2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Orange (lat. Citrus sinensis) - fruit tree of the genus Citrus of the Rutovye family. The plant is native to South China. Today the orange is cultivated all over the Mediterranean coast, as well as in South and Central America. In Russia, it is grown mainly in greenhouses and indoor conditions.
Characteristics of culture
Orange is an evergreen tree up to 12 m high with a dense compact crown and shoots equipped with rather large thorns. Oranges grown indoors reach a height of 2-2.5 cm. The root system of plants is superficial, unlike other fruit crops, there are no root hairs on the roots, which makes feeding difficult. Instead of hairs, oranges at the ends of the roots form peculiar sheaths with colonies of soil fungi. This community is called mycorrhiza.
The leaves of the culture are leathery, dark green with shine, oval, pointed at the tips, serrated or wavy at the edges. The leaves are equipped with petioles with small winged appendages. When rubbed, the leaves emit a specific smell, similar to the smell of flowers. The flowers are large, white or reddish, collected in racemose inflorescences of 6 pieces. The petals are elongated ovate. Flowering is short, lasts only 2-3 days. Fruits are similar in structure to a berry, they can be broadly oval or round in shape. The rind is thick, rough, and ranges in color from green to orange and even reddish. The pulp is loose, sweet, sweet and sour or bitter sour.
Features of growing in Russia
In Russia, the technique of cultivating oranges in the open field has not received the proper distribution; most often they are grown in greenhouses or indoor conditions. Currently, there are a huge number of cold-resistant varieties that can be cultivated in many regions of the Russian Federation. Subject to optimal growing and care conditions, the plants give good fruit yields.
Reproduction and planting
Oranges are propagated by seed and vegetative means. With the seed method, plants begin to bear fruit only at 7-12 years. The seed method is bad in that new individuals do not retain the characteristics of mother plants, they often form curved small fruits that do not differ in special taste characteristics. That is why this method is used to obtain new varieties and to grow rootstocks. Cuttings, propagation by air layers, budding and grafting give the best results. In this case, oranges begin to bear fruit for 2-3 years. Grapefruit, lemon, etc. are most often used as a stock.
Sowing orange seeds is done immediately after extracting them from the fruit. Seeds are sown in containers about 15 cm high, filled with peat, manure, earth and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 2: 1. The seeding depth is 1-1.5 cm. Seedlings appear on the 30-40th day. The dive of seedlings is carried out when they reach a height of 15-17 cm. It is recommended to plant seedlings in open ground in early spring. The root collar of the seedling should be located 3-4 cm below the soil level. Immediately after planting, the plants are plentifully spilled with warm, settled water, and the near-stem zone is mulched with peat or humus.
Care
Caring for an orange consists of regular loosening and watering. Mulching is essential, mulch will prevent the roots from overheating and retain moisture for a longer period. Young plants need shading from direct sunlight. Top dressing has a positive effect on the development of culture, most of all plants require nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, the introduction of calcined preparations is encouraged. Among organic matter, preference should be given to compost and rotted manure. Sanitary and formative pruning is also indispensable. The formation technique is more dependent on climatic conditions. For the winter, the plants are covered with non-woven material, and the near-stem zone is mulched with a thick layer of peat.
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