What enviorments will tangerine trees thrive in?

Question

What enviorments will tangerine trees thrive in?

Answer 1

Tangerins can grow outdoors in area where freezing is not there and sufficient sunlight is a available.

Mandarins / tangerines are citrus fruits and trees of the species Citrus reticulata Blanco. They are distinguished from other citrus species by the relatively loose skin of the fruits, the relative ease with which the segments can be separated, and (in most cultivars) the green cotyledons. Most varieties also contain chemical compounds not found in other citrus species: thymol in the leaves and tangeretin in the fruits. Some experts consider the varieties King, Satsuma, Cleopatra and Ponkan to be separate species unto themselves.

If you live in an area that doesn't have hard freezes, you can grow tangerine trees outdoors; they usually require little attention after they have established themselves. One method is for installing a potted tree: Pick a sunny site; dig a larger hole than necessary; stir some composted cow manure and just a small dash of slow-release fertilizer containing trace minerals into the soil; replace some of the soil so that the hole is the correct depth for planting the tree. (The rootball's height/depth in relation to the ground surface should be the same after installation as it was in the pot.) Loosen and spread the small roots on the outside of the rootball; insert the tree, fill in the rest of the hole, and water thoroughly while gently tamping down the soil to eliminate air pockets.

In colder areas, mandarins can be grown in greenhouses, or in portable containers which are kept outdoors until freezing weather arrives, then brought indoors to a sunlit location. For trees that will have to be wintered in a garage or other unheated area, satsuma on trifoliate rootstock is the best variety.

Regarding pest control, the owners of large groves are convinced that it's impossible to grow citrus without frequent use of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. However, many people in Florida grow a few citrus trees around their homes and give them no attention whatsoever: no pesticides, little or no pruning, not even any fertilizer -- and they still enjoy reasonably good harvests. My hypothesis is that the over-use of fertilizer in commercial groves leads to their dependence on pesticides. Over-fertilization causes trees to grow at an unnatural rate, and the tender new growth of citrus is most attractive to aphids, mites and other insects. These insects are the method of transportation of most of the viral diseases that affect citrus.

Answer 2

Info on tangerine cultivation:

http://trophort.com/horticulture/fruits/...