Description of the plant, advice on pomelo agricultural technology, recommendations for reproduction and transplantation, difficulties in cultivation in indoor conditions, species. Pomelo (Citrus maxima) is a vivid representative of the Citrus genus, which is one of the Rutaceae family, which has been chosen by people. There, representatives of the flora are united with a dicotyledonous, equal-petaled structure. Also, this fruit can be found under the synonymous names Pompelmus or Sheddock. The southeast Asian territories and lands of Malaysia are considered the homeland of the pomelo; it also grows on the islands of Tongo and Fiji. There is information that in China about the medicinal and taste properties of an exotic fruit was known as early as 100 BC. There, the pomelo is considered the fruit of prosperity, wealth and prosperity. It was brought to European countries by seafarers in the 14th century.
The plant got its name from the base in Tamil, translated as pampa limoes and meaning "big citron", which, having passed through the Portuguese language, has already turned into a "swollen lemon" pronounced as pomposos limoes, and then turned into pompelmoes in Dutch. It meant in English a mixture of apple and melon (pome & melon - pompelmus) and was shortened to pomelo, pummelo or pumelo. The exotic is named after the English captain with the surname Sheddock, who was the first to bring seed from the islands of the Malay Archipelago to the West Indies in the 17th century.
The pomelo is a plant with an evergreen crown and a tree-like form of growth, reaching a height of 15 m. The crown is generally spherical. The leaf plates are large. The white pomelo blooms in buds with a diameter of 3-7 cm, they can grow singly or be located from 2 to 10 pieces per inflorescence. The flowering process takes place 2-4 times a year and, therefore, the number of harvests is the same.
When fruiting, a large fruit ripens, colored in tones from pale greenish to pale yellow. The peel of the fruit is thick, and under it there is a division into large slices. Between them there is a hard, dense septum; seeds can be found in almost every lobule. The size of the pomelo fruit is larger than that of the grapefruit and its fibers (juice bags) are also enlarged and resilient. Its shape is spherical, but occasionally it can take on pear-shaped outlines.
This is the recognized king among all citrus relatives, since the mass of one fruit sometimes reaches 10 kg, and it grows up to 30 cm in diameter. The fruit tastes sweet and sour, but there is some bitterness. The pulp is also not as juicy as other citrus plants, it is colored pinkish or red.
There is a version that the pomelo is the same grapefruit that was reborn and mutated under different conditions. However, the beneficial properties of sheddock are much greater than those of grapefruit.
Tips for choosing a pompelmus
When buying a pomelo, you should pay attention to the following things:
- good fruit always has a high density and when weighed on the hand, the fruit should not seem half empty;
- the peel of a quality product is slightly soft to the touch and completely smooth;
- the smell of the pomelo fruit is light citrus;
- there should be no burgundy or brown spots or stripes.
Recommendations for growing pomelo at home
- Lighting and choosing a place for the pot. The plant likes good lighting, but it can grow calmly on a north-facing window. It is better to install the pot on the windowsill of windows facing east, west and south. On the latter, it is worth shading from bright sunlight from 12 to 16 noon.
- The temperature of the content of the pomelo. The tree feels great with heat indicators of 24-30 degrees. But in winter, it will be disastrous for this representative of citrus fruits to be located next to heating devices.
- Air humidity. He loves sheddock when the humidity in the room is high, for this it is necessary to spray the crown twice a day in the spring-summer months. This will help prevent damage from harmful insects. You can use humidifiers or place containers of water next to the pot. Also, a container with a plant is placed in a deep and wide container, at the bottom of which a layer of pebbles or expanded clay is poured, you can take chopped sphagnum moss. A little water is poured there, which evaporates to saturate the air with vapors.
- Fertilizers for sheddock. It is necessary to regularly feed the pomelo with complex mineral compositions in which there is a sufficient amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and there is also available iron, sulfur, calcium and magnesium. Mullein solution is also used.
- Watering. Soil moisture should be moderate throughout the year. Water is taken from rain, thawed or distilled, always warm. It is important not to flood or dry out the soil.
- Transfer and selection of soil. When the pomelo is still young, it will have to change its capacity and soil annually. It is advisable to carry out this operation in the month of February or with the arrival of spring days. The plant needs to be transplanted by the transshipment method, since the pomelo, like all citrus fruits, does not like when its root system is disturbed. Therefore, during transshipment, the earthen lump is not destroyed. The pot material can be anything. A layer of 2-3 cm of drainage material is poured onto the bottom, and 2 cm of river sand is poured onto it.
