Citrus reticulata 'Engalls' – Engalls Mandarin

Site: Choose a free draining position in full sun, open to the north and sheltered from strong wind.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Set level with the surrounding soil, keeping the graft union clear of the surface, backfill, firm in and water deeply.

Home orchard: 3 metres apart so each canopy develops fully and air moves between the trees.

Pot or container: A pot of 60 centimetres or wider suits a single tree on a courtyard or terrace.

Feature tree: 3.5 metres apart to allow the compact rounded canopy to fill out.

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months, then weekly in dry weather. Keep moisture even from flowering to picking for full sized juicy fruit.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk. In pots use a thin decorative layer.

Pruning: Prune lightly after harvest to keep the centre open and picking at ground level. Remove any shoots arising below the graft union.

Fertilising: Apply a complete citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Potted trees benefit from a liquid feed between times.

Pest and disease: Watch new flushes for citrus leaf miner, and check for scale and aphids. Remove fallen fruit to reduce fruit fly pressure.

Citrus reticulata performs best in fertile, free draining loam or sandy loam at a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Adaptable to a range of garden soils where drainage is reliable.

Sandy soil: Free draining and suitable. Mulch well and feed regularly, as nutrients leach quickly.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and organic compost before planting, or raise the bed.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady growth and full sized fruit.

pH: Slightly acidic to neutral preferred. Mulch with composted leaf litter to maintain levels naturally.

Q: What is an Engalls mandarin?
A: Citrus reticulata 'Engalls' is an Australian mandarin selection valued for ripening early in the season. The tree is evergreen with a tidy rounded canopy, and the fruit is medium sized, slightly flat in shape, easy to peel and sweet. It is grown mainly to start the mandarin harvest ahead of other varieties.

Q: When does Engalls mandarin fruit?
A: It is an early variety, with fruit colouring and sweetening from the beginning of winter, generally through June and July. Picking well before the mid and late season mandarins is the point of growing it. Take fruit when the rind is fully coloured and it releases with a light twist.

Q: Is Engalls mandarin easy to peel?
A: Yes. The rind sits loosely over the segments and lifts away in one piece with almost no effort, which is the character buyers expect from a good mandarin. Segments separate cleanly as well, and seed numbers are usually low when the tree is growing without a heavy cross pollinator alongside it.

Q: How big does Engalls grow?
A: Around 3 to 4 metres tall and 2 to 3 metres wide as a garden tree, with a naturally compact rounded shape that needs little correcting. Annual growth is a moderate 30 to 50 centimetres. A light prune after harvest keeps picking at ground level and stops the centre of the tree crowding up.

Q: Can I grow an Engalls mandarin in a pot?
A: Yes. A container of 60 centimetres or wider in a premium citrus mix suits it well, and its compact habit makes it one of the easier mandarins for a courtyard or terrace. Potted trees dry out and lose nutrients faster, so water more often and feed lightly but regularly through the growing season.

Q: How much sun does it need?
A: Full sun, at least six hours a day, drives flowering, fruit set and sugar. In shade the tree grows leggy, crops lightly and the fruit stays tart. Give it an open north facing position with shelter from strong wind, and avoid planting under the canopy of established trees where it will be starved of light.

Q: How do I care for an Engalls mandarin tree?
A: Water deeply and regularly from flowering through to picking, and mulch the root zone while keeping mulch off the trunk. Feed with citrus fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Prune lightly after harvest, remove shoots below the graft, and check new growth for citrus leaf miner and scale.