The Care of Citrus Tangerines

Variety

• Not all varieties of tangerine exhibit the same characteristics. While the Clementine stores on the tree for a period after maturity, the Darcy does not. The Fortune matures later than many other varieties, making it a poor selection for colder regions. When selecting a tangerine for the garden, choose one that best adapts to the region and consider your harvesting needs.

New Trees

• Adding compost, peat or topsoil is typically not required when planting a new tangerine tree in the garden. Mulching increases the risk of root rot. When planting the tree, situate it slightly higher than what it was in the nursery container and keep the bud union above the soil line. Don’t dig a ring below the soil line of the tangerine tree to hold irrigation water, due to the risk of root rot. In wet regions, plant the tangerine tree in a raised bed. Always make the soil around the tree as high as or higher than the surrounding landscape.

Irrigation

• Build a water ring around the tree by adding soil to create the walls of the ring, as opposed to digging a mote around the lower trunk. Make the ring wall several inches thick and about two feet wide. Fill the ring with water after planting the tree. After the water settles, fill any holes with additional soil. Begin by watering a new tree every few days, and taper off gradually, so that by the third month you are filling the ring every week to 10 days, depending on your weather. Don’t rebuild the watering ring after it dissolves naturally into the ground. Irrigate a mature tree about twice a month.

Care

• Tangerine trees develop their shape naturally, and don’t require pruning. Don’t begin fertilization until there is evidence of growth. Fertilize about every three months during the first year, using about 1/4 cup of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) for each application. Use 1/2 cup for each application the second year, and 3/4 cup by the third year. Spread the fertilizer evenly on the ground around the tree and water thoroughly. Recommended amounts can vary, according to your soil’s composition. Provide protection against the cold using a tarp, blanket or some other method. Keep weeds and lawn growth away from the soil under the tree’s canopy.