How to grow a kumquat at home?

The fashion for growing compact exotic trees and shrubs in an apartment, among the lush greenery of which bright fruits ripen, is gaining momentum. Homemade lemons tangerines, grapefruits and oranges are no longer surprising. But the genus of citrus is not limited to them, and many of its other representatives have yet to conquer the hearts of indoor plant lovers. One such mysterious stranger is the kumquat.

Its homeland is distant China, where the name of the plant sounds like "golden orange". Among the Japanese, this culture is better known as the kinkan, or "golden apple". In the scientific literature, another name for it is often found - fortunella. This evergreen citrus is unpretentious, it looks great in winter gardens, greenhouses, greenhouses. A spectacular tree is successfully grown at home.

Requirements for conditions of detention

The kumquat is very fond of light. Its lack will negatively affect the decorativeness of the plant. Fortunella leaves from rich green will become pale, and the shoots will become thinner and strongly elongated. The tree also needs light for planting buds. If the sun's rays are not enough, the kumquat will not bloom and bear fruit.

On summer days, he needs to provide bright, but diffused lighting. The leaves of the plant can be burned under the influence of direct sun. Therefore, in the sultry midday hours, the kumquat is protected from him. At home, you can use various materials for this:

• tracing paper, newspapers or parchment;
• tulle;
• floristic film;
• roller blinds;
• sun shades.

In the mornings and evenings, it is better to remove a dense paper shelter. At this time, the direct rays of the sun will not harm the kumquat, but will only be useful. The same is done in cloudy weather so that the plant does not suffer from excessive shading. Fortunella will not need sun protection in winter. Moreover, daylight hours will have to be extended artificially, at home additionally illuminating the tree with a lamp. They begin such care in the middle of autumn, and stop it with the arrival of spring.

In the life cycle of a kumquat, some time is allotted to a dormant period. In order for the plant to develop normally, it is important to observe the temperature regime. In summer, the air in the room where the pot of fortunella is located should warm up to 24-30 ° C. On winter days, the temperature is comfortable for her in the range of 14-18 ° C. If these conditions are met, the fruits on the tree will begin to ripen during the period of cold weather and snow. If in winter the temperature in the room does not rise above 10 ° C and the plant receives enough light, it will be possible to eat kinkan berries harvested at home only in spring or even summer.

Advice

Indoor kumquat responds well to "walks". When the weather is warm, it is recommended to put the container with it on the balcony or in the garden.

Features of planting seeds

Fortunella can be grown in different ways:

• from the bone;
• from layering;
• from the cutting;
• grafting kinkan onto another citrus tree.

When planting seedlings, you will have to wait from 1 to 2 months. Trees grown in this way will bloom only for 8-10 years. Planting material is obtained from ripe fruits. The seeds are washed, then dried and placed in a growth stimulant solution. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the container - pebbles, small stones, shards, expanded clay. Fertile soil is poured on top.

Fortunella growing medium can be purchased at the store. A soil mixture for citrus plants is suitable for her. But you can prepare the soil yourself by mixing 4 components at home:

• sod land (you can replace it with peat);
• garden land;
• leaf humus or compost;
• sand.

The first 3 components are taken in equal amounts. Sand is needed to lighten the soil and give it looseness. Sometimes it is replaced with perlite. The amount of substance determines the age of the kinkan. If bones, cuttings or cuttings are placed in the ground, take more sand (1 part). When transplanting an adult fortunella, it will take half less.

Seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm, then covered with foil, creating a greenhouse environment. Place 2-4 bones in each container. When the seedlings grow up and 4 true leaves appear on them, young kumquats are carefully transplanted into separate pots.

Watering rules

Fortunella is a moisture-loving plant. But the frequency of watering and the amount of liquid applied depends on the season. In winter, the soil in the pot is rarely moistened and little by little (1-2 procedures per week will be enough), in spring and autumn - moderately and every other day. In the summer, in the heat, watering is carried out more often, even daily. You need to focus on the state of the topsoil. If it's dry, it's time for another hydration. So that the roots of the plants do not overheat, moss is placed under the pot. You can replace it with wet sand.

