How many years does it generally take for a black date tree to bear fruit after planting?

The black date tree generally refers to Diospyros lotus, a deciduous tree of the Ebenaceae family, also known as soft jujube, milk jujube, wild persimmon, clove jujube, ying jujube, small persimmon, etc. It is grown in the northern regions of China.So how many years does it take for a black date tree to bear fruit after planting?

1. How many years does it take for a black date tree to bear fruit after planting?

Grafted black date trees generally bear fruit 3-4 years after planting, but ordinary seedlings need more than 5 years to bear fruit. Its flowering period is April to May, and its fruiting period is August to September.

2. How do you grow a black date tree?

1. Site selection and land preparation

The black date tree prefers fertile, deep soil, is relatively tolerant of poor soil, is not strict about soil requirements, and has a certain tolerance to salinity and alkalinity. It can grow normally in mildly saline-alkaline soil with a pH value of 8.7 and a salt content of 0.17%. Land preparation generally requires full reclamation, but if there was a previous crop, pit reclamation can be considered. Land preparation should be combined with fertilization, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied.

2. Planting at the right time

Propagation is generally carried out by grafting. The planting density should be controlled at about 2 m between rows and 1.5 m between plants. Black date trees can be planted in spring or after leaf fall in late autumn. Because they sprout relatively late, planting can be appropriately delayed, but it must be completed before sprouting. If planted after sprouting, the survival rate will not be high.

3. Water and fertilizer management

When planting, apply some decomposed and fermented cow and horse manure as base fertilizer. The base fertilizer should be thoroughly mixed with the planting soil. When backfilling the soil, be careful to compact it layer by layer, then water thoroughly immediately, water a second time after 5 days, and water a third time after about another 10 days. In subsequent management, water according to soil moisture conditions. The general principle is to keep the soil at more than half moisture capacity. Loosen the soil promptly after each watering. In summer, promptly drain accumulated water on rainy days. In late autumn, water sufficiently and thoroughly with antifreeze water. In early spring of the following year, water with thawing water in time. Apply nitrogen fertilizer once during the sprouting period. If the plant grows poorly, spray the leaves with a 0.5% urea solution in May, once every 10 days, and spraying continuously 2 to 3 times can show results. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer once in July, and water well with freezing water in late autumn. In the third year, carry out watering and fertilization according to the method for the second year. From the fourth year onward, apply farmyard manure once every late autumn, water well with thawing water, and water sufficiently and thoroughly with freezing water. At other times, it can rely on natural rainfall for growth, and unless there is particularly severe drought, there is no need to water separately.

4. Pruning in time

During the seedling stage, determine the trunk height according to use requirements (the main trunk is generally 2.8 m to 3 m high). The canopy should have 3 to 4 main branches, which should be evenly distributed, each occupying one side. On each main branch, 4 to 5 side branches can be selected and retained. When selecting and retaining side branches, be careful to leave sufficient space, and pay attention to the subordinate relationship of the overall tree shape so that it grows in a balanced way. After the basic tree shape is formed, promptly remove competing branches, overlapping branches, overly dense branches, crossing branches, and diseased and pest-damaged branches.

5. Pest and disease control

Pay attention to attacks by pests and diseases such as anthracnose, ring spot disease, scale insects, stinging moths, and persimmon caterpillars. Spray pesticides in advance for prevention and control, and at the same time do a good job of clearing the orchard and pruning diseased and dead branches and leaves.

A black date tree can bear fruit in three to five years after planting. Besides being edible, its fruit can also be planted as a courtyard tree or landscaping tree.