Many amateur flower growers want their green pets to not only please the eye, but also bring practical benefits, for example, give edible fruits. One of these fruit-bearing plants, which have recently become quite widespread - kumquat: one of the few citrus fruits grown at home.

The kumquat has many names:

• fortunella - the name comes from the genus of the plant,
• Kinkan - this is how the kumquat is called in Japan,
• Chinese mandarin, golden apple - popular names for kumquat,

and belongs to the genus Fortunella or Citrus of the rue family (Rutaceae).

In the wild, the kumquat is found in southeastern and southern China, and on an industrial scale, the fruit is grown throughout China, in Hong Kong, Japan, and in almost all other countries of East Asia.

In its natural environment, kumquat is a tree-like shrub with a dense crown in the shape of a ball, reaching up to 4 meters in height. In the conditions of home cultivation, the kumquat looks like a small tree with a dense crown, its maximum height is 1.5 meters. Kumquat leaves are compact (about 5 cm long), rich green in color, flowers are medium-sized, white or cream in color, with a characteristic citrus smell. The fruits, the main value for which Fortunella is grown, are small (about 5 cm), oval in shape, bright orange. The pulp of the fruit is edible, juicy, with a bright citrus flavor. The peel of the kumquat is also edible and has a pleasant sweetish taste.

Types of kumquat suitable for home cultivation

Almost all types of Chinese mandarin cultivated outdoors are also suitable for home cultivation, but flower growers give special preference to several varieties:

(Nagami Kumquat) is the most common variety. Fruits - sweet, the size and shape resemble an olive, are eaten with a peel. There are several recently bred subspecies:

• Nordmann (Nordmann Seedless Nagami Kumquat) - seedless form of kumquat,
• Variegatum (Variegatum) - a subspecies with decorative stripes on fruits that disappear after ripening

The Nagami variety is used not only to obtain fruits, but also as a basis for bonsai.

K. Nagami

Or kumquat japonica(Marumi Kumquat, Japonica Kumquat) is a small shrub with short thorns on the branches. Oval, tangerine-like, golden-orange fruits have an exquisite sweet taste. Kumquat Marumi is a fairly frost-resistant variety, therefore, in the southern regions of Russia it can be grown even in open ground.

K. Marumi

(Meiwa Kumquat) gives its owner yellow-orange, lemon-like fruits with a pleasant taste. The shrub itself is low, with a dense crown and small oval leaves. Even in the absence of fruits, Meiva's kumquat is quite capable of decorating the interior.

K. Meiva

Hong Kong kumquat(Fortunella hindsii) - unlike previous varieties, the fruits of this kumquat are not edible, and most of the fruit is occupied by bones. The Hong Kong kumquat is cultivated exclusively as an ornamental plant.

Malayan kumquat(Fortunella polyandra), as well as the Hong Kong kumquat, is grown only as a green interior decoration. In the countries of Southeast Asia, it is used as a hedge.

(Fortunella obovata), unlike the Malayan and Hong Kong kumquats, is quite edible, and its fruits have a delicate sweet taste.

K. Fukushi

In addition to various varieties of Fortunella, all kinds of kumquat hybrids with some citrus fruits can be cultivated as indoor plants: limequat (lime + kumquat), orangequat (orange + kumquat), lemonquat (lemon + kumquat), calamondin (tangerine + kumquat nagami) and many others .

How to grow a kumquat at home

We note right away that growing kumquat at home is not at all an easy task. All citrus fruits, and kumquats in particular, are quite capricious and require care and increased attention from the grower. But the return on them is great: the plants are not only beautiful, but also prolific, and who doesn’t want to try a tropical fruit grown with their own hands. Therefore, despite all the difficulties, kumquat can and should be grown at home, following a few rules for the maintenance and care of a delicate plant.

Temperature and lighting

In nature, kinkan grows in southern countries, where summers are hot and sunny, and winters are quite warm (about 10-15 ° C), therefore, with room content of citrus, it is necessary to create similar temperature conditions. The optimum temperature for the summer period is about 25-28 ° C, in winter the plant will feel comfortable at 10-12 ° C. Extremes (strong heat or, conversely, a decrease in temperature) must be excluded. In summer, a container with kumquat can be taken out into the open air.

In winter, for subsequent successful fruiting, kumquat is recommended to have a dormant period. To do this, citrus must be placed in the coolest (but not cold!) Place of the apartment, such as a loggia, and reduce watering. This mode contributes to further flowering and the appearance of fruits on the kumquat.

[!] Advice from flower growers: the warmer the wintering place of the kumquat, the more light the plant needs. If the kumquat is located in a warm, poorly lit place in winter, leaf fall is likely to begin. In the future, such a plant will be difficult to reanimate.

Lighting is also of great importance for growing kinkan, especially during the cold winter period. In summer, lighting should be diffused, without direct sunlight. In winter, on the contrary, it is recommended to provide citrus with intense natural light, and in its absence, additionally highlight the plant with a fitolamp.