Advice

For watering kumquat, it is better to take the first half of the day and use settled water at room temperature. If it is cold, the leaves on the tree will turn yellow and fall off.

Growing fortunella in an apartment will not be successful if you do not monitor the level of humidity. Its dryness will cause the leaves on the tree to wither and fly around. This often happens at the beginning of the heating season. To keep the kumquat beautiful all year round, it is regularly sprayed and the leaves are wiped with a damp cloth. Experienced flower growers advise bathing it in the shower every week during a difficult period for the plant at home. Compliance with this recommendation will help protect the tree from spider mites, the risk of infection with which in warm and dry air increases many times.

At low temperatures in winter, a kumquat shower is contraindicated, and its leaves are sprayed with caution. Excess moisture in the soil and in the air in this case can cause the development of fungal diseases. There is another solution that will help provide the tree with comfortable conditions for it - to put a saucer filled with water near the pot with fortunella.

Fertilizing and pruning

During the period when the kumquat is actively growing, it needs frequent feeding. Both organic fertilizers and complex mineral preparations, which contain a lot of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, are suitable for it. On summer days, additional nutrition is provided to fortunella 2-3 times a month. In the spring-autumn period, the amount of dressings at home is reduced to 1-2 per month. In winter, when the plant enters the dormant stage, it does not need fertilization.

Kinkan responds well to foliar feeding. But during flowering, spray the leaves of the tree with a nutrient solution carefully. Drops of liquid fertilizer should not fall on buds and petals. Before carrying out root dressing, the soil in a pot with kumquat must be moistened. Otherwise, the underground parts of the plant will get burned, and it will begin to hurt.

Fortunella grown from a stone can be quite high - up to 1.5 m. To increase the decorative effect of a tree, its crown is formed, giving it a semicircular appearance. Do this in the spring, leaving 2-3 shoots on the branches and pinching them. Cropping is needed not only to form a kinkan. It stimulates the active growth of young shoots and increases the yield of kumquat.

Secrets of professionals

In order for fortunella to delight with beauty and bright fruits with an unforgettable taste, she will need to devote time and attention. There are several conditions under which its cultivation will bring only positive emotions.

1. Before planting the plant, you need to heat the pot and the nutrient substrate. They can contain harmful microorganisms that will die under the influence of high temperatures.
2. Kinkan is afraid of drafts. If the pot with it is on the windowsill, you need to open the vents with caution. When taking a plant outside in warm weather, you should take care of its protection from cold winds.
3. A pot for fortunella is chosen depending on what kind of tree you want to get in the end. The smaller the planting capacity, the more compact the plant will be. To get a powerful tall kinkan, you will need to take a voluminous pot.
4. The kumquat needs a transplant every 2-3 years. It is carried out in early spring, transferring the plant to a new container. They do this carefully, trying not to injure the roots that are strongly intertwined with each other. Fresh drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot. Watering the transplanted tree abundantly, it is placed in a warm place. Within 2 weeks, the kumquat will need partial shade and daily leaf spraying.
5. You do not need to throw out fortunella if its growth has stopped, and the leaves have flown from it. If you properly care for the tree at home, water and feed it, it will turn green again.
6. When all the fruits on the kinkan are ripe and fall off, it is recommended to trim the plant to awaken the dormant buds.

Kumquat will decorate any room, filling it with a fresh and pleasant citrus scent. It is effective at any stage of its life cycle. In the fall, delicately fragrant white-pink flowers make it elegant, literally strewn about the tree. In winter - fruits ripening on its branches, stand out in bright spots against the background of dark greenery. And in spring and summer, you can admire its semicircular dense crown, which is formed by large shiny leaves.

There is nothing difficult in caring for an exotic kumquat. Even beginners in the cultivation of indoor crops will be able to grow an elegant tree in an apartment. Adequate lighting, regular watering and feeding - these are the three whales on which Fortunella's agricultural technology is based.