Calamondin (Citrofortunella)

Root family. A very popular potted citrus plant is a hybrid between tangerine and kinkan oval or golden orange. This plant is a small tree that gives miniature oranges, about 4 cm in diameter, quite bitter in taste. Flowering occurs mainly in summer, although both flowers and fruits can appear all year round. Over time, the plant reaches 1.2 m in height. Calamondin (citrofortunella) is the most suitable citrus tree for the home.

Calamondin care

Temperature

Citrofortunella is thermophilic - this means that it grows beautifully in warm home conditions all year round (provided there is good lighting in winter). For fruiting, it does not require a pronounced cold period of rest, but if you are interested in ideal conditions for growth, then the optimal temperature in summer: during the day 22-24 ° C, at night 18-20 ° C. In winter, 16-18 ° C, at least 12 ° C, at temperatures above 25 ° C in winter and a lack of light, calamondin is quickly pulled out, fruiting is less abundant every time.

Lighting

Bright diffused light. It will be good on the window sill of the east and southeast windows. Calamondin grows and blooms well, growing on the northwest side. On the southern and western windowsill in summer it is hot and you will need shading in the afternoon, but in winter the sunny windows are just right, and the north side will require additional lighting (fluorescent or LED lamps). If the bush or tree is large enough, then you will have to illuminate at least from two sides.

Watering

In summer and spring, calamondin is watered quite abundantly 1-2 times a day with warm water, and in relation to fruiting trees it is very important that the soil is well moistened completely, and not in places. I.e. often and little by little it is inappropriate to water, you need to abundantly, but less often, with good drying. The upper half of the soil must be dried. This is necessary so that there is enough water for all the roots that feed different branches of a small tree.

Since September, with an increase in rainy and cloudy days, watering is reduced. In winter, watering is rare and moderate, depending on the air temperature, the cooler the rarer. After the soil in the upper part of the pot dries, wait a few more days, however, in winter, an earthen coma should not be allowed to dry out, as this leads to twisting and falling of leaves, sprinkling of ovaries and fruits. On the other hand, do not forget that plants die from excess moisture.

Air humidity

You may be surprised, but citrofortunella is tolerant enough in the usual humidity of the house. In the period when the heating is not turned on, it is not at all necessary to spray it. It can be sprayed only in summer, when dry hot days. With the beginning of the heating season, everything must be done so that dry and hot air from the batteries does not fall on the leaves. If you have narrow windowsills, then curtain the battery with damp sheets or rearrange the pot in a room with additional light. You can put a wide tray on the windowsill, so that its edge goes beyond the boundaries of the windowsill and protects the leaves of calamondin from the flow of dry air. You can put wet sphagnum moss on the pallet. If in your apartment during the heating season the humidity does not fall below 40%, then there is absolutely nothing to worry about .

Flight connections

Young citrofortunella trees are transplanted annually in the spring. Adults - in 2-3 years. Transplants are carried out in the spring and only if absolutely necessary (if the plant was heavily flooded) at other times of the year. If the tree has grown a lot over the summer, you can pass in the fall into a slightly larger pot without touching the root lump. In general, a calamondin does not like when roots are picked hard, try to do everything carefully: when transplanting, you should not destroy the earthen lump much.

The pot is more suitable not deep (of the same width and height), at the bottom there are necessarily large holes for water runoff. Check that they are not clogged by drainage. As drainage - large expanded clay (not from a construction site, but pure flower) or broken shards of coconut. The root neck should be at the transplant at the same level as it was before. It is not advisable to replant trees at the beginning of flowering and fruit ovaries, as this leads to their fall.

Soil for calamondin

Here are some soil options for calamondin planting

• 2 part of the turf land, 1 part of the sheet land, 1 part of the well-rotted humus and 1 part of the small gravel. Suitable for old large trees.
• 2 part of the sheet earth, 2 part of the horse manure humus, 2 part of the coarse river sand (2-3 mm gravel), 1 part of the moss-sphagnum, 1 part of the vermiculite. More suitable for young or Dutch store-bought.
• If you have nowhere to take turf and sheet earth, take Terra Vita universal soil - the 3 part, the 1 part of the biohumus (not bad biohumus brand "Your Earth Foundation"), the 1 part of fine gravel or zeolite granules (from cat filler for toilets type Barsik).

