardeners found the opportunity to candied oranges while they were still hanging on the branches. And this was done for the most respectable nobles of that time. Walking in their large garden, they could already taste fresh candied fruits by simply picking oranges from the tree. In the seventeenth century, orange fruits became available to Rus', 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 the orange to grow in room conditions, new special varieties were developed that were more suitable for the local unstable temperatures. Breeders have done a lot of work and have carried out many experiments in this area. And all so that everyone can admire the orange tree at home. This plant is not so easy to grow and requires special care. In fact, there is not a large variety of indoor varieties, 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 received this name because of their protruding part, located at the point where the footrest is attached to the branch. Slightly smaller indoor blood oranges, which were obtained by crossing with the tangerine tree. Another variety - with thin skin, appeared due to crossing the previous type of orange with a tangerine. Various varieties of trees suitable for home cultivation can also be found in botanical gardens. Among many gardeners, hybrid tree species such as lemon and tangor are also of interest.

How to plant an orange at home from a seed

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

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

By following these tips, you will probably be able to plant an orange from a seed at home:

1. When purchasing 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. The selected seeds should not dry out. It is better to plant them freshly extracted. If you still have dry seeds, then before planting they need to be soaked in water for about twelve hours.
3. Prepare a flower pot in advance, preferably made of clay material. Clay will best maintain an optimal supply of moisture for the plant. The diameter of the container can vary from ten to fifteen centimeters. Choose the same height of the pot, no more. If there are no holes at the bottom of the planting container, 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 be excellent helpers in keeping the orange root system from drying out. There is no need to pour out a layer that is too thick; about four centimeters will be enough. A substrate for citrus fruits, turf soil, and humus are also suitable for drainage.
5. Soil for orange can be purchased at any specialty store for indoor plants. You can easily prepare your own soil mixture by taking soil under fallen leaves in the fall (two cups). Only poplar and chestnut soil is not suitable. Pour soil from the top layer, going deep to a maximum of ten centimeters. If there is humus (half a glass), then its components with mixed river sand (one glass) will be a good addition for fertile soil. Pre-mix all ingredients until smooth and add water for a good consistency.
6. The finished orange seeds should be inserted to a depth of no more than two and a half centimeters. When you plant several seeds at once, use different containers for this. So, you don’t have to pick seedlings after the first shoots. Moreover, after the recent appearance of greenery on the plant, it is completely unprepared for another transplant.
7. The first watering should be plentiful. Next, the top of the pot is covered with plastic or cling film.
8. Place the planting 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 seeds.
9. Remove the film after a month or even five weeks after planting. After another couple of weeks, green shoots will appear.
10. Now the seedlings should rapidly gain growth, and for this they need to get used to the light. The pot can be placed on the windowsill, but not immediately in direct sunlight.

If you have planted more than one seed, then look through them all and choose the healthiest and strongest ones, planting them in different pots. Oranges are transplanted as early as six months of age. The container is selected to be larger in diameter and height by about five centimeters. After transplantation, the leaves are sprayed with a small amount of potassium permanganate solution, which can also be watered.