Watering and humidity

The frequency of watering kumquat directly depends on the time of year: on hot days, in summer, citrus should be watered more often, and in winter, on the contrary, watering should be reduced. The need for watering is determined by the state of the earthy coma: if the soil has dried up by about 4-5 cm, the time has come for watering. Both excess and lack of moisture are equally harmful to kumquats. A flooded plant can become ill with root rot, and a completely dry earth will lead to the death of Fortunella. Excess water that appears in the pan after watering should be drained after thirty minutes.

[!] For watering kumquat, you need to use only filtered or settled water at room temperature.

Plants - natives of the subtropics, including kinkan, need moist air all year round. Spraying a kumquat from a spray bottle or placing a container of water next to a bowl will help increase the humidity of the air. Adult, healthy Fortunellas will sometimes benefit from water procedures: bathing in the shower and rubbing the leaves with a damp sponge.

transplant, soil, top dressing

The frequency of kumquat transplantation directly depends on the age of the plant. Young (0-1 year old) kinkans are transplanted 2 times a year, middle-aged kumquats (2-4 years old) - 1 time per year, adult plants no more than 1 time in 1-3 years. The kumquat itself will also help determine the need for a transplant: if roots stick out of the drainage hole, the plant needs to be moved to a new bowl.

[!] It is strongly not recommended to deepen the kumquat more than before transplantation - this can cause citrus to get sick and die.

The optimal transplant, the least traumatic kumquat is transshipment. In this case, all the old soil, together with the root system, is preserved and transferred to a large container, and new fresh soil is filled and compacted into free places.

If during the inspection of the root ball during transplantation, roots affected by rot were found, the transshipment method will not work. In this case, the rotten parts of the roots must be removed, the sections treated with root and, having completely replaced the substrate, plant the plant.

[!] When choosing a pot for transplanting, do not buy too big. The new container should be only 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. Too much earthen coma can cause root rot and lack of fruit on the kumquat.

The soil most suitable for planting kumquats should be slightly acidic, fairly loose (air and moisture permeable) and nutritious. From ready-made mixtures, special substrates for citrus fruits are suitable: Garden of Miracles, Vermion, Terra Vita with the addition of sand, perlite, crushed pine bark.

[!] Pay attention to the amount of peat in the finished soil mixture. Too much peat has a negative effect on the growth and development of kumquat.

We should not forget about drainage: a sufficiently high layer (about a quarter of the entire volume of the pot) will ensure the unhindered removal of excess fluid and the flow of air to the roots of Fortunella.

What fertilizers to use to feed homemade kumquat depends on the time of year and the phase of plant development. So, for example, during the growth period of the kinkan, nitrogen fertilizers are best suited, during the flowering period - phosphorus and potash, and during preparation for wintering - potash. There are also special fertilizers for citrus fruits - Reakom Mikom-Citrus, Miracle Garden Lemon, Fasco for citrus fruits, Cytovit, the composition of which must be carefully studied before use.

There are situations when kumquat feeding is not only ineffective, but even harmful:

• citrus disease, weakened plant,
• rooting cuttings,
• adaptation to new conditions after purchase,
• transplanting into new soil,
• rest period (wintering), especially at low temperatures

reproduction

Kumquat, like most domestic citrus fruits, reproduces in several ways:

• bone,
• cuttings
• vaccination
• shoot ringing

Bone reproduction- a method popular with beginner flower growers. Of course, it is quite possible to grow a kumquat from a stone, but it must be taken into account that a kinkan obtained in this way will grow for a very long time, and flowering and fruiting will occur only for 10-15 years.

In order to grow a kumquat from a stone, you need to take a few fresh (not dry!) ​​seeds, soak them in a root solution for several days and plant them in universal soil. After the seeds sprout and several leaves appear on each seedling, they can be picked out, that is, planted in separate pots. For picking, it is better to take the largest and healthiest seedlings. Further maintenance and care are the same as for an adult plant.

Reproduction by cuttings- the best way to guarantee the early development and fruiting of kumquat.

For cuttings, a branch about 10 cm long with several small leaves is selected and cut obliquely from above and below (the lower cut is immediately after the lower bud, the upper one is 5 mm above the uppermost bud). The lower cut is powdered with root or crushed coal, after which the cutting is planted: a layer of drainage and universal soil are poured into the bowl, in the middle of which, in the prepared recess, sand is poured. They plant the cutting in the sand, and in the future the roots will grow directly into the ground. The planted stalk is covered with a glass jar and watered regularly. After the appearance of new shoots, the jar can be gradually removed for a few minutes a day, and then completely removed.

Grafting and ringing shoots- quite complex and time-consuming methods of kumquat propagation, suitable only for experienced flower growers.

fruiting kumquat

The main question that worries flower growers growing kumquats is how to make citrus bear fruit.

