How To Grow A Kumquat At Home?

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Kumquat is an outlandish tropical tree with wonderful bright orange fruits. This handsome man also has other names - kinkan and "golden orange". And, by the way, it is quite possible to grow a kumquat at home - small trees resembling bonsai with luxurious and evergreen crowns and bright fruits will charge you with an excellent mood every day! By the way, the fruits of kumquat are in no way inferior in their taste and benefits to the citrus fruits loved by many! So be sure to try raising this handsome man at home

What are the best varieties for home cultivation?

In principle, almost all existing varieties of kumquat are suitable for independent cultivation, however, there are also varieties that have already gained special popularity among both amateurs and specialists - it is to them that you should pay your attention in the first place. These are Fukushi, Meiwa, Marumi and Nagami varieties.

The Fukushi variety boasts the sweetest and largest fruits with an extremely thin skin. And its branching dense crowns will be ideal for planting in conservatories or greenhouses.

Meiva is a dwarf variety endowed with excellent decorative properties. This short plant has dense crowns and luxurious oval leaves that can easily decorate almost any interior. And its large fruits of a spectacular yellow-orange color are very reminiscent of lemons, and not only in appearance, but also in taste - they taste with a light, but very pleasant sourness.

The Marumi variety is a wonderful Japanese guest that looks like small thorny shrubs. Its oval fruits boast a pleasant-looking golden-orange hue and a surprisingly sweet, incredibly noble taste. By the way, this variety is very frost-resistant, which makes it possible to grow it even on the street, but only in the southern regions of Russia.

And the Nagami variety is currently the most common - it is it that is most often grown by both flower growers and designers. The sweet fruits of such a kumquat are very reminiscent of olives in their configuration and dimensions. As for the subspecies of this variety, at present, the subspecies Nordmann (behind this name is a rather interesting seedless variety of kumquat) and Variegatum are especially popular (its fruits are characterized by the presence of very original stripes, however, after the ripening of the fruits, this unusual decorativeness disappears).

How to care?

Kumquat, like all other citrus fruits, is extremely sensitive to any unfavorable conditions, therefore it is very capricious in its care and requires increased attention. But on the other hand, it is incredibly attractive and gives a huge amount of fruit, so it's really worth taking care of it!

Vases with kumquats should be installed in the sunniest places of the apartment - window sills located on the south or west side are especially suitable for these purposes. If you place the trees near the eastern window, they, of course, will not die, only their development will be extremely slow and they will give very little fruit. And in the summer, the kumquat needs diffused light and reliable protection from direct sunlight. It is quite permissible to take it out in the warm season and outside or on the balcony.

As for the most optimal temperature for the development of kumquat, in winter it is in the range from ten to twelve degrees above zero, and in summer - from twenty-five to twenty-eight degrees. In this case, it is extremely important not to allow either excessive hypothermia or too much heat. In addition, in the cold seasons, the kumquat should be provided with a proper dormant period - for this purpose, flowerpots with it are installed in a sufficiently cool place, and the number and volume of irrigations are noticeably reduced. A full dormant period is the best preparation of beautiful plants for their subsequent rapid development, abundant flowering and rich harvest. If the wintering place for the kumquat is still quite warm, it is important to try to provide it with more light - poor lighting in combination with a warm microclimate often leads to leaf fall, and it is extremely difficult to reanimate the kumquat after that.

Since the kumquat is a lover of high humidity, it must be watered regularly and abundantly with soft and well-settled water. However, it is still not worth pouring too much into its roots - this can provoke their decay. You can also place the plant in wide trays filled with wet expanded clay and regularly spray it with water. Adult specimens are very partial to wiping the leaves with a damp sponge, as well as to bathing in the shower.

The acidity of the soil should ideally be as close to neutral as possible, and the kumquat should also be regularly pampered with good feeding. He especially needs phosphorus and potassium supplements - during the period of active growth they are given every ten days, and in winter their frequency is reduced to once a month. You can periodically feed the kumquat and wood ash infusion. And, of course, pruning should be carried out annually in the spring - they contribute to the activation of the growth of new branches, and this, in turn, has an extremely beneficial effect on the yield!