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

Orange propagation

Oranges grown in your home can be propagated by grafting. This method is often used in gardening and is successful in every case. When copying from cuttings, trees fail because the branches do not root properly. Indoor orange seedlings are used as a scion for a tall tree. Some varieties of orange trees are not at all suitable for propagation, for example, one of them is Poncirus trifoliate. Due to its biological characteristics, this plant is not suitable for cultivation. If you are germinating citrus for the first time, keep in mind that fruits on the tree may appear after ten or even fifteen years. 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, simply squeezing a bunch of the top layer. The soil should not be completely dry or crumble through your fingers. It is normal for the tree to be watered regularly, but not often. It would be better to pay attention to the condition of the soil every day. Clumping soil is a sign of sufficient 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 an apartment building with a centralized water supply, then using this water can also harm the tree. Citrus plants do not tolerate chlorine in such large quantities, and alkaline metal compounds often cause chlorosis (spots on the leaves). In order not to disrupt the metabolic processes that occur during orange growth, some gardeners advise pre-boiling city water. But this option does not always help. It is best to let the hot collected water stand for a day, since its chlorine and salt content is within acceptable limits. If you take water from a well or lake, then let it warm up to room temperature. It is not worth collecting rainwater, as it accumulates foreign and harmful impurities. Any collected water from the above should be left to stand for at least a day so that it is soft and warm. In winter, the growth of the tree stops, the processes of sap movement occur much more slowly, and therefore watering is carried out less frequently at this time of 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 fruit from a houseplant is not that easy, but it is possible. Homemade oranges need to be provided not only with regular watering, but also with timely feeding. Various products in the form of component additives for soil can be purchased at flower shops. Fertilizers are applied once every two weeks. Bees are not needed to pollinate an orange.

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

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

How to protect oranges from harmful diseases

Oranges, like any other plant, tend to get sick. The most common fungi and viruses can have amazing effects on the condition of a tree. If you notice that the leaves are starting to curl or white spots appear on them, spider webs are signs of mite infestation. Fortunately, such an inhabitant can be immediately seen and removed. To prevent the reappearance of mites on oranges, 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 brew for one week.
3. Mash laundry soap (ten grams) and add to a glass.
4. Treat the orange by spraying the leaves three times. After six to seven days, repeat the procedure.

You can also use softened garlic for preventive purposes. To do this, one small head should be left in boiling water for about forty-eight hours. Next, the resulting decoction is filtered and the orange tree is sprayed in the same way as with tobacco dust.

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

Mature citrus plants are not cheap. It is tempting to grow an exotic tree with colorful fruits from an easily accessible seed that usually ends up in the trash. But a lot of questions arise: are the seeds from store-bought oranges suitable for growing or will they not produce fruit? How to plant correctly, how difficult is it?

Growing an orange from a seed is really not the easiest thing; the plant is quite capricious and delicate, so from the first days of planting it will be necessary to create conditions that are pleasant for it.

In addition, among all indoor citrus fruits, orange is less popular than others - its fruits are too large and, accordingly, the trees are huge in size. As a rule, lemons, tangerines, tangerines, and clementines are grown.

Seed selection and planting

Any seeds will do, but you should choose the sweetest, thin-skinned, well-ripened fruit. Wash the seeds and plant them in a container. Soil: either a ready-made soil mixture for citrus fruits, or a mixture of 1 part sand (river, not construction sand, please note that in children's sandboxes it is construction, sticky sand, it is not suitable), 1 part peat (peat is sold separately in any store) and 2 parts pine or turf soil. Very good drainage is required.

The soil is moistened, the seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm. The container is covered with glass and placed in a bright place.

Watch the humidity! The container should be regularly ventilated and well watered, even spilled.

The sprouts will appear in 2 weeks, from which you should choose the strongest and healthiest. Plant the best seedlings in separate pots.

Now it will take a year for the plant to get stronger.

Caring for young orange trees

It is not much different from caring for, in fact, all indoor citrus fruits are very similar. You should:

1. Protect the plant from direct scorching sun, while the plant requires a sunny place.
2. Ensure even temperature.
3. Avoid drafts.
4. Illumination in winter.
5. In order for the tree to be even, with evenly developed branches and crown, you should regularly turn the pot, every day - no more than a quarter of a circle.
6. Be sure to form a crown, pinch the tips of branches of the 4th-5th order by 1-2 cm.
7. Frequent spraying is necessary, washing in the shower is the best prevention of diseases or pests that often affect plants standing in dry apartment air.
8. It is worth periodically watering the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this is both a fertilizer and the prevention of infectious root diseases.
9. Feeding is very important, you can read about it in detail here or here.

Fruits from homemade orange

From a seedling grown from a seed, fruits will appear only after 8-10 years!