• For early fruiting, it is necessary to take kumquats grown from cuttings. In this case, the appearance of the first fruits is possible as early as 5-6 years. If a kumquat has grown from a seed, the appearance of fruits may be significantly delayed or not come at all.
• It is important to regulate the flowering of kumquat: a large number of flowers weakens the plant and prevents the production of quality ovaries.
• Like flowers, excess ovaries must also be removed. It is better to leave one large and healthy ovary than several weakened ones. The optimal number of ovaries is one for 10-15 leaves.
• The kumquat is considered a fussy plant that is difficult to grow, so experienced flower growers often graft it onto a lemon, orange, or trifoliate. In this case, Fortunella will grow and bear fruit better.
• And finally, the last point is patience. Citrus fruits in general, and kumquats in particular, are not easy to keep in apartments, and their fruiting is the florist's aerobatics. But with a certain amount of patience and perseverance, it is quite possible to enjoy your own tropical fruit.

Diseases, pests and growing problems

The main pests of kumquat are spider mites and scale insects.

The reason for the appearance of spider mites is excessively dry indoor air. If the plant is slightly infected, spraying with plain water will help. In the case when the spider mite colony has grown, modern insecticides will come to the rescue.

The defeat of the scale insect occurs due to the incorrect content of the kumquat. To combat this pest, mechanical methods are used (collection of scale insects from leaves) and treatment with Aktara.

Unfortunately, the kumquat is susceptible to many diseases, many of which appear only on citrus plants - malsecco, gommosis, xylopsoriasis, and so on. However, kumquats do not bypass common plant diseases - root rot, and others. In order to cure kumquat, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the disease and determine the nature of its origin (viruses, bacteria, fungi). And the best prevention of all kumquat diseases will be the correct and timely care of the plant.

Consider some of the problems that arise when growing kumquats in more detail.

Kumquat losing leaves:

• Most likely, the plant overwintered in a too warm place; a dormant period with a decrease in temperature was not organized. What to do: place the kumquat in a bright and cool place during the cold season, reduce watering, that is, organize the correct wintering.
• Leaf fall is also observed some time after the purchase of the plant. This is an inevitable process associated with a change in the conditions of the kumquat. What to do: remove all fruits, ovaries and buds; examine the roots for the presence of rot (if necessary, rinse the soil), treat the kumquat with growth biostimulants (Epin, Athlete, Amulet), place the crown of the tree in a plastic bag for 10-14 days.

Newly appearing kumquat leaves are stretched. The probable cause is a change in the illumination conditions of the kinkan after purchase. What to do: if the leaves do not fall, nothing needs to be done, in the future the plant itself will adjust the size of the leaf.

Yellow spots on kumquat leaves, drying tip of the leaf. Most likely, the kinkan is overfed with fertilizer, as these symptoms indicate a chemical burn. What to do: for a while, completely eliminate all top dressing and, if possible, rinse the soil.

Kumquat ovaries fall off. It's OK. it is a natural process. The plant itself regulates the number of ovaries, as a result, only the most healthy and viable remain.

Kumquat: benefits and harms

The benefits of kumquat are obvious - this is the exquisite taste of the fruit, the beauty of the tree, and the ability to help with certain diseases. And, if everything is clear with the decorative and taste qualities of the plant, then it is worth talking about its medicinal properties in more detail:

1. Kumquat is used in the prevention and treatment of colds;
2. Widely used during the diet, as a source of essential vitamins and minerals;
3. A large amount of fiber and pectin stimulate intestinal motility;
4. Helps with fungal diseases;
5. It removes harmful substances and excess fluid from the body.

But, as you know, in every barrel of honey there is a fly in the ointment. This can be said about kumquat: unfortunately, not everyone is useful fortunella. Kumquat should not be consumed in the following cases:

1. Allergy to citrus fruits;
2. Increased acidity of the stomach;
3. kidney disease;
4. Pregnancy and lactation.

Well, in general, kumquat is a wonderful plant that can give the owner magnificent and very useful fruits.

And finally, a recipe using kumquat.

Kumquat jam

You will need: 1 kg of kumquats, 1 kg of sugar, juice from two oranges and lemons.

Preparation: Cut the kumquats in half, remove the seeds. Pour the prepared fruits with sugar and pour over the juice, leave for 2-4 hours. Boil the resulting mass over low heat for half an hour, cool and repeat the procedure. Arrange the finished jam in sterilized jars.

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This attractive evergreen citrus tree of the genus Fortunella is called "kinkan" by the Japanese, which means "golden orange", and the Chinese - "kumquat" ("golden apple"). The homeland of the kumquat is China (its southern and southeastern parts), from where this plant was brought to Europe and America in the 19th century. At the time of fruiting, the tree is completely covered with small golden yellow or bright orange fruits. Kinkan fruits are elongated-oval or rounded in shape - they are the smallest among citrus fruits, the size of a medium grape or a large olive.

