What planting density is suitable for oil tea? With planting management techniques

AbstractInitial planting density of oil tea in pure forest: row spacing 2.5m, plant spacing 2.5m; or row spacing 3m, plant spacing 2.5m; or row spacing 3m, plant spacing 3m. Planting density of oil tea at the foot of hills with fertile soil and in flat areas: row spacing 3m, plant spacing 2.5-3m, about 75-90 plants can be planted per mu. Planting density of oil tea in areas with poor soil fertility or steep slopes: row spacing 3m, plant spacing 2-2.5m, about 90-110 plants can be planted per mu.

The planting density of oil tea should be selected according to the local geological environment, the characteristics of the oil tea tree variety and the purpose of management. The planting density should be selected according to local conditions. When the planted oil tea trees enter the full production period, the density should not be lower than 0.6 at the lowest and should not exceed 0.8 at the highest.

I. Tea tree planting density

1. When planting oil tea for the first time in a pure forest, the distance between each oil tea tree is 2.5m with row spacing 2.5m, or plant spacing 2.5m with row spacing 3m, and also plant spacing 3m with row spacing 3m, these three planting density methods.

2. When planting oil tea trees at the foot of hills with fertile soil and in relatively flat places, the distance between each plant is 2.5m-3m, row spacing is 3m, and 75-90 oil tea trees are planted per mu.

3. When planting oil tea trees in places with poor soil fertility and relatively steep slopes, the distance between each plant is 2m-2.5m, row spacing is 3m, and 90-110 oil tea trees are planted per mu.

II. Management of oil tea trees

1. Loosening soil and weeding

(1) Weeding and loosening soil should be carried out once at the time of planting, and twice every year thereafter, but weeding and loosening soil differs in each region. Generally, the first time is between May and June, and the second time is from late August to September.

(2) In high-temperature weather, it is not suitable to weed and loosen soil for oil tea trees. Generally, the depth of loosening soil is best at 3m-5m, but in the year of planting, the soil should be loosened relatively shallowly. As the years go by, the depth of loosening soil should be gradually increased, gradually deepening from the edge of the young tree outward. In loam soil, dig shallowly, while in clay, dig deeply.

2. Fertilization of young forest

(1) If oil tea trees are planted in forest land with sufficient base fertilizer applied, then no fertilization is needed in the first year. Oil tea trees should be fertilized twice each year. In winter, slow-release fertilizer should be applied, such as burnt soil ash or other decomposed organic fertilizer, and in spring, quick-acting fertilizer should be applied, such as urea.

(2) The fertilizer applied to each oil tea tree in one year cannot exceed 25g, and it can be applied in multiple times, but the amount applied to each tree cannot exceed 10g.

3. Shaping of young trees

The most suitable period for pruning oil tea trees is in spring. After pruning is completed, shade should be removed in time. The pruned young trees must not be pruned too heavily.

Trunk development: within 1 year to 2 years of planting oil tea trees, all spring shoots sprouted from the terminal buds should be retained, so that they can quickly become the main trunk.

Shaping: at 60cm of the main trunk, 3-4 strong main branches should be selected and retained around it, and the number of secondary main branches on each main branch should be determined according to the size of the tree body and the distance between the two main branches.

4. Intercropping in forest land

(1) Crops with a relatively short harvest period, medicinal materials, peanuts, beans, etc. can be planted between young oil tea trees, using cultivation as a substitute for tending, which is beneficial to the growth of oil tea trees, can also bring harvests in the short term, and improve the economic benefits of oil tea trees.

(2) Planting varieties that do not compete with oil tea trees for light, fertilizer and water should be selected. There should be a distance of 1 sq m between the planted crops and the oil tea trees. Crops that are tall-stemmed, vines, or consume a large amount of water in the dry season cannot be planted between oil tea trees.

5. Harvesting

When harvesting the fruit of oil tea trees, the branches of the oil tea trees must not be broken for picking. After the fruit is picked back, the stacking time cannot exceed 5-6 days. It should be spread out for sun-drying, and during the sun-drying process it should be turned over many times so that the oil tea fruit cracks, then the debris in the fruit should be cleaned up, the oil tea seeds should be stored properly for binning, and finally oil pressing is carried out.