Is it possible to grow an orange from a seed and how to do it at home
Growing citrus fruits at home is not an easy task. But after a few years filled with anticipation, the orange will bloom and fill the whole house with an indescribable aroma. The plant blooms for a long time, sets a lot of fruits, and a well-deserved reward awaits the patient owner - fragrant and juicy oranges grown by their own hands. The article contains proven and useful information on how to grow an orange from a seed at home.
The content of the article
Is it possible to grow an orange tree from a seed
The easiest way is to go to the store and buy a ready-made seedling. Often they are sold already bearing fruit. However, this path has disadvantages: the orange does not like "crossings", but they feed such plants with special gels, deprived of which, the tree can get sick.
In addition, a long stay in the same room with plants of other species in a small area greatly increases the risk of pests and diseases.
Most reliable way to grow orange healthy - plant with a bone.
The advantages and disadvantages of this method
There are many pluses: you know exactly the taste of future fruits, enjoy the process of growing and watch how your houseplant - an orange - develops.
There are also disadvantages:
- the risk that the seed will not hatch;
- the need to plant a cultivated bud or twig in a seedling;
- long wait for the harvest.
Growing rules at home
To obtain 100% of the result, the peculiarities of planting and care are taken into account... Then the orange at home will grow beautiful, healthy and fertile.
Selection and preparation of seeds
Dried grains cannot be used as planting material.... The orange seed coat is thick and strong - it should protect the future sprout from negative environmental factors. If it dries, you won't be able to wait for pecking. The seeds of the freshly eaten orange are washed and placed in a humid environment for a day. Then they start landing.
Important! The addition of biostimulants, such as Kornevin, doubles the chances of germination.
Soil preparation
The substrate for growing indoor orange pits consists of the following components:
- 2 pieces of turf;
- 1 part peat;
- 1 part of humus;
- 1 part sand.
A seed for germination can be planted in a peat tablet... The soil must be prepared before the first transplant.
Interesting on the site:
Landing
The prepared seed is planted in a plastic cup to a depth of 1 cm into slightly moistened ground... Cover with foil and put away in a warm, dark place. You should not plant more than one grain in one container - an orange does not like transplanting, especially if its fragile roots are damaged. And in one pot, the roots of the sprouts are thoroughly entangled.
Crop care
Seeds will germinate within 1-1.5 months... At this time, they periodically moisten the earth, preventing it from drying out. Remove the film daily for 2-3 hours - this will prevent mold from forming on the soil surface.
Pick and transfer
In the stage of two true leaves, the orange needs to be fixed for a permanent place.... A pot with a diameter of 8-10 cm and a depth of 12-15 cm is required. The material of the container does not matter, the main thing is the presence of drainage holes in the bottom.
Important! Orange does not like moving, so the most correct procedure would be to transfer a plant with a lump of earth into a prepared pot.
Features and growing conditions
For proper development, an orange is created at the proper level lighting, regularly feed and form a crown.
Temperature and humidity
Since citrus fruits are native to the tropics and subtropics, they need to create suitable conditions.
At humidity levels below 40%, the orange turns yellow and sheds its leavesespecially if it grows near a heat source. Therefore, they arrange a regular shower for him, spraying water onto the leaves from a spray bottle, or an open container of water is placed next to the pot.
The optimum temperature for an orange seedling is + 18 ... + 24 ° С... In the summer, it is left in the fresh air, protected from direct sunlight during the hottest time. In winter, the plant feels comfortable in an apartment.
Watering rules
The soil in the pot should not dry out... Water so that the earthen lump is completely moistened. Excess moisture drains into the pan, from where it is poured out to avoid the development of mold.
Orange does not tolerate chlorinated water... Water it with melt, rain or water that has been separated for at least a day. The optimum temperature is + 24 ... + 26 ° С.
Important! In winter, watering is carried out in moderation - no more than 1-2 times a week, as the topsoil dries out
Lighting
With a lack of sunlight in the autumn-winter period, set over the seedlings fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps. The minimum required daylight hours are 14 hours. Therefore, the lamps are turned on for 2-3 hours in the morning and the same in the evening.
Top dressing
During the period of intensive growth, the orange is fertilized with a special mineral complex for citrus fruits... These drugs are sold at gardening stores.
If it is impossible to purchase a ready-made mixture, they make it themselves: 25 g of superphosphate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 15 g of potassium fertilizers are diluted in 10 liters of water, mixed thoroughly and allowed to stand for 4-6 hours. Water the orange once every 10 days.
Read also:
Crown formation and pruning
When the seedling reaches a height of 25-30 cm, "disciplining" activities begin... If the formation of the crown is not carried out, fruiting can not be expected, since flowers and ovaries are formed only on branches of the fourth order.
Crown formation begins in spring:
- The main trunk is cut to a height of no more than 25 cm.
- All lateral shoots are cut, except 3-4 of the most powerful ones.
- The left side branches are cut off so that they have 4-5 leaves. Branches of the second order will grow on them.
- After a year, two of the second-order shoots formed are left on each branch. These shoots will produce branches of the third order (two to five).
- From the branches of the third order, horizontal stems will begin to form, on which buds and fruits will form.
The first time you should not admire the flowering for a long time - it is better to cut off all the buds that have appeared so that the tree does not weaken... You can leave a maximum of 2-3 for the sake of pleasure - to observe the first results of your labors.
Flowering and fruiting
To speed up maturation, an orange is hibernated: for three months they are removed to a cool place, watering is reduced as much as possible (up to once every 2-3 weeks) and not fed. Having experienced stress, when returning to its usual conditions, the plant will begin to actively form buds. In order not to overload the orange with fruits, no more than three ovaries are left on each shoot.
An orange grown from a stone will enter fruiting no earlier than 8-10 years... A grafted seedling is twice as fast.Fruits are poured for a very long time - from 7 to 9 months.
Important! With proper care, the orange grows on the windowsill and bears fruit actively for 50-70 years.
Winter maintenance
An adult who has entered the season of fruiting orange needs regular rest... Otherwise, the tree will be exhausted and die. Therefore, in winter it is watered and supplemented less. In the cold season, an orange feels perfect on a warmed loggia.
Disease and pest control
In the natural environment, oranges have few enemies due to essential oils and strong, leathery leaves that are practically invulnerable to penetration. At home, the plant is prone to root rot with improper care and stagnant water... If a disease is detected, the orange is transplanted into clean soil, removing the damaged roots. The chances of saving the orange are slim, but there is.
Another problem is rust... When damaged, the leaves curl, become covered with dark spots and fall off. Spraying with fungicides "Medex", "Skor" or "Strobi" helps.
Pests that can settle on an orange are aphids, spider mites and scale insects... Daily inspection of the plant is required for prevention. When pests appear, if possible, they are removed, and the tree is treated with insecticides "Aktara", "Fitoverm", "Aktellik".
Attention!Insects are not as dangerous for an orange as the infections they carry.
Conclusion
Growing an orange from a seed is a fun and easy task. Watering on time, providing light, humidity and temperature are all that is required for the normal development of the seedling. A properly formed crown will allow you to get a rich harvest for many decades.