In the genus Fortunella (Fortunella) there are two subgenera and several types of kumquats; the so-called citrus margarita (F. margarita) and Japanese kinkan (F. japonica) are common. There are numerous natural and artificial hybrids of kumquat and citrus plants: calamondin(mandarin X kumquat), limequat(lime and kumquat), orangequat(mandarin X kumquat), citrumquat(citrus trifoliata X kumquat japanese) citranquat(citrus trifoliata X orange X kumquat), citranjine (a hybrid of kumquat and tangerine x a hybrid of trifoliate and orange) and others.
The kumquat tree has many advantages: it is distinguished by its miniature and compact growth, actively bushes and develops a beautiful dense crown with small leaves, blooms with fragrant white flowers with pinkness and bears abundant fruit. Therefore, kinkan is very popular, it is grown with pleasure by flower growers in the house, and is often used to create bonsai. In order for the decorative kumquat tree to remain compact, the size of its pot is limited.

Under room conditions, a kinkan tree grows up to 1.5 meters; such a plant requires a very large container for normal development. For room culture, all varieties of kinkan are good, as well as its hybrid with sour tangerine. At home, often grown kinkan varieties "Marumi", "Nagami" (an olive-shaped fruit, orange), "Meiwa" (sweet round fruit), "Indio Mandarinquat" (orange bell-shaped fruit; it is slightly larger than most varieties kinkan). These varieties of kumquat are resistant, withstand temperatures down to -10-12 degrees.

In kinkan trees in room conditions, the growth period begins from late April to early May and lasts 30-50 days, depending on the conditions of detention. Unlike the main citrus fruits, the adult kinkan has one, and the young plants have two growth periods; growth averages 6-10 cm.
Kinkan blooms in July-August; flowering lasts 5-7 days. 2-3 weeks after the first flowering, the tree may bloom again. The flowers of the kumquat are bisexual; Cross-pollination, but self-pollination is also possible. Kinkan flowering, like all indoor citrus fruits, can and should be regulated. The fruits ripen in December-January.

Kumquat Care

Lighting. In the summer, the kinkan tree should be kept in diffused sunlight. In winter, on the contrary, you should create maximum natural light and access to direct sunlight by placing peas with a plant on the south window. Artificial illumination is also practiced in winter.

Temperature. Kumquat loves hot summers (25-30 degrees) and cool winters (15-18 degrees). The tree really likes summer maintenance in the fresh air, in the garden. Kinkan should be protected from excessive overheating during the day and from hypothermia at night. To prevent overheating of kumquat roots and to avoid rapid drying of the soil in a pot, it is placed in a box with wet moss, peat, sand or sawdust, or the pot is dropped into the soil of the garden for the summer, or whitewashed from the outside, or cover the container from sunlight with insulating material. The earth in a pot is mulched from above with manure, peat, grass, etc. During the period of budding, flowering and fruit setting of the kinkan, the optimum air and soil temperature is 15-18 degrees.

Air humidity. Kinkan loves humid air. With high dryness of the air (especially in winter), the kumquat often sheds leaves, it is attacked by pests (scale insects, spider mites). The relative humidity of the air can be increased by regularly spraying the crown of the kinkan with settled water at room temperature, as well as by installing bowls of water on radiators or next to the tree in winter.

Watering. It is important to maintain sufficient and regular watering of the kumquat. In spring, a kinkan tree is usually watered every other day, in summer - daily, maintaining optimal soil moisture. In winter, kumquat should be watered rarely and moderately (1-2 times a week). For watering the kinkan, it is better to use settled water with a temperature not lower than room temperature; from cold water, the kumquat leaves turn yellow and fall off.

top dressing. The timing of application and the amount of fertilizer, their ratio depends on the size of the container, on the nutritional value of the soil, on the age and condition of the plant, on the season and other factors. The smaller the pot size and the larger the plant, the more often it is fertilized. From March to September, fruit-bearing kumquat trees are usually fed 2-3 times a month, and in the rest of the period - no more than 1 time per month.
The kinkan tree is fertilized with an aqueous solution of mineral fertilizers at the rate of: 2-3 g of ammonium nitrate, 1-2 g of potassium salt or potassium chloride and 4-6 g of simple superphosphate dissolved in 1 liter of water. It is useful to feed the kumquat with a solution of wood ash. In spring and summer, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers (without chlorine!) is useful to alternate with the introduction of slurry (1 part cow manure to 10 parts water).

Transfer. The fruiting kinkan is transplanted in late February-early March (before the growth of shoots begins) no more than 2-3 years later. Transplantation of kumquat from a smaller container to a larger one is carried out by transshipment, while avoiding damage to the earth clod braided with roots. When transplanting, the drainage is completely renewed; as a drainage, fragments of shards are placed on the bottom of the container with the convex side up, on top of which coarse-grained sand (3-4 cm) is poured. A layer of fertile soil is laid on the drainage, corresponding to the increased height of the pot. Partially, avoiding damage to the roots, they replace the top layer of soil in an earthen coma. The formed side cracks between the walls of the new pot and the clod of earth with roots are filled with fresh soil mixture, compacting it along the walls. The transplanted kinkan tree is watered abundantly and placed in a warm shaded place for 10-15 days. During this period, daily spraying of its crown with tepid water is useful.

