Dracaena
Depending on the source, Dracaena belongs to either the Dracaenaceae or Agavaceae families. This family includes over 150 species of plants, commonly found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Europe, Africa, and Asia.
At the top of the Dracaena, woody stems grow. In home conditions, Dracaena rarely flowers, producing small greenish or white blooms, and when it does, it’s best to move it outside due to the strong odor.
Nowadays, many people are growing mandarin trees indoors. They can be propagated from seeds, grafting, or cuttings. A plant grown from seeds typically starts bearing fruit in 10 to 15 years. However, if the tree is grafted with a bud or a live cutting, it can flower and produce fruit as early as the third or fourth year. To propagate a mandarin tree through cuttings, take cuttings that are 4-5 mm thick and 10-12 cm long, with 4-5 buds from a healthy tree. The bottom cut should be made just below a bud, while the top cut should be above the upper bud. Before planting, the cuttings should be placed in a 0.01% solution of heteroauxin or another growth hormone for 16-20 hours. After this, they are planted in sand or compost at a depth of 2-3 cm. To ensure good rooting, place the container on a windowsill near a radiator. The soil temperature should be 2-3 °C warmer than the air temperature, and humidity should be maintained at 85-90 percent. To achieve this, cover the cuttings with glass or a jar. The root formation period lasts about 2.5 months.
Mandarins are planted in a soil mixture of leaf, turf soil, compost, and sand in equal proportions. For a one-year-old plant, use a pot with a diameter of 20 cm; for a two-year-old, 25 cm; and for a four-year-old, 35 cm. Plant it so that the root collar is level with the soil surface. Until the plant is three years old, it should be repotted annually, and then every 2-3 years. It’s best to do this in spring (March or April). For the first two weeks, water it well and place it in a warm, not overly bright spot. The mandarin tree typically flowers in April, and the fruits set without pollination.
The way the crown is shaped affects the ripening time of the first fruits. The trunk of the future tree should be formed to a height of 10 cm with 3-4 branches. Under indoor conditions, a flowering mandarin tree can be grown in just two years.
Every spring, before the growth begins, prune small branches and those with drying tips, as well as any that grow inward toward the crown. Fast-growing branches should be pinched back.
During winter, feed the plants once, and from March to September, twice a month with potassium nitrate and superphosphate—50 g each, and a solution of ammonium nitrate—30 g per bucket of water.
In winter, place the mandarin tree closer to the balcony or move it to a veranda. The ideal temperature is between 5-8 °C with moderate lighting. The soil should remain moderately moist at all times.
To ensure the mandarin tree develops well, has healthy leaves, and produces fruit, it’s advisable to mist it daily with a spray bottle. In winter, do this once a day, and in summer, 2-3 times.
In spring (starting in April), the mandarin should be placed in a well-lit area, and in summer, it can be taken outside to the garden or balcony. To prevent the root system from overheating, pots should be surrounded with moss.
By following this agricultural technique, a five-year-old tree can yield up to 100 fruits, each the same size as those grown outdoors.
For indoor cultivation, the most common variety is the dwarf mandarin, developed at the Research Institute of Floriculture and Mountain Gardening in Sochi.