Therefore, if you grow an orange tree not for sporting interest, but for the sake of its fruit, it must be grafted. Cuttings can be purchased from nurseries or directly from collectors. You can bring a twig from the resort - it can be stored for about a month in the refrigerator (vegetable compartment) or about a week in the room (the tip, of course, should be wrapped in damp gauze).

It is not necessary to do the grafting yourself; the following method is very widely practiced: the rootstock is brought to the collector and for a small fee they receive both the cutting and the graft itself.

Young plants are grafted, aged from six months to 3 years. The younger the plant, the better, but you should still look at the condition of the seedling.

It should be borne in mind that future fruiting depends on the quality of the rootstock, so frail, undeveloped trees are not suitable for grafting.

The grafted tree will bloom within 2-3 years, but the timing depends quite heavily on the variety.

Interesting: oranges are grafted onto seedlings grown from the seeds of not only oranges, but also lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.

Grafting technique

If you want to vaccinate yourself, then this technique can be mastered.

General rules:

1. It's worth practicing on unnecessary branches.
2. Everything is done quickly, accurately, confidently.
3. Tools (regular, but preferably a special grafting knife) must be extremely sharp.
4. It is desirable that the rootstock and scion have the same thickness.

If the diameter of the scion and rootstock are the same, use copulation method. Simply put, two branches are connected by cuts. The cuts should be smooth, clear, and ideal alignment of the cambium layers should be achieved. A more reliable method is copulation with a tongue. The grafting site is wrapped with insulating tape, the plant is placed under the bag, creating something like a mini-greenhouse. The place for the plant needs to be warm and bright. The bag is removed after a few weeks, the grafting site is inspected, if blackness is not visible, they wait another couple of weeks, and then the tape is removed - the grafting was successful. If the instruments are sharp and everything is done carefully, then the survival rate after grafting is 98%.

Grafted orange may start in the same year, but such flowers should be removed and the plant allowed to grow stronger. True flowering occurs in 2-3 years. Oranges are self-pollinating plants, so you don’t have to work with a bee. You should ensure that the temperature is not too high; above 27 °C, the pollen becomes sterile and then a beautiful tree covered with orange fruits will remain only in dreams. If ovaries have formed, you should carefully evaluate how many of them the indoor orange will “pull.” There should be about 20 leaves per fruit, otherwise there is a very high probability that the fruits will fall off before they are ripe. The fruits ripen for a long time - from 8 to 10 months - however, this is precisely what provides the plant with almost year-round decorativeness.

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Orange varieties

In rooms, unlike open ground plants, you can find not many types and varieties of orange. The classic varieties are described below:

1. Citrus aurantium (bitter orange)– a low tree or bush, the flowers are large and fragrant. The fruits are very beautiful, but the taste is not the best: sour with strong bitterness.
2. Washington Navel- perhaps the most famous variety. It is characterized by early ripening, the fruits are large, tasty, and have an unusual shape (with a “navel”). It should be taken into account that this is a popular open ground variety, the plant will not be small, it is a large tree with a spreading crown - of course, this plant is better suited for a greenhouse. It is better to grow dwarf analogues of the variety in rooms.
3. Hamlin– very tasty, sweet, juicy fruits with a shiny thin skin, spherical in shape. Industrial and indoor grade.
4. Pear-shaped wren– the fruits are larger than those of Hamlin, the peculiarity is the reddish tint of the pulp, the taste is sweet and sour with unusual wine tones, the juice from such fruits turns slightly pink. The plant is more compact than the two varieties described above.
5. Firstborn– Soviet variety, fruits 200 grams (like Washington Navel), juicy, sweet and sour, oval.
6. Pavlovsky– by analogy with the lemon variety of the same name, a very popular variety for rooms. The plant is low, up to 1 meter, beautifully formed, and bears fruit well.
7. Trovita Orange- another popular indoor variety, along with Pavlovsky (these two varieties can be called leaders) - it bears fruit very abundantly and feels good in rooms.