This is an attractive evergreen citrus tree genus Fortunella Japanese call "Kinkala", which means "golden orange", and the Chinese - "kumquat" ("golden apple"). Kumquat is considered the birthplace of China (the southern and south-eastern part), which is a plant in the XIX century it was brought to Europe and America. At the time of fruiting tree completely covered with fine golden-yellow or bright orange fruit. Fruits of Kinkala form elongated-oval or round - they are the smallest among citrus, grape size of an average or large olive.
In the genus Fortunella (Fortunella) are two of the subgenus and several species of kumquats; the so-called common citrus margarita (F. margarita) and Kinkala Japanese (F. japonica). There are numerous natural and artificial hybrids kumquat and citrus plants: Calamondin (mandarin x kumquat) Limequat (lime and kumquat) oranzhekvat (mandarin x kumquat) tsitrumkvat (Citrus trifoliata x kumquat Japanese) tsitranzhkvat (Citrus trifoliata x x orange kumquat), tsitranzhdin (hybrid kumquat and mandarin hybrid x trifoliata and orange) and others.
Kumquat tree has many advantages: different miniature and compact growth, actively develops beautiful bush and dense crown with a few leaves, fragrant white blooms with flowers and rozoviznoy abundant fruits. Therefore Kinkala is very popular, happy grown growers in the house, often used for bonsai. To decorative tree kumquat preserve compactness, limit the size of its pot.
In the indoor environment tree grows Kinkala to 1.5 meters; this plant for the normal development requires a very large container. For room culture are good all sorts of Kinkala, and its hybrid with sour tangerine. At home, often grown varieties Kinkala "Marum", "Nagas" (fruit in the form of olive, orange), "Maeve" (sweet round fruit), "Indio Mandarinquat" (bell-shaped orange fruit; it is a little larger than most varieties Kinkala). These varieties are resistant kumquat, kept lowering the temperature to -10-12 °C.
Trees Kinkala in ambient conditions during the growing season begins in late April and early May and lasts 30-50 days depending on the conditions. In contrast to the major citrus Kinkala adult has one, and young plants - two periods of growth; increase in average 6-10 cm.
Kinkala blooms in July and August; bloom lasts 5-7 days. 2-3 weeks after the first flowering tree can blossom again. Flowers in kumquat bisexual; cross-pollination, but possibly self-pollination. Flowering Kinkala, like all citrus fruits grown in ambient conditions, and can be adjusted. The fruits ripen in December-January.
Plant care
Lighting. In the summer, it is necessary to keep the tree Kinkala in diffused sunlight. In winter, on the contrary, it should create the maximum natural light and access to direct sunlight, having goroshok with a plant on the south window. Practice and artificial supplementary lighting in winter.
Temperature. Kumquat loves hot summer (25-30 °C) and cool winter (15-18 °C). Sapling enjoy summertime content in the fresh air in the garden. Kinkala should be protected from excessive temperature in the daytime and hypothermia at night. This prevents the roots of kumquat and avoid fast draining soil in the pot, it is placed in a box with damp moss, peat, sand or sawdust, or added dropwise pot in garden soil for the summer, or bleach from the outside, or cover the container from sunlight insulating material. Earth in a pot on top of mulch with manure, peat, grass, etc. During budding, flowering and fruit Kinkala optimal air and soil temperature is 15-18 °C.
Humidity. Kinkala loves moist air. At high dry air (especially in winter) kumquat often clears leaves his attacking pests (Jose scale, spider mites). Relative humidity can increase the regular spraying crown Kinkala defend water at room temperature, as well as the installation of heating in the winter on batteries or small tree next to the bowls with water.
Watering. It is important to maintain an adequate and regular watering kumquat. Spring tree Kinkala usually watered every other day, in the summer - every day, maintaining optimum soil moisture. Kumquat winter should be watered sparingly and rarely (1-2 times a week). For better use of irrigation Kinkala-settled water with a temperature below room temperature; of cold water in kumquat leaves turn yellow and fall off.
Fertilizing. Terms of payment and amount of fertilizer, their ratio depends on the size of the container, from the fertile soil, the age and condition of the plant, the time of year and other factors. The smaller the size of the pot and the larger the plant, the more likely it fertilizes. From March to September, fruiting trees kumquat usually fed 2-3 times a month, and in the rest of the period - not more than 1 time per month.
Tree Kinkala fertilize an aqueous solution of mineral fertilizers at the rate of 2-3 g of ammonium nitrate, 2.1 g of potassium salt or potassium chloride and 4.6 g of simple superphosphate, dissolved in 1 liter of water. Useful fertilizing kumquat wood ash solution. Spring and summer fertilization (no chlorine!) Is useful to alternate with the introduction of slurry (1 part cow manure to 10 parts water).
Transplantation. Fertile Kinkala transplanted in late February-early March (before the shoot growth), not more than 2-3 years. Kumquat transplant from a smaller to a larger container handling process is carried out, while avoiding damage to the earth coma, braided roots. When transplanting fully update drainage; as a drain on the bottom of the container is placed shards shards convex side up, on top of which is poured coarse sand (3-4 cm). On the drainage stack layer of fertile soil, appropriate to increase the height of the pot. Partly to avoid root damage, replace the top layer of soil in the earthen coma. The resulting gap between the side walls of the new pot and a clod of earth with roots filled with fresh potting soil, compacting it along the walls. Transplanted tree Kinkala abundantly watered and placed for 10-15 days in a warm place pritenennoe. During this period, useful daily spraying his crown with lukewarm water.
