Buying Tangerines? Forget it! When grocery stores sell citrus, it’s often overpriced, and has likely been pumped full of preservatives. Instead of putting all of that gunk into your body, why not grow your own Tangerines? It will take some time for the first harvest, but soon you’ll never have to buy Tangerines again! Keep reading to learn how to grow your own.
Step 1
The first step in growing your own Tangerines is acquiring seeds! You can harvest these from a store-bought Tangerine, or you can purchase seeds directly from a nursery. However, if you propagate yours from a store-bought Tangerine, make sure you throughly rinse them prior to storage. The juices can cause premature rot and mold.
Step 2
It’s time to plant! Choose a planter that has drainage holes in the bottom, and fill it with a mixture of peat moss and compost. The soil needs to be one that is well-drained, or root rot may kill your Tangerines before you know it. When growing in containers, plant 2-3 seeds per container. Cover the container with plastic, and place in a warm, damp area, with moderate amounts of sunlight. The plastic provides a change in growing conditions, which will help your seeds sprout!
Step 3
Keep your seed mixture moist, but not overly damp. Take special care to never allow the soil to become completely dry while germinating. This process should take about three weeks.
Step 4
After the seeds have sprouted, remove the plastic covering. Keep the seedlings indoors until they are 6 inches tall, and then move your containers outdoors.
Step 5
Use an acidic soil base (one that is suited for Azaelas works best!). Because your trees are small, fertilize them at half the amount recommended on the package.
Step 6
You will need to repot your plant from time to time, because as you know: trees do grow! 😉 When it comes time to transplant, pick a container that is only slightly larger than the previous one. A pot that is too large can encourage over-watering, and help speed up the “root rot” process.
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