Detailed Guide to Dahongpao Chestnut Cultivation Techniques: Rational Fertilization Improves Quality

Abstract Soil: It is suitable for growing in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5-6, and it is averse to waterlogging. Site selection: Choose a location with a lower groundwater table and a thicker soil layer to establish the orchard. Temperature: The suitable average annual temperature is around 10°C-22°C. Water: Irrigate before germination and during the period of rapid fruit growth. Fertilization: Use farmyard manure as the base fertilizer, apply topdressing in early spring and summer, and spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate half a month before harvest. Rational close planting: The planting density of chestnut trees varies in different regions.

I. The Effects and Functions of Dahongpao Chestnut

1. Dahongpao chestnut stores well and can be supplied on the market for a long time. Its greatest feature is strengthening the spleen and boosting qi. Dahongpao chestnut can be eaten raw or roasted, the flesh can be made into many dishes, pastries, and canned foods, the shell can treat nausea, and the root can treat kidney qi disorders.

2. Its trunk wood is hard, with straight grain, rot-resistant and moisture-resistant, and can be made into military equipment, vehicles and ships, furniture, etc.

3. Its branches, leaves, bark, and spiny burrs are rich in tannins, from which tanning extract can be obtained and erysipelas can be washed.

II. Cultivation Techniques of Dahongpao Chestnut

1. Soil

Dahongpao chestnut trees are suitable for growing in slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5-6. Because chestnut trees are manganese-loving plants, planting them in acidic soil can activate nutrient elements such as manganese and calcium, which helps the chestnut absorb them and grow better. Dahongpao chestnut trees are afraid of waterlogging. If rainfall is excessive, the soil will remain waterlogged for a long time, which can easily affect the growth of the chestnut tree's mycorrhizae.

2. Site selection

The chestnut orchard should be planted in a place with a lower groundwater table and good drainage, and a windy place should not be chosen for planting. If planting on hilly and mound land, choose a gentle terrain and a near-mountain area with a thicker soil layer.

3. Temperature

The suitable average annual temperature for the growth of Dahongpao chestnut trees is around 10°C-22°C, because if the temperature is too high, the winter dormancy time of the chestnut tree will be insufficient, leading to poor growth and development of the chestnut tree; if the temperature is too low, it will cause freezing damage to the chestnut tree.

4. Water

Chestnut likes a humid environment and cannot lack water. Irrigation should be carried out before the chestnut tree germinates and during the period of rapid fruit growth, but water should not accumulate, as this is beneficial to the normal growth and development of the fruit tree and the improvement of fruit quality.

5. Fertilization

Fertilization can make Dahongpao chestnut trees high-yielding. Generally, the base fertilizer should be mainly farmyard manure. Fertilization can improve the soil, enhance the soil's ability to retain fertilizer and water, and also provide comprehensive nutrient elements to the chestnut tree. The best time for fertilization is autumn application after fruit harvest, because the temperature is higher, the fertilizer is easy to decompose, and the chestnut tree is also in the period of new bud occurrence, so it can absorb the fertilizer, promote the accumulation of tree nutrients, and also have a good effect on the differentiation of female flowers the following year.

(1) Direct topdressing

Early spring: Generally, quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should be the main component, mixed with phosphate and potassium fertilizer. In spring, generally apply 0.3-0.5 kg of urea per newly planted fruit tree, and apply 2 kg of urea per chestnut tree in full fruit period. Watering should be carried out after fertilization to fully exert the fertilizer effect.

Summer: Topdressing should be done from late July to mid-August. Using quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer can promote fruit enlargement, fruit flesh fullness, and improve fruit quality.

(2) Foliar topdressing

First time: In early spring, when the leaves at the base of the chestnut branches just unfold and change from yellow to green, spray 0.3%-0.5% urea and 0.3%-0.5% borax, which can promote the function of the basal leaves and improve photosynthesis, enabling the formation of female flowers.

Second time: During the 1 month and half a month before fruit harvest, spray 0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate twice at an interval of about 13 days, which can improve photosynthetic efficiency, thereby transferring nutrients to the fruit and ultimately increasing single-grain weight.

6. Rational close planting

Rational close planting of Dahongpao chestnut trees can increase yield per unit area. In plain Dahongpao chestnut orchards, planting about 35 trees per mu is most suitable; in mountain Dahongpao chestnut orchards, planting about 50 trees per mu is most suitable; and in planned close-planting chestnut orchards, planting about 60-110 trees per mu is most suitable.