Substrate for transplantation is taken from the usual universal or bought special for citrus plants. When the tree is still young, the following soil mixture is compiled: sod soil, rotted manure (at least 3 years), leaf humus, coarse sand - all parts of the components are equal.
For adult specimens, soil taken in the forest from under deciduous trees is suitable (only chestnut, oak, walnut or poplar will not work), devoid of fresh leaves, it is 5-10 cm of the apical soil. Coarse-grained sand, wood ash and humus are also introduced there (in a proportion of 2 parts of soil, 1 sand and 0.5 ash and humus).
Self-breeding tips for pomelo
You can get a new exotic tree by planting seeds, cuttings, creating layers or using grafts.
Using seeds, you can grow a powerful and healthy plant, but fruiting will not come for a long time. After the seed has been removed from the fruit, it must be planted as soon as possible in a container with a moistened substrate based on river sand and humus soil. If you let the grains dry out, they will never sprout.
The seeds are buried 1 cm into the soil and immediately watered a little. The container is placed under glass in a warm place with good lighting. If the conditions of a moist substrate and heat are constantly maintained, then in a month they will sprout and several sprouts may appear from one seed. As soon as a couple of leaves appear on the sprouts, they can be carefully dived into separate pots with 7 cm in diameter.
Many flower growers do not recommend immediately accustoming plants to heat and light, they naturally will not grow all evenly, but the most persistent and strong ones are selected. For the vegetative method, "air cut" is used. A branch with developed shoots that are directed in different directions is selected on a tree, so that, if successful, the young plant looks like a formed tree. Below the last branch on the lateral side by 15–20 cm, a ring of bark about 1 cm wide is removed with a sharp knife (you can very strongly tighten this place with a wire). A plastic cup or a soft plastic pot is taken and cut vertically on one side, and a circular hole is made in the bottom along the diameter of the branch.
The container must be put on the branch in such a way that the peeled part is located in the very center. Now you need to connect the walls with a wire so that the pot sits firmly on the branch. At the bottom of this structure, it is required to lay sliced sphagnum moss or small sawdust in layers. Further, this substrate is covered with river sand, and upward with sod-leaf humus and an admixture of sand. This whole mixture should be well moistened. When young leaves appear on the layer and its growth resumes, it means that rooting is proceeding normally. After the buds begin to swell on the branches, it is necessary to add 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate to the pot (0.05% at the rate of 0.5 grams per 1 liter of water).
Instead of a pot, you can use the wrapping of the branch for layering with a film, into which the substrate is laid and tied on both sides of the shoot. It turns out a mini-greenhouse that will contribute to the formation of roots.
After six months, the layering can already be separated from the mother tree. First, they are cut under the pot, and then, when the structure is removed, the excess part of the branch is removed to the root processes.
Young pomelo is planted in a container filled with nutritious soil. It will take the first time to shade it from bright sunlight and spray the leaves every day. If the plant begins to wilt a little, then you will have to put a plastic bag on it and keep it for about 3-4 weeks, gradually accustoming the young specimen to the air in the room.
Difficulties and pests in the cultivation of pompelmus
As with all citrus fruits, pomelo is considered a spider mite, scale insect, false scale insect or mealybug. Symptoms of the appearance of insects can be:
- folding the leaves into the shape of a boat and covering their surface with a cobweb, which is also visible in the internodes;
- the appearance of 3-5 mm brownish-brown or gray-brown formations that are visible on the back of the leaf;
- the appearance of a sticky plaque on the foliage or ropes of the plant and if you do not take action, then soon it turns black, a sooty fungus develops.
To combat, you can use a tincture of garlic, tobacco dust and laundry soap, or an oil-soap mixture, including a couple of drops of machine oil, grated laundry soap. After preparation, these products must be applied to a cotton swab and the pests must be removed by hand, and then the crown and branches of the pomelo must be sprayed. If this does not give a lasting result, then you can treat the tree with insecticidal preparations (for example, "Aktara", "Korbofos" and others).
If the plant was under scorching sunlight, then sunburn of the foliage is possible - the appearance of light spots on the surface. If the air is dry, the leaves will dry out at the tops. If the substrate is flooded, the leaf plates will turn black and begin to fall off.
