Detailed Explanation of Pomelo Planting Techniques and Orchard Management Key Points

Pomelo is a particularly common fruit; every autumn and winter you can see pomelos everywhere, because this is the best time to eat them. I believe everyone has eaten plenty of pomelos but knows little about growing them. Below, the editor will give everyone a primer on pomelo planting techniques!

Pomelo Planting Techniques

1. Orchard site requirements and selection: the soil structure must have good physical properties, with deep, fertile soil, good drainage, aeration and water retention; the groundwater level should be low so the orchard does not become waterlogged during the rainy season; the humus content of the cultivated soil layer must be high, reaching 3-5%.

2. Requirements and selection of fruit seedlings: use fruit seedlings grafted with scions taken from branches of superior mother trees, and choose vigorous seedlings with soil balls and no pests or diseases.

3. Planting spacing: No. 1 pomelo is generally planted at 50 trees per mu, with a row spacing of 3.3 m × 4 m; No. 2 pomelo is planted at 60 trees per mu, with a row spacing of 3.3 m × 3.3 m.

4. Planting time: spring and autumn are suitable, with autumn being best. In spring, plant from the Beginning of Spring to around Rain Water; in autumn, plant from mid-September to the end of October.

5. Hole digging requirements: dig large holes to improve the soil. The large holes should be 1 m wide and 1 m deep; after digging, fill them with topsoil, green manure, compost, etc., filling layer by layer with one layer of fertilizer and one layer of soil, and mound the soil above ground level.

6. Planting: loosen the upper soil in the hole, apply 15 kg of decomposed compost, 1.2 kg of phosphate fertilizer and 0.6 kg of potassium fertilizer, mix thoroughly and tamp down, then cover with a layer of fine soil. Dig a small hole in the planting hole, the same size as the soil ball of the seedling, then place the seedling on it so it stands upright, spread out the roots, and mound fine soil around it. If conditions permit, cover the tree base with green manure or rice straw to maintain temperature and humidity and help survival. After 20-30 days, once growth resumes, fertilize once every 10-15 days to promote growth, and pay attention to regular pest and disease control, promptly removing adventitious buds and excessive vegetative branches to cultivate a good crown.

Pomelo Planting Disease Control

There are many pests and diseases harmful to pomelo trees; common ones include mites, scale insects, leafminers, anthracnose, etc. Control should be based on the occurrence characteristics of each disease and combined with spray application.

1. From the end of February before flowering to early April, spray continuously 2 times, mainly to control mites, while also controlling other pests; pesticides used: insecticide + acaricide + fungicide.

2. In the young fruit stage after petal fall, from mid-May to late June, spray continuously 2 times, mainly to control scale insects, while also controlling other pests; pesticides used: insecticide + fungicide.

3. In autumn, from mid-July to early September, spray continuously 3-4 times, mainly to control leafminers and also to control swallowtail butterflies, anthracnose, etc.; pesticides used: insecticide + fungicide.

4. From mid-September to early October is the second peak of mite damage; spray 1-2 times to kill mites, while also controlling other pests and diseases; pesticides used: insecticide + acaricide + fungicide.

5. In winter, spray once with lime sulfur mixture to clean the orchard. Insecticides can be alternated among chlorpyrifos, trichlorfon, fenpropathrin, dimehypo, etc.; fungicides can be any one of carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl, zineb, etc.; acaricides can be alternated among propargite, Mie Man Ling, etc. Spraying should be uniform and thorough.

Pomelo Growing Conditions

1. Climatic conditions. In the place of origin, the annual average temperature is 17.5°C, the extreme high temperature is 40.5°C, the extreme low temperature is -9.2°C, the frost-free period is 238 days, the annual precipitation is 1725.3 mm, and the annual sunshine is 1898.6 hours. Pomelo has a stronger tolerance to low temperatures than sweet orange, mandarin orange and Satsuma mandarin.

2. Terrain and topography. Pomelo has no strict requirements for terrain; plains, sandy beaches, hills, low mountains, and mountain land below 500 m altitude with a slope not exceeding 25 degrees can all be planted.

3. Pomelo has no strict requirements for soil; the soil pH value should preferably be 5.5-6.5. Alluvial soil, red-yellow soil, purple sandy soil and vegetable garden soil can all be planted as long as the soil layer is deep and drainage is good. Sandy loam soil is best.

Fertilization Management

Emphasize the use of organic fertilizer and farmyard manure. Bearing trees generally do not use chemical fertilizers, especially not chlorine-containing fertilizers. Young bearing trees (3-4 years) are mainly fertilized three times: after fruit harvest, before spring bud break, and during the fruit-swelling stage. Apply a base fertilizer once in August-September after fruit harvest, mainly farmyard manure, compound fertilizer and cake fertilizer; apply a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer once before spring shoot budding in February to promote spring shoot growth; apply a fruit-swelling fertilizer once in early June, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, to promote fruit expansion and branch growth.

1. Fertilization principles:

The needs of blood oranges for various nutrient elements should be fully met, and it is advocated to apply more organic fertilizer and to rationally apply inorganic fertilizer and formula fertilizer. Fertilization should also be guided by leaf analysis results, orchard soil analysis results, and the phenological period of blood oranges.

2. Fertilization methods:

Soil fertilization is the main method, combined with foliar fertilization. Methods include ring trench application, strip trench application, hole application, and broadcasting fertilizer on the soil surface.

①. Fertilization for young trees: apply frequently and lightly, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers; fertilize 5-6 times during the spring, summer and autumn shoot emergence periods (March, May, June, July, September, December; each time apply 0.4 jin of ammonium bicarbonate or 0.2 jin of urea per tree. For 1-3 year old young trees, apply 100-400 g of pure nitrogen per tree per year; the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should preferably be 1.0:(0.4-0.5):1.0. For adult trees, apply four good fertilizer applications, namely budding fertilizer, fruit-preserving fertilizer, fruit-swelling fertilizer and fruit-harvest fertilizer. The application rates are generally 2-3 jin of chemical fertilizer plus one load of manure water for budding fertilizer; 1-2 jin of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer + 1 jin of chemical fertilizer for fruit-preserving fertilizer; 1-2 jin of chemical fertilizer + 1-2 jin of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer for fruit-swelling fertilizer; and for fruit-harvest fertilizer (base fertilizer), mainly organic fertilizer, apply 50-100 jin of organic fertilizer + 1-2 jin of chemical fertilizer per tree.

②. Water: irrigate when the soil is dry, and drain when there is standing water.

The above is some relevant technical knowledge on planting pomelo trees that the editor has compiled for everyone. I believe everyone now has a certain understanding of growing pomelos! Pomelos are rich in nutrients and have a good taste, and are especially loved by consumers; their planting prospects are very considerable!