Detailed Explanation of Key Points on Persimmon Planting and Cultivation Techniques

The persimmon is a fairly common variety in our country, cultivated in many regions, and generally ripens in autumn and winter. There are two common types of persimmons on the market: one that can be eaten directly, and one that has an astringent taste and needs to have the astringency removed before it can be eaten. So how can you grow high-quality persimmons?

Persimmon Planting and Cultivation Techniques

1. Soil: There are no strict requirements for soil; it can grow in mountainous areas, hills, plains, riverbanks, clay and sandy land. But it is best to establish a persimmon orchard in a place with a soil layer more than 1 m deep. Loam and clay loam with deep soil and strong water retention capacity are the most ideal for planting. It grows best at a soil pH of 6-7.5.

2. Propagation: Persimmon trees use Date Plum (Diospyros lotus) or wild persimmon as rootstock, and are grafted by branch grafting at bud break or by bud grafting in summer and autumn. Practice has proved that the survival rate is also very high when bud grafting is used at the time of spring shoot sprouting.

3. Autumn planting spacing: The planting spacing is 6×8 m, and can be reduced to 4×4 m on poor mountainous land. In the south, autumn planting is preferable. When lifting seedlings, damage as few roots as possible, strictly prevent fine roots from drying out, and when planting be sure to spread the roots out, tread them firm and water thoroughly.

Later-Stage Management of Persimmon Tree Planting

1. Increase fertilizer and water. The supply of fertilizer and water is the basis for persimmon trees to bear fruit, and also the material guarantee for stable and increased yields. First, apply sufficient base fertilizer. After picking fruit each October, apply farmyard manure, superphosphate and plant ash at 15-150 kg, 0.5-5 kg and 1.5-15 kg per tree respectively according to tree age. After new shoots stop growing before flowering and before fruit enlargement in August, apply a quick-acting fertilizer once each, to meet the nutrients needed for vigorous tree growth, prevent bud drop and fruit drop, improve fruit set rate and increase yield. For topdressing, apply urea at 0.1-0.5 kg per tree each time according to tree size. While fertilizing, water promptly to meet the water needed for persimmon tree growth and development and increase yield.

2. Plow and turn the soil. Carry out plowing and turning once each in spring and summer every year to eliminate weeds, enhance root aeration, mature the soil, intercept rainwater, improve the utilization rate of natural precipitation, and deep plow promptly in rainy seasons to keep the soil loose, increase water storage capacity in the rainy season. Deep plowing benefits root growth, enhances root absorption function, improves the ability to absorb fertilizer and water, and promotes increased yield.

Skillful Topdressing of Persimmon Trees

1. Persimmon trees are topdressed 2 times each year. The first time is in March in spring, combined with covering the tree disk with grass. The second time is in late July during the rapid fruit enlargement period. Topdressing is mainly quick-acting fertilizer, mainly nitrogen fertilizer in the early stage and mainly potassium fertilizer in the later stage, supplemented with an appropriate amount of phosphate fertilizer. Where irrigation conditions exist, topdress on time; where there are no irrigation conditions, topdress opportunistically with rain according to the weather. Generally, according to the size of the canopy, dig several small holes per tree, apply chemical fertilizer and then fill them level with soil.

2. The amount of topdressing should be specifically determined according to canopy size and load. Generally, mature trees are applied nitrogen fertilizer 0.5—1.5 kg, potassium fertilizer 0.5—1 kg and phosphate fertilizer 0.25—0.75 kg per tree. During the growing season, combine with pesticide spraying and use 0.5% urea, 200-fold potassium dihydrogen phosphate or photosynthetic micro-fertilizer, etc. for foliar spraying 3—4 times.

Methods of Persimmon Pest Control

The main pests of persimmon trees are scale insects, persimmon calyx borers, persimmon caterpillars, etc. The main diseases are angular leaf spot and circular leaf spot. Comprehensive control measures:

1. Thoroughly clean the orchard in early winter, remove the persimmon calyxes remaining on the trees, and sweep up fallen leaves, diseased and insect-infested fruit, diseased and insect-infested branches around the persimmon trees, which can remove overwintering sites of pests and diseases such as circular leaf spot, angular leaf spot and persimmon calyx moth, and reduce damage in the coming year.

2. In winter, scrape off the old, coarse and cracked bark on the trunk and large branches and destroy it in a concentrated way. After scraping, whitewash the trunk, which can eliminate persimmon calyx borers and cottony cushion scale insects.

3. Chemical control: before persimmon trees sprout, carefully spray the tree body once with 5 degrees Baume lime-sulfur mixture. From early June to early August, alternately spray Bordeaux mixture with a large amount of lime, mancozeb, thiophanate-methyl, etc. for disease control, and according to the occurrence of pests, spray pesticides promptly for control.

Persimmon planting is relatively simple. Grafting propagation is generally used, and in the south it is best to plant in autumn. To achieve good later growth of persimmons, pruning and pest control work must be done well. Persimmons are now very popular with consumers and are generally processed into canned food or dried persimmons to eat, so growing persimmons has economic value.