How to Grow Wax Apple: Detailed Guide to Planting Techniques and Precautions
Wax apple is a fruit from the Taiwan region, and of course the areas where wax apple is grown are constantly increasing; for example, Hainan has already become a new main production area for wax apple, and other provinces are gradually beginning to grow it too. The requirements of wax apple growth for environmental factors should not be too strict, so friends who are willing to grow it can give it a try!
How to Grow Wax Apple
1. Variety selection
There are dozens of wax apple varieties. At present, the main varieties cultivated in Hainan are Taiwan Black Pearl and Thailand Red Diamond. Taiwan Black Gold wax apple belongs to the pink variety; the fruit hangs downward in a bell shape, is glossy, and when mature the fruit is dark red and the flesh is white. Because the fruit grown out of season appears purple, it is commonly called Black Pearl or Black Gold. However, the flesh contains rather a lot of cotton-like texture, and fruit drop and fruit cracking are relatively serious in the rainy season. Red Diamond wax apple belongs to the large-fruited Thai variety; its single leaves are opposite, oval-shaped, with a dark green upper surface. The leaves are relatively large, and young leaves are purple. The leaf blade is 20-32 cm long and 8-15 cm wide. The fruit of this variety hangs downward in a long bell shape, has a waxy glossy surface, and when mature the fruit is dark red and the flesh is white with little spongy texture. Therefore, most growers choose to plant Thailand Red Diamond wax apple.
2. Planting at the right time
A wide-row planting method is preferable. Generally, a row spacing of 6 m and a plant spacing of 5 m are chosen, planting about 330 plants/hm2. The plant and row spacing specifications can be chosen according to the terrain, and dwarfed dense planting cultivation can also be considered, with every other plant thinned out later. Dig planting holes at fixed points according to the selected plant spacing; the hole specifications are 1 m in length, width and depth. Apply no less than 30-40 kg per hole of organic fertilizer made by composting soil miscellaneous fertilizer, green manure, barnyard manure and pig and cattle dung as base fertilizer, then fill with soil to cover. Careful planting is generally carried out in spring or autumn, when there is sufficient rain and the survival rate of seedlings after planting is high. First dig a small hole in the middle of the planting hole that has already been backfilled with soil. When planting bagged seedlings, the nutrient bag must be removed before placing them into the planting hole, then backfill with soil and press firmly, covering the soil up to 2 cm at the seedling root. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and cover with thatch or Dicranopteris grass to retain moisture. On sunny days, water once every 2-3 d until the plants survive.
Wax Apple Planting Techniques and Precautions
1. Temperature for growing wax apple
It likes warmth and fears cold. The most suitable growth temperature is 25°C-30°C. If the winter temperature is too low, generally around 8°C, the flowers and fruits will suffer cold damage, causing flower drop and fruit drop.
2. Light for growing wax apple
It likes ample sunlight to promote branch growth and nutrient accumulation. Long daylight is favorable for wax apple flowering. With an annual sunshine duration of 2000-2500 hours, wax apple has good vegetative growth, accumulates more nutrients, has excellent quality and high yield. Wax apple likes light and is also shade-tolerant, but the fruit avoids strong light. Therefore, wax apple should appropriately retain more branches so that strong light does not shine directly on the fruit.
3. Water for growing wax apple
Wax apple avoids waterlogging and also fears drought. An annual rainfall of 1500-2000 mm is relatively suitable for growth, and water needs differ at different growth and development stages. Wax apple needs relatively more water during the vegetative growth period, and relatively less water during the reproductive development period, especially the later stage of fruit development. During the fruit ripening period, drought or too much continuous rain can easily cause fruit drop. If there is long-term high temperature and drought with little rain in the early stage of fruit development followed by sudden heavy rain, it easily causes a large amount of fruit cracking and also easily causes pests and diseases. If there is drought and a lack of water during fruit development, the fruit is relatively small and of poor quality. Therefore, wax apple orchards should pay attention to setting up irrigation and drainage systems to ensure the orchard can both be irrigated and drain promptly.
4. Wind for growing wax apple
A gentle breeze is favorable for gas exchange in wax apple orchards, increasing photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient accumulation in the fruit trees, thereby enhancing tree resistance and reducing the occurrence of pests and diseases. Our city often suffers typhoon attacks, so it is best to establish shelterbelts for wax apple planting.
5. Soil for growing wax apple
Wax apple is not strict about soil conditions. Sandy soil, clay soil, red soil and slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil can all support growth, but growth and fruiting are best in deep, fertile, moist slightly acidic or neutral soil.
Nutrition Management for Wax Apple
1. Every year after successful flower forcing, during September to October, the mother plant needs nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium applied at 50% of the total annual amount for wax apple (the total amounts of N-P2O5-K2O are 1 and 2 kg each), plus 10-30 kg per plant of chicken manure, duck manure, cake fertilizer or compost.
2. During the flowering and fruiting period from October to May of the following year, apply the remaining 50% nitrogen fertilizer and 25% phosphorus fertilizer in split applications, and spray trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, boron, manganese, iron, copper, zinc and molybdenum on the leaves once every 15-20 days. This has an important effect on the quality and color of wax apple.
3. In June to July at the end of harvesting, apply the remaining phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. As for the application method: for the base fertilizer before flowering of fruiting trees, open a ring-shaped fertilizer trench about 30-60 cm inward from the canopy edge toward the trunk, about 15 cm deep and 20 cm wide, then cover with soil after fertilizing. Topdressing at other times can be applied in trenches along the outer edge of the canopy or broadcast.
Growth Habits of Wax Apple
Wax apple likes warmth and fears cold. The most suitable growth temperature is 25-30°C, and it will suffer cold damage at 8°C. There is no frost damage in winter; at 7°C the flower buds and young fruit suffer cold damage and drop; at 10°C fruit close to harvest will also be damaged and drop. It is not strict about soil requirements, but slightly alkaline, moist and fertile clay soil is most suitable (such as paddy fields); planting in dry land has low yield and poor quality.
An adult wax apple tree is 3 meters tall, evergreen year-round, sends out branches multiple times, flowers and fruits multiple times, has a large growth volume and also bears many fruits. It normally flowers from March to May and the fruit ripens from May to July. Special treatment can regulate the flowering period, causing the fruit ripening period to advance to December to April of the following year. In South China, it flowers once from March to April, the fruit matures from May to June, it flowers a second time in late July, the fruit matures from August to September, and it still flowers and fruits in December. The fruit generally weighs 70-80 grams. In Taiwan Province, wax apple cultivation mostly implements production period regulation, flowering and fruiting 4-6 times each year, with a general yield of 5000 kg per mu.
It should be fair to say that the yield of wax apple is actually quite considerable, and its nutritional value and benefits are also obvious to all. Therefore, after planting, the difficulty of selling it should generally not be very great. As the market acceptance of wax apple gradually opens up, the number of wax apples planted in the future should become even greater.