Growing your own fruits is beneficial as long as you know what you are doing. You get the security knowing that your food is clean and fresh, and you can save a considerable amount of money. However, space and location can narrow down the choice of fruits you can cultivate. That being said, growing your own tangerines might be a viable option for you.
Tangerines
Citrus Tangerina, more commonly known as the tangerine, is a group of mandarin orange hybrids. Here in the U.S., one of the most common varieties of the fruit is the Clementine, which can often be bought in grocery stores. Tangerine trees thrive in tropical or sub-tropical climates, but have higher cold tolerance than other citrus. They are hardy enough to survive as long as the temperatures do not fall below freezing for an extended period of time. If you are planning on growing your own, it is recommended to get a dwarf tangerine tree instead of trying to grow a tangerine tree from seed. Various tangerine tree varieties can easily be found for sale online which you can pot and grow indoors.
Tangerine Varieties
There are many varieties you can choose from. Get an Algerian tangerine tree if you prefer seedless clementines for cooking or for marmalades. Honey tangerine trees, on the other hand, produce medium-sized fruits that contain some seeds. They are in season around mid-winter to early spring. Another good option is a Sunburst tangerine tree, which is quite popular. In season during late fall and winter months, this thornless tangerine variety produces loose-skinned, medium-sized fruits that are perfect for eating out of hand. If you prefer a larger fruit, then getting a Satsuma tangerine tree is perfect for you. The tree is comparatively larger than other tangerines, but its sweet and seedless fruit is well sought after. A Dancy tangerine tree is another good choice. When in season during the late fall to winter months, you can harvest its slightly pear-shaped, medium-sized fruits. These fruits have some seeds and are well-loved for their sweet and tart flavor with a hint of spice.
Tree Care
- When repotting your tree, be sure to leave some allowance for the roots to expand. A couple of inches around the root ball is enough. Wash off the peat around the rootball since they can make the soil more acidic while tangerine trees like neutral soil pH. After that, you can then proceed to transfer your tree to a pot or container. Make sure to fill the area around the roots with soil. Repotting should be done every 3 to 4 years.
- Young trees need a lot of water, so keep the soil moist but not soggy for two weeks, allowing it to settle in to its new pot or container. Make sure to place the tree in a sunny place.
- During the summer, you can place your dwarf trees outdoors, just make sure to return them indoors before winter.
Tangerines usually start bearing fruit between 2 to 3 years, and need to be hand-pollinated when grown indoors.