For the cultivation of kumquat, a soil mixture is used, consisting of soddy soil, fertile and structural garden soil, rotted manure or leaf humus with the addition of medium-grained sand in a ratio (2: 1: 1: 0.5). For young plants, a relatively light soil mixture is required, and for fruit-bearing kumquat trees, a heavier one (the amount of soddy or garden soil is increased by 1.5-2 times).

reproduction. Kinkan, like all citrus fruits, can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting:

- seeds kumquats are planted in a pot with a mixture of garden soil and river sand. The first shoots usually appear after 30-40 days, and sometimes after 2 months. Kinkan seedlings dive in the phase of 4-5 leaves; they react painfully to the transplant. Previously (10-15 days before picking), without removing the plants from the soil, their taproots are pruned - without such pruning, they do not branch, but grow in length and twist at the bottom of the pot in rings. The operation of pruning the roots is carried out with a knife at a depth of 8-10 cm, introducing it into the soil at an angle of 45 ° at a distance of 8-10 cm from the plant. When picking, kumquat seedlings are carefully removed from the pot and transplanted into individual pots.
Plants grown from seeds do not retain varietal characteristics, come into fruition late (after 10 years and later). The seed method of propagation of kinkan is used only for breeding purposes and for growing rootstocks.
When kept indoors, the kumquat is propagated mainly by cuttings.

- cuttings kumquat can be done throughout the year, but the best results are obtained by doing this work in April. Pre-planting treatment of kinkan cuttings with a growth stimulator (for example, an aqueous solution of the KANU preparation at a concentration of 100-150 mg / l throughout the day) accelerates the process of root formation, increases the number of established cuttings and improves root development.

For cutting kinkan cuttings, autumn shoots harvested from healthy fruit-bearing plants are used. Green, flexible, still insufficiently lignified shoots are cut into cuttings 5-8 cm long with two or three buds. The lower perpendicular cut of the cutting is made 0.5 cm below the kidney, the upper (oblique) - 1 cm above the last kidney. The leaf blades of the cutting, depending on their size, are cut off by a third or by 2/3. The lower sections of the cuttings are covered with charcoal powder to avoid decay.
Rooting of kumquat cuttings is carried out in a pot under a glass jar. But the bottom of the pot is laid with drainage (sand, gravel), covered with a thin layer of sphagnum moss, a layer of fertile soil is poured on top and slightly compacted, then covering it with a layer of washed river sand 3-4 cm thick. Plant 3- 5 kumquat cuttings to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, cover them with a glass jar and put the pot in a warm place, in diffused sunlight.

Caring for kumquat cuttings consists in maintaining the optimum air temperature (20-25 degrees) and regular watering with water, the temperature of which should be 2-3 degrees higher than room temperature. Under these conditions, roots form in the cuttings of the kinkan in 15-20 days, the buds quickly begin to grow. Rooted plants are planted in pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm with a soil mixture consisting of 2 parts of soddy soil, 1 part of leaf humus or decomposed manure and 1/2 part of river sand.

When breeding kumquat layering on a fruit-bearing plant in the spring they take
an annual shoot or branch 20-25 cm long and 0.5-0.6 cm thick. Above 10 cm from the base of the branch, two annular cuts are made in the bark (0.8-1 cm apart) and the bark ring is removed. All kinkan leaves located 5 cm above and below the ring are cut off. A small plastic container (7-8 cm in diameter) is carefully cut along the center, two semicircles are cut in the center along the thickness of the branch (shoot) on the halves of the bottom. The container is tied to a branch (shoot) of a kumquat in such a way that the place where the bark is cut is located in the center of the container. The halves of the container are fastened with wire and filled with a peat-sand mixture (1: 1); the substrate is periodically moistened. After 20-30 days, roots form above the annular incision of the bark. After about 2 months, the kumquat shoot (branch) below the bottom of the container is cut off, its halves are carefully separated, a new plant with a lump of soil is transplanted into a pot with a diameter of 12-15 cm. The rooted kinkan is watered regularly and abundantly, placed for 10-15 days in a shaded place and then exposed to diffused sunlight.

When breeding kumquat vaccination the rootstock is usually its seedlings, which have reached a thickness of 0.6-0.8 cm at the base. It is also recommended to graft kinkan shoots onto the rootstock of a three-leafed poncirus or grapefruit. A frequently practiced method of grafting is with a butt shield or the usual budding of a cultivated variety behind the bark. Kinkan grafting is carried out during the period of sap flow and active growth of shoots on the scion and rootstock.
After a month and a half, when the eyes take root, the aerial part of the kumquat seedlings
cut off to the place of vaccination and proceed to the formation of the crown from the growing shoot. Wild shoots on the stump are removed.

Kinkans, grown from cuttings and layering, bear fruit somewhat earlier than grafted plants, but develop worse and are more affected by gum disease. Grafted kumquats are more hardy and resistant to adverse growth factors.

