Mandarin Growing Guide
Mandarin is a great next step in your growing journey. Follow this guide from planting to harvest and you'll do great.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Citrus
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -5°C
Plant Family
Rutaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a grafted mandarin on a suitable rootstock — it's self-fertile, so one plant fruits. In any zone with frost, grow it in a large pot you can wheel to a bright, cool indoor spot for winter.
Self-fertile, easy-peel, and one of the more cold-tolerant citrus (to about -5°C) — a great first citrus. Often crops heavily; thinning helps fruit size. Includes clementines/satsumas. Ideal for a large pot.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Mandarin?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Mandarin Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Mandarin's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
300 cm
Plant Spacing
400 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Mandarin wants full sun, free-draining slightly acidic soil, and even moisture — let the top few cm dry between waterings, never waterlogged.
- 2Feed with a citrus food in the growing season.
- 3In frost zones it lives in a pot and overwinters bright and cool indoors (not beside a hot radiator).
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
250 cm
Mature Height
200 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick when fully coloured and slightly soft; fruit can hang on the tree for weeks
How to Harvest
- 1Cut or gently twist off mandarins once they're fully coloured and have a little give — citrus doesn't ripen further off the tree, so taste-test one.
- 2The fruit holds well on the tree, so harvest as you need it.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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