For the cultivation of the soil used kumquat mixture of sod land, fertile soil and structural vegetable garden, rotted manure or leaf mold with the addition of medium sand in the ratio (2:1:1:0.5). For young plants require relatively light soil mix, and for fruit trees kumquat - more severe (number of garden soil or sod increase by 1.5-2 times).
Reproduction. Kinkala, like all citrus fruits, can be propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering and grafting:
Kumquat seeds are planted in a pot with a mixture of garden soil and river sand. The first shoots appear usually after 30-40 days, and sometimes in 2 months. Seedlings Kinkala dive in phase 4-5 leaves; they are painfully react to transplant. Pre (10-15 days before the pick), without removing the plant from the soil, they pruned taproots - without a trimming they branch out and grow in length and curl at the bottom of the pot rings. The operation is carried out with a knife trimming the roots at a depth of 8-10 cm, by introducing into the soil at an angle of 45° at a distance of 8-10 cm from the plant. When swordplay seedlings kumquat carefully removed from the pot and transplanted into individual pots.
Plants grown from seeds do not retain varietal characteristics, late come into fruition (10 years later). Seed propagation method Kinkala used only for breeding purposes and for growing rootstocks.
Kumquat Cuttings can be carried out throughout the year, but the best results are obtained by conducting this work in April. Pre-treatment of cuttings Kinkala growth factor (for example, an aqueous solution of the drug at a concentration of "Kanu" 100-150 mg l during the day) accelerates the process of rooting, increases the number of established cuttings and better root development.
Cutting cuttings Kinkala use autumn shoots harvested from healthy fruit-bearing plants. Green, flexible, yet sufficiently lignified shoots cut into 5-8 cm long cuttings with two or three buds. Lower cut perpendicular to the cutting make 0.5 cm below the kidneys, the upper (oblique) - 1 cm above the last of the kidney. Leaf blades cutting depending on their sizes are cut by one-third or two thirds. The lower sections of the cuttings to avoid rotting prisshayut charcoal powder.
Rooting cuttings potted kumquat conducted under a glass jar. But the bottom of the pot is placed drainage (sand, gravel), cover it with a thin layer of sphagnum moss, sprinkled on top and lightly compacted layer of fertile soil, covering it then a layer of washed river sand 3-4 cm thick. In a pot with a diameter of 7-9 cm planted 3-5 kumquat cuttings to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, cover their glass jars and put the pot in a warm place, to scattered sunlight.
Care of cuttings kumquat is to maintain an optimal temperature (20-25 °C) and regular watering with water, the temperature of which should be 2-3 °C above room temperature. Under these conditions, cuttings Kinkala 15-20 days formed roots, buds start to grow quickly. Rooted plants are planted in pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm soil mix consisting of 2 parts sod land, 1 part leaf mold or decomposed manure and 1/2 part of river sand.
During the multiplication of layering on the kumquat fruit-bearing plants in the spring are selectednew shoots or branch length of 20-25 cm and a thickness of 0.5-0.6 cm. above 10 cm from the base to make the branches bark two annular incision (0.8-1 cm across from each other), and the ring is removed bark. All leaves Kinkala located 5 cm above and below the ring cut. A small plastic container (diameter 7.8 cm) carefully cut along the center on the bottom halves of the cut in the center of two semicircles thickness thread (escape). Capacity tied up to a branch (escape) kumquat so that the cut bark was located in the center of the tank. Halves capacity fasten wire and filled it with a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1); substrate periodically moistened. 20-30 days above the annular incision crust formed roots. After about 2 months of escape (branch) kumquat below the tank bottom trimmed, halved its carefully disconnect, a new plant with a lump of soil is transplanted into a pot with a diameter of 12-15 cm. Kinkala rooted regularly and abundantly watered, placed in 10-15 days in pritenёnnoe place and then put on the scattered sunlight.
During the multiplication of kumquat grafting rootstock are usually his seedlings reached at the base thickness of 0.6-0.8 cm. It is also recommended vaccination shoots Kinkala on stock Trifoliate orange or greypruta. Often practiced method of vaccination - shield budding vpriklad or regular eye cultivar for the crust. Kinkala vaccination is carried out in the period of sap flow and the rapid growth of shoots on the scion and rootstock.
After a month and a half, when the eyes get accustomed, the aboveground part of seedlings kumquat cut to the site of inoculation and proceed to the formation of the crown grows escape. Wild growth on a stump removed.
Kumquat happy gardeners not only look slender and fluffy tree, but also a wonderful taste, very fragrant fruit contains a large amount of essential oils, vitamins and minerals. Sweet and very juicy fresh fruit Kinkala eaten whole, without peeling, because they have a very thin skin, a little tart, closely adjacent the sweetish or sour pulp. Acidic fruits kumquat good as a snack with spirits. Apply fruits Kinkala and in cooking: they are used to decorate the table, added to fruit salads, sauces made from them, baked with meat and fish, cook them jam, candy and candied tselnoplodnye made. It has long been bactericidal Kinkala fruits are used in folk medicine of the East to treat fungal infections, respiratory diseases, and even to relieve hangover.