Interesting Pomelo Facts
Pomelo fruits contain a lot of compounds of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron and sodium. It also contains the following vitamins B1, B2, B5 and naturally vitamin C. It boasts a fruit and the presence of beta-carotene, which promotes the synthesis of vitamin A in the human body.
There are substances in the fruits - limonoids, which are distinguished by the strongest and lasting effect against cancer. With the help of essential oils, which are found mainly in the peel and hard partitions between the slices, the pomelo strengthens the immune system.
Pomelo juice is often used in cosmetic preparations; masks are prepared on its basis that help prolong the youthfulness of the skin and return its lost turgor. If you drink a glass of shiddock juice every day, then in a month a person looks much younger, this is how the general improvement of the gastrointestinal tract, nails, hair and skin goes.
It is interesting that pomelo can be safely eaten by people with diabetes mellitus, since its glycemic index is very small, only 60 units, but the most interesting thing is that the plant contains substances in the juice that promote the activation of insulin secretion by the pancreas. These substances dissolve easily in water and it is enough just to drink half a glass of this fruit juice a day. Nutritionists recommend using pomelo in the fight against excess weight, since a special substance that fruits contain helps to oxidize fats faster - this enzyme is called lipolytic.
The juice, saturated with vitamins, has a beneficial effect on a person for colds, acute respiratory viral infections or flu, as well as for diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is recommended to take it warmed up to a temperature of 40-45 degrees, and it will promote the secretion and excretion of phlegm. Most interestingly, the thick rind is a good product for making jam.
Pomelo species
- Pomelo "Khao horn" it has a white pulp and is quite sweet in taste, the color of the fruit is yellowish-green, its shape is rounded or in the form of a pear.
- Pomelo "Khao nampung" its outlines are pear-shaped, the color of the peel is yellowish-green, the flesh of the fruit is whitish-yellow, sweet and with delicate fresh citrus notes.
- Pomelo "Khao paen" has been used for a long time in cultivation in the southern lands of Bangkok, in Thailand (more than 160 years). In its shape, the fruit resembles a flattened ball, soft to the touch. The peel, which covers the flesh, measures 1–2 cm in thickness, its color is yellow-green. The appearance of the peel is slightly wrinkled and because of this, the fruit can be stored for a long time after harvesting - this is not a sign of spoiled fruit. The pulp is usually divided into 12-15 slices and is large. These slices divide poorly, but the film that separates them can be removed very easily. The taste of the pulp of this variety is very sweet with a slight sourness, although there is a barely noticeable aftertaste of bitterness. The pulp is more juicy than other types, its color is white. The seeds in the fruit are usually underdeveloped, when the harvest is just being harvested, they ripen already, being on the shelves of the store. The plant of this variety was bred at the beginning of the 20th century in the USA (in 1929).
- Pomelo "Khao phuang" - a variety that was artificially bred also at the beginning of the 20th century in the Philippines by a researcher from America P. J. Wester. In 1913, the fruit was taken from the garden of Prince Yugelara of Bangkok for further experiments in breeding. He was grafted into a tangerine tree chosen as a scion of the Calamodin variety. And already in 1916 it was possible to enjoy the fruits obtained as a result of this work. The fruit is an oblong, pear-shaped shape with a "neck" about 12 cm or more in width. The peel is characterized by green tints, which become greenish-yellow when the fruit ripens. And by this time the peel changes its appearance - it becomes smooth and glossy, its thickness becomes 1.25–2 cm. The pulp of the fruit is usually divided into 11–13 lobes, which are easily separated. Its color is white or white with yellow. The film and membranes are not eaten. The variety is distinguished by its juiciness and excellent taste. At first, the fruit has a slight sourness, which disappears by full ripening, there is no bitterness, but practically no seeds are found. The fruits of this variety are exported mainly from Thailand, since in those areas the conditions for growing this plant are most suitable. But in the USA (California) there are also successes in the cultivation of this type of pomelo, the fruits of which are absolutely not inferior in all properties to their Thai counterparts.
- Pomelo "Thongdi" also a native of Thai lands. The shape of the fruit is spherical, reaching a diameter of up to 15 cm. The thickness of the peel, unlike other types of pomelo, is not so thick, only 1 cm. The flesh is sweet to taste, it is colored in pinkish shades. Differs in juiciness and the presence of a large number of seeds. This variety can grow in conditions that are more unfavorable for plants of the citrus genus.
What a pomelo looks like and how to grow it, see here:
