When to Plant Jujube Saplings? A Detailed Guide to Planting Time and Methods
The jujube tree is a relatively common fruit tree in China, and it likes to grow in a warm environment. Nowadays, many people in China grow jujube trees, and some people are also looking to increase their economic returns by planting them. However, before planting, many people want to have a comprehensive understanding of its planting methods and planting time.
When to Plant Jujube Saplings
The planting period for jujube trees is divided into two types: autumn planting and spring planting. In any area where there is no severe cold in winter and the average temperature in January is not lower than -8°C, planting can be carried out. That is, planting from after the jujube tree sheds its leaves until the soil freezes. In jujube-growing areas south of the Yangtze River in China, winters are relatively warm and soil moisture is good, so the wounds on the jujube root system can heal in the same year of planting.
How to Plant Jujube Trees
1. Nursery site selection and land preparation. The nursery should be chosen on flat sandy loam land with convenient irrigation and drainage and fertile soil, and the nursery site must not be continuously cropped. After applying sufficient base fertilizer, plow deeply, and according to the direction of the water source, build irrigation and drainage channels properly. In arid areas, low beds are suitable for cultivation, while in places with a lot of rain, high beds are suitable for cultivation.
2. Seedling selection. For root-sucker seedlings, strictly select nursery-bound seedlings free of diseases and pests such as jujube witches' broom and scale insects. Root-sucker seedlings with a stem diameter of 0.4-0.6 cm are best (seedlings that are too thin or too thick have a low emergence rate and poor growth after being brought into the nursery). After strict selection, prune the root-sucker seedlings, cutting off twin branches, branch forks, or excessively long roots, keeping 1 new shoot about 35 cm long per plant and cutting off the rest. Then grade them by seedling size and first heel them in.
3. Planting seedlings. After preparing the land, dig longitudinal long trenches. The trench length can be determined according to the nursery site, the trench width is 30 cm, the trench depth is 20 cm, and the spacing between trenches is 60-70 cm. Take out the heeled-in root-sucker seedlings and plant them in the trenches, with a plant spacing of about 30 cm and 3000-4000 plants per mu. Because jujube trees have secondary branches and a wide branching angle, and root-sucker seedlings grow quickly, the density should not be too high. If it exceeds 4000 plants, growth will be poor, branches and leaves will become closed, and diseases such as jujube rust are likely to occur. After planting the seedlings, cover with soil, firm it, and irrigate.
4. Seedling management. After the seedlings are planted, cut them back to the ground, cutting off the aboveground part 2-3 cm above the ground. After the basal buds sprout, keep 1 strong-growing bud, remove the other buds, and then follow conventional nursery methods for intertillage, weeding, topdressing, and pest and disease control. Generally, after 1 year in the nursery, when the seedlings are about 1 m tall and have grown many new roots, they can be lifted from the nursery for planting.
How to Protect Flowers and Fruits on Jujube Trees
1. Inhibit vegetative growth, regulate the contradiction between growth and fruiting, and promote fruit set. Such measures include root cutting, pinching, bud removal, branch thinning, girdling, ring cutting, scoring, and fertilizer and water management. Taking these measures can regulate the contradiction in nutrient distribution and transport between the tree's vegetative growth and flowering and fruiting, raise the tree's nutrient level, and allow more nutrients to be supplied to the needs of flowers and fruits.
2. Spray water during the flowering period to increase air humidity. Air humidity during the flowering period should not be lower than 60-70%, otherwise it will have an impact. Spraying in the evening or morning has a good effect, generally combined with foliar spraying of 0.3-0.5% urea.
3. Place bees in the jujube orchard to increase pollination agents. Some jujube varieties are self-pollinating and some are cross-pollinating. Both pollination within a variety and pollination between varieties can achieve good fruit set, and increasing pollination agents has a good effect.
4. Spray plant hormones and trace elements, mainly gibberellin, 2,4-D, paclobutrazol, chlormequat, B9, indolebutyric acid, indoleacetic acid, acetic acid, naphthaleneacetic acid, borax, boric acid, etc.
Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Management for Jujube Trees
1. After the soil thaws, carry out deep plowing within a 2 m range around the jujube tree to improve soil aeration. Loosen the soil and remove weeds in time; spring plowing should be shallow, and autumn plowing should be deep.
2. Apply base fertilizer before freezing at the end of autumn, and apply topdressing before sprouting in spring. Generally, for a single plant producing 50 kg of fresh jujubes, apply 100 kg of coarse fertilizer or 1.5 kg each of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer and 0.5 kg of potassium fertilizer mixed and applied in trenches. When fertilizing, dig a ring-shaped trench of 40×40 cm at a distance of 1—1.5 m from the trunk and apply the fertilizer into it. During the flowering period and the young fruit growth period, apply 0.5—1 kg of urea per plant by the radial trench method.
3. In places with irrigation conditions, irrigate in time before the flowering period, during the fruit set period, during the fruit swelling period, and before winter.
The planting time for jujube trees is generally in autumn or spring, and it is best not to plant in winter. When planting jujube trees, the land preparation work must be done well, and then planting can be carried out. Management after planting is also the key to ensuring their growth, and they should be watered and fertilized in a timely manner.