Kumquat pleases flower growers not only with the appearance of a slender and fluffy tree, but also with wonderful taste, very fragrant fruits, containing a large amount of essential oils, vitamins and nutrients. Dessert and very piquant fresh kinkan fruits are eaten whole, without peeling, because they have a very thin skin, slightly tart, tightly adjacent to the sweetish or sour pulp. Sour fruits of kumquat are good as a snack for strong drinks. Kinkan fruits are also used in cooking: they are used to decorate the table, added to fruit salads, sauces are made from them, baked with meat and fish, jam is made from them, candied and candied fruits are made. Since ancient times, the bactericidal fruits of kinkan have been used in folk medicine of the East to treat fungal infections, respiratory diseases, and even to relieve hangovers.

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For many flower growers, having a plant that not only pleases the eye, but also bears fruit is a fixed idea. One of these fruit-bearing plants, which has gained immense popularity recently - kumquat, it is a citrus plant that can be grown at home.

Did you know? Kumquat means "golden apple" in Chinese..

Description of the kumquat, how it appeared in our area

So, kumquat, what is it? It is an evergreen tree from the citrus family. Kumquat has gained considerable popularity among gardeners. China is considered the birthplace of the kumquat.

In the twentieth century, it was brought to the American and European continents, now it grows in almost all countries, and they call it - japanese orange. In the wild, the kumquat grows in southern and southeastern China.

The domestic kumquat shrub is very miniature and compact, with a well-developed ball-shaped crown (due to dense tillering) and small leaves. Kumquat blooms with pink and white flowers with a pleasant persistent smell, which give abundant fruiting.

The maximum height of the plant is 1.5 m, the leaves are up to 5 cm long, have a rich green color, the flowers are small, have a strong citrus smell. The main value of kumquat are fruits. They are small, do not exceed 5 cm, have an oval shape, orange in color and very bright.

Outwardly, the kumquat looks like a small orange, but it tastes like a tangerine with only one difference - the kumquat has an edible peel. The skin is very sweet, but the flesh is slightly sour. It is customary to eat a kumquat with the whole peel, so the sour pulp and sweet peel will mix and give a pleasant, balanced taste.

How to choose a place to plant a kumquat (kinkan)

In order for the kumquat to grow well and give a big harvest, he needs to find the right place. Let's see how to care for a kumquat at home?

What should be the temperature and lighting

In the summer, diffused sunlight will be quite enough for the kumquat. If the weather is not particularly hot, then direct sunlight will do. It is also recommended to take it out to the balcony, to the garden or to the vegetable garden, so that the tree is saturated with street freshness.

In winter, the plant needs a lot of light, so it is better to put it on a well-lit windowsill. If possible, the kumquat can be additionally illuminated with lamps.

Air temperature plays an important role in plant development. In summer, the kumquat needs a temperature of 25-30°C for good growth, and in winter, about 18°C ​​will be enough for him.

Air humidity and kumquat cultivation

Kumquat is a plant that prefers growing indoors with high humidity. If the air is too dry, it will quickly shed its leaves. Often this happens after the start of the heating season, when the air temperature rises sharply in the apartments.

To prevent such troubles, you need to spray the plant from the spray gun as often as possible. If there is an opportunity and desire, then you can arrange a kumquat once a week for a “bath day” and wash it in the shower.

Important! If in winter the kumquat is in a room with a low temperature, then you need to exclude the shower and spray the plant less often. Due to high humidity and low temperatures, fungal diseases can appear.

How to prepare the soil for planting

When asking the question: “How to grow a kumquat at home?”, You should first of all be interested in the composition of the soil for the growth of this plant.

The first thing to know about kumquat soil is that it should be equal parts garden soil and river sand. Before mixing, the sand is well calcined in the oven.

Then the treated and mixed soil is poured into a pot no more than 8 cm in diameter, but high. Previously, drainage in the form of coarse-grained sand or expanded clay is poured into the bottom of the pot.

Kumquat planting rules

So, how to plant a plant in order to grow a beautiful and strong kumquat at home? It is necessary to plant it in a soil mixture of sand and soil, for better nutrition of the roots, you can add a little humus.

It is better to put a pot with a plant on a sunny windowsill, where it will "bath" in the sun's rays, grow and grow stronger. Next to the kumquat is to put a container of water to increase the humidity. You can place kumquat among other plants, then they will nourish each other with moisture.

Kumquat care, how to grow a citrus tree

Kumquat is a very demanding plant that needs special conditions to grow. In order for it to grow well, it needs to create a favorable microclimate.

Watering the plant

Kumquats need moderate watering in autumn and spring, while watering should be reduced in winter. But in the summer it is necessary to water the kumquat as often as possible.

It would be better if you make it a rule to water your kumquat in the morning. Water must be at least room temperature if you pour cold water on a plant, all its leaves will simply fall off.

To prevent stagnation of water in the soil, drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot. Drainage in the form of small pebbles can also be added to the soil mixture itself.

Important! In summer, water at least 3 times a week. Check the dryness of the soil to determine the frequency of watering..

