What are the growing conditions for longan? A detailed guide to its environmental requirements
SummaryTemperature requirements: Longan is suited to growing in a warm climate, with an ideal annual average temperature of around 21-23°C, and winter temperatures that must not fall below 0°C. Soil requirements: It is not very demanding about soil, but prefers sandy soil with deep soil layers, loose texture and good drainage. Water requirements: It likes moisture but fears waterlogging, and its water needs differ at different growth stages.
I. Longan growing conditions
1. Temperature requirements
(1) Longan is suited to growing in warm climatic conditions, and can grow in any area that is frost-free in winter or has only brief light frost.
(2) Its suitable annual average growing temperature is around 21°C-23°C, and in winter the temperature must not fall below 0°C. If the temperature drops below 0°C, its seedlings will freeze and die, and when the temperature falls below -4°C, mature plants will also suffer damage from freezing to varying degrees.
(3) Before planting longan, you must first check whether the local temperature meets its growth needs.
2. Soil requirements
(1) Longan is not very demanding about soil for its growth, and can grow normally in poor, dry and acidic soil.
(2) However, if the topsoil is sandy loam and the subsoil is clay, the planted longan will have a relatively short lifespan and relatively low yields, so the economic returns will be relatively poor.
(3) Longan is suited to being planted in soil with deep soil layers, loose texture and relatively good drainage.
(4) Before planting, the soil can first be plowed, and then organic fertilizer applied as a base fertilizer; longan grown this way can grow relatively well and also increase yields.
3. Water requirements
(1) Longan likes moisture but fears flooding, and throughout its entire growth period, its water requirements differ at each growth stage.
(2) During the period from autumn shoots to spring shoots, longan needs relatively little water, so that it can accumulate more nutrients, which helps flower bud differentiation and flowering the following year.
(3) In summer, during July-August, longan needs relatively more water. If there is a water shortage during this period, it will affect the growth of the root system and longan branches, thereby affecting the overall yield and quality of the longan.
(4) When the fruit is nearly ripe, longan's water requirements are also very high; a long drought followed by sudden rain, or a long rainy period followed by sudden drought, will both cause fruit cracking and fruit drop in longan, so water regulation must be done well when the longan is nearly ripe.
II. How to increase the yield of longan trees
1. Choose excellent varieties
(1) The basic condition for planting longan is the choice of seedlings; if the selected longan seedlings are of relatively high quality, the survival rate of planting and the later yield will both be much higher.
(2) There are currently more and more longan varieties in our country, so we should choose suitable seedlings according to local terrain, soil and other conditions.
(3) After choosing the variety, we need to select high-quality seedlings; for high-quality seedlings, we generally choose saplings with a well-developed root system and vigorous vitality.
2. Cultivation management
(1) The selected longan seedlings must be pruned reasonably before they can be planted.
(2) When planting, the longan sapling should be fully spread out, then the sapling held upright with your hands, and then the soil backfilled.
(3) After backfilling the soil, the surface soil should be compacted and watered; when compacting, you must not use a hoe or other tools to compact it, but can only press it firm with your feet.
3. Flower and fruit management
(1) During the flowering and fruiting period of longan, management must also be carried out scientifically, so as to ensure the yield and quality of the longan.
(2) During the flowering period, topdressing should be carried out appropriately to extend the flowering period, thereby increasing the pollination rate of the longan. During the full flowering period of the longan, some spent flowers and diseased or pest-damaged flowers should be appropriately removed, thereby increasing the fruit-setting rate.