Soil acidity for citrus fruits should be pH within 6.5.

Feeding citrofortunella

From March to August, every two weeks, citrofortunella needs to be fed with complex fertilizers. They do not need a high dose of nitrogen - these trees do not grow quickly, it is enough that in fertilizers for flowering plants or special fertilizers for citrus fruits. But phosphorus, potassium and trace elements are necessarily necessary for good flowering and fruiting. Fertilizers are applied with water for irrigation, no earlier than a month after transplantation. If calamondin blooms or bears fruit in autumn and winter, it also needs feeding, but in a rarer mode - once a month is enough. Never exceed the fertilizer dosage. Well suited Fertica Lux, Agricola for flowering.

Reproduction

Calamondin is usually propagated by cuttings in spring and grafting.

It is best to root the cuttings in pure vermiculite, in a zip bag. A zip pack is one in which the top is sealed with a string lock. Put pure vermiculite in a bag and slightly moisturize.

Cut off the branches from the calamondin tree in the place where their thickness is 4-5 mm, about 10 cm long. Usually these are not apical cuttings, but from the middle of the branch! Calculate the length of the handle based on the fact that the cut should be made under the kidney, indenting 2-3 mm and the lowest leaves in the sinus of these kidneys should be removed. Measure 10 cm (or a little more) - so that the upper cut is at least 5-7 mm above the node.

The leaves on the handle need to be preserved, there is no need to cut them off or polish them - this is a supply of nutrients for the handle, and it will need strength!

Calamondin cuttings take root slowly and reluctantly, over several months. Therefore, it is worth using a rooter. You can use the powder of the drug "Kornevin," add vitamins V1 and V6 to it. Open ampoules of vitamins and add so many drops to the root powder to make a gruel. Coat the cut of the cuttings and place in vermiculite, in a zip bag. Close the bag and hang with clothespins on a bright place. The southeastern side is best (on the southern cuttings they can burn in summer). More and more nothing is required of you, just wait. The humidity in the bag is almost 100%, so usually you do not need to add water.

For grafting calamondin cuttings, it is best to use orange dices (grown from seeds) as stock. You can vaccinate the varnish or behind the bark. The main thing is to vaccinate in the phase of active plant growth, when intensive sap flow occurs.

Growing problems

• Calamondin has small leaves, old yellows, does not bear fruit

This can be caused by the depletion of the plant, when it has not been transplanted for a long time, or planted in too poor peat soil. Not all store soils are citrus-friendly, even with the added enhancement of biohumus or humus, so use only tried and tested, with good reviews.

• Yellow spots appear on the leaves or the edges of the leaves turn yellow, the leaves fall prematurely

A similar problem occurs with excessive watering, when the earth is heavy, drying out for a long time, the roots do not have enough oxygen. Watering should be moderate, i.e. the soil should have time to dry out. Also, the appearance of spots can be caused by the content of the plant next to the central heating battery.

• On the leaves are fuzzy light spots, sometimes gray, with a marble pattern

These are spider tick injuries. Look for the pest on the back of the leaves. Use acaricidal drugs or hot showers for treatment.

• Light, almost white dry spots on the leaves

These are sunburns - the bright southern sun is dangerous in spring and early summer, burns can appear on the southwestern window from the beginning of summer.

• Sudden blackening and falling of leaves

It comes from hypothermia, most often when the plant has moist soil, the ground is not dry enough. Usually hypothermia for calamondin is irreversible, the plant can die. It is especially worth taking care of transportation home from the store. In the OB, calamondins are often sold, hung with fruits and abundantly watered, when transported, place the pot in a woolen hat, wrap it in a shawl, and then in a heap of newspapers.

The leaves can fall, turn brown, become covered with spots when overfeeding with fertilizers, when the soil is acidified, when insoluble salts are deposited in the soil, the acidity shifts to the alkaline side and certain nutrients are not absorbed. If the leaves of calamondin turn yellow before rushing to feed it, check the acidity of the soil, the moderation of irrigation, replace the top layer of the earth, if necessary, if it is covered with a salt crust, or transplant it into fresh high-quality soil.