Top dressing and fertilization

How often a kumquat needs to be fed, and how much fertilizer a kumquat needs depends on many factors. The composition of the soil, the age of the tree and its condition are taken into account, and the size of the pot in which the kumquat grows is also important.

In the period from March to September, plants that bear fruit need to be fed at least 3 times a month, the rest of the time you can feed once a month and a half. Fertilizers should consist of 2.5 g of ammonium nitrate, 1.5 g of potassium salt or potassium chloride, 1.5 g of superphosphate and a liter of water.

How to form the crown of the "golden orange"

In order for the kumquat to have a presentable appearance and begin to bear fruit faster, you need to form its crown. First of all, it is important to form the correct trunk.

The already grown trunk is cut at a height of 20 centimeters. It is necessary to leave well-developed buds, there should be at least 4 of them. Later, skeletal shoots will form from these buds, which will form the basis of the tree.

These shoots are called "shoots of the first order", they should turn out 3-4, they need to be located on different sides of the trunk. Each next order of shoots is made shorter by 5 centimeters. The last will be the 4th order of branches.

If you do everything right, then your kumquat will begin to bear fruit much faster, and its appearance will delight you.

Plant transplant

The kumquat should be transplanted before the shoots begin to grow, usually in mid-spring. However, a kumquat growing at home should be transplanted no more than once every 2-3 years.

A kumquat transplant consists in transshipment of an earthen clod and rhizomes without damaging them. The drain is completely replaced with a new one.

Possible gaps between the walls of the new pot and the earthy clod are filled with fresh soil. After that, you need to place the tree in a warm dark place and moisten well.

While the kumquat will stand there, its crown must be constantly sprayed with warm water.

Kumquat breeding

Like all citrus fruits, kumquats can be propagated using: seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting. Let's take a closer look at each type of reproduction.

In order for a full-fledged kumquat to grow from seeds, they need to be planted in a mixture of river sand and ordinary garden soil. You can observe the first shoots after a month and a half.

Seedlings germinate with 4 leaves. When the plant gets stronger, it can be prepared for transplantation. 2 weeks before the planned transplant, cut the taproots of the plant.

Important! While cutting the roots, the plant must not be removed from the ground..

If you don't trim the roots, they will curl rather than grow in length. To cut the roots, use a sharp knife at an angle of 45 ° at a distance of 10 cm from the plant, pass the knife. "Cropped" seedlings are carefully removed from the pot and seated.

Plants grown from seeds do not retain the characteristics of their variety. For example, they begin to bear fruit after 10 years, or even more.

Kumquat cuttings

This is the main method of reproduction in home cultivation. You can cut the kumquat throughout the year, but the best results are obtained in April.

By treating the cuttings before planting with a special growth stimulator, you will speed up the process of proper root formation, which contributes to the emergence of more cuttings and better development of the root system.

For cutting cuttings, shoots are used, which were harvested from fruit-bearing plants in the fall. Flexible and not stiff shoots are cut into 8 cm cuttings with several buds. The lower sections of the cuttings, so that they do not start to rot, are sprinkled with charcoal.

Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot, which is covered with moss, soil mixture is poured on top. 5 kumquat cuttings are planted in a pot at a depth of 2 cm. All this is covered with a glass jar and placed under diffused sunlight.

After 2-3 weeks, the cuttings form roots. Rooted plants can be planted in separate pots.

Reproduction by layering

For reproduction by layering, a one-year-old shoot or branch is chosen in the spring for a fruit-bearing kumquat. Above 10 cm, two annular cuts are made on the branch and the ring of bark is removed.

Next, you need to cut off all the leaves that are above and below the incision. The plastic bottle is cut along the center. On each half at the bottom, 2 semicircles are cut out in the center, the thickness should correspond to the thickness of the branch.

The bottle must be tied to a branch so that the cut of the bark is right in the center of the container. 2 halves of the bottle need to be fastened and filled with soil mixture, periodically need to be moistened.

After 2 months, the kumquat below the bottom of the bottle must be cut off, the halves of the bottle should be carefully separated and the resulting plant with an earthy clod should be transplanted into a separate pot. Place the pot where the kumquat grows in your home.

plant grafting

To be able to propagate the kumquat by grafting, you need to have seedlings of the plant that have already reached a thickness of 1 cm at the base. They also recommend grafting kumquat shoots onto a grapefruit or three-leafed poncirus rootstock. Often they practice grafting with a butt shield or simple budding with a cultivar eye.

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Kumquat can grow on any windows, except for the northern ones. Summer he loves quite warm - up to 25-30 ° C. It's good to take it out to the garden or to the loggia, providing diffused sunlight. So that the roots do not overheat, the pot can be dug into the soil. In winter, he prefers relative coolness - 10-15°C. If such a temperature cannot be ensured, then in the fall it begins to be illuminated, maximizing the illumination in winter. In the cold period, from time to time you need to check
window sill temperature. It can differ significantly from the temperature in the room, and from a large difference in these values, the plant turns yellow and the leaves fall off.

Like all citrus fruits, the kumquat loves fairly humid air. Otherwise, it begins to drop leaves, is attacked by spider mites and scale insects. Regular spraying does not solve the problem. Install water bowls nearby, or even better, get an automatic humidification system.

The earth is maintained in a moderately moist state, avoiding either waterlogging or drying out. If the plant is in a small pot, water when the topsoil has dried. Large specimens in large containers are watered after the soil has dried to a depth of at least 5-7 cm. Water is used settled, at room temperature. If the water is very hard, add 1/4 tsp to an 8 liter plastic bucket. oxalic acid: excess magnesium and calcium salts will settle to the bottom and walls of the container. You can use it after a day.

During the dormant period - from mid-October to February - plants do not feed. During growth - from March to the end of September - they "feed" at least once a month (and more often in spring and in the first half of summer, slightly increasing the nitrogen content, and at the end of the growing season - less often and reducing the amount of nitrogen). It is desirable that mineral fertilizers do not contain chlorine. Periodic organic top dressing is also needed. Both alternate. To simplify the work, so-called long-acting fertilizer sticks are used. Fertilizer sticks are placed in the pot only when transplanting, placing along the periphery of the pot.

Adults, and especially fruit-bearing, plants are transplanted every two to three years in late February - early March. Young plants - as needed, when the size of the pot begins to noticeably yield to the size of the crown. It is better to use the transshipment method, in which the roots are not cleared of the substrate, and the clod of earth is preserved as much as possible. At the same time, they try to carefully replace the top layer of soil. You can use ready-made earthen mixes for citrus fruits or prepare them yourself from soddy soil, fertile garden soil, well-rotted manure or leaf humus and coarse sand or vermiculite (2: 1: 1: 1). Washed expanded clay or gravel is suitable as drainage. The latter is heavier and gives the pot more stability.

The transplanted tree is watered abundantly and placed in a moderately warm place for a couple of weeks, periodically spraying the crown with warm water.

To form a uniform crown, the plants slowly (about 10 degrees every 10-11 days) turn about their axis - kumquats do not like sharp turns in relation to the light source. This should not be forgotten when transplanting: the "front" part of the plant is marked with a ribbon, and, having transplanted it, the pot is placed in the same way. Otherwise, this will lead to a sharp fall of most of the leaves.

Kumquats are propagated by layering, grafting, cuttings and seeds. The last method is the easiest, but the fruits will have to wait more than 7-8 years. In addition, varietal characteristics may not be preserved in the offspring.

Kumquat means "golden orange" in Chinese. This fruit has the species name Fortunella, and belongs to the genus Citrus of the rue family known to us.

The genus Fortunella has 2 subgenera and 4 species. We sell more often the fruits of the species Fortunella margarita (synonymous with Citrus margarita). Cultivated in China and Japan - sometimes kinkan is also called Japanese orange. The homeland of the plant is Southeast Asia, in particular Southeast China (Guangzhou). However, in the wild, it is practically not found here now, but cultural forms are widely known. In Europe, this type of citrus has not yet become widespread.

The first descriptions of the kinkan are found in the works of ancient Chinese authors. This plant is also mentioned in European treatises (for the first time in 1646). The first scientific botanical description of the kinkan in 1912 was made by the Algerian botanist Traby. It is an evergreen miniature branching tree with ovoid or oval fruits that are golden yellow, orange or fiery orange. The fruits are quite small - 3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm in diameter. The peel of the fruit is smooth, fragrant, and tastes sweet and spicy. The pulp is juicy, with a fresh, sour and slightly tart taste. The fruit usually contains 4-7 cloves, 2-5 seeds. Ripens February-March. A fairly winter-hardy citrus species, winters well, for example, in Sochi, where winters are sometimes quite cold.

Among citrus fruits, there are many natural and artificially bred hybrid forms. Kin-kan, or kumquat, is a wonderful illustration of this property of solar fruits. For example, calamondin is a hybrid of mandarin and kumquat (spontaneously originated in China). Lime quat is a hybrid combination of lime and kumquat, orangequat is tangerine and kumquat, citrum quat is a hybrid of trifoliata (three-leafed lemon) and Japanese kumquat, citranzhquat appeared as a result of crossing trifoliata, orange and kumquat, etc. etc.

The appearance and taste of hybrid fruits can be very different. In calamondin, for example, the fruits are round-depressed, with a thin peel, lagging behind the pulp when ripe, and very sour juice.

Kinkan is eaten fresh - fruits with peel. Due to the pleasant flavor combination of peel and pulp, kinkan is often used to make candied fruits, compotes and jams are also made from fruits. Used in cocktails, getting an orange flavor. Kinkan is added to fruit salads, various desserts are prepared with it.

Updated: 2019-07-09 21:29:44

• The pulse is a mirror of all processes occurring in the body. The discovery of the pulse and its diagnostic value is attributed to the ancient Chinese physician Wian