Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Navel Orange Cultivation and Management

The most attractive thing about navel oranges is still their tangerine-red appearance, which looks extremely enticing. Regularly eating navel oranges not only helps with beauty and anti-aging, but also has the effect of prolonging life. There are now many varieties of navel oranges on the market, and their flavors differ as well. Below, let us learn together how to grow navel oranges with good flavor that consumers love!

Navel Orange Cultivation and Management Techniques

1. Orchard establishment. Navel oranges are suited to regions with an annual accumulated temperature of ≥10°C of 4500°C to 6500°C, an average annual temperature of 15°C to 19°C, a minimum temperature of minus 6.5°C, a maximum temperature of 38°C, annual rainfall of over 1000 mm, and relative air humidity of 65% to 72%. For mountain orchard establishment, a slope of 15° or less is preferable; steeper slopes require the construction of level terraces. South-, southeast-, or southwest-facing slopes with deep, fertile soil, abundant water, and convenient transportation are ideal.

2. When converting paddy fields into orchards, convenient drainage and irrigation are required, and the plow pan must be broken up during orchard establishment. The orchard site should be far from towns, with no factories, mines, hospitals, or garbage dumps nearby, and the content of various soil heavy metals and harmful substances must meet the requirements for pollution-free cultivation. In addition, main roads, branch roads, and cultivation paths should be planned according to the size of the orchard, water conservancy and sprinkler irrigation facilities should be built, and taller trees should be retained or planted on the windward side of the orchard as a shelterbelt.

3. During orchard establishment, deeply plow the entire orchard to 20 cm, dig planting pits or planting trenches of 1 m square at a spacing of 2 to 3 m × 3 to 4 m. First, place coarse organic fertilizer with an appropriate amount of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer and lime into the bottom of the pit. For each cubic meter, mix 50 kg of pig or cattle pen manure with soil to level the pit. Finally, use 1 kg of rotted barnyard manure plus 0.5 kg of compound fertilizer, mix with fine soil, and build a square planting mound 20 to 30 cm above the ground surface.

4. When planting, spread the seedling roots evenly and unfold them in layers, then fill with soil and compact it, and water thoroughly to settle the roots. The planting depth should be such that after the soil settles, the graft union is 2 to 3 cm above the ground.

Water Management for Navel Orange Planting

Reasonable irrigation is also an important measure for high yields of Newhall navel oranges. Generally, the relative water-holding capacity of citrus orchard soil should be maintained between 65% and 75%, that is, the soil should be kept relatively moist. In spring and summer, when there is more rain, the drainage ditches of terraced fields should be cleaned to ensure the citrus orchard does not accumulate water. In autumn, there is generally less rain, especially in October to November, which is the period of rapid fruit expansion, so irrigation should be strengthened to facilitate fruit expansion. In addition, attention should be paid to preventing fruit cracking caused by rain after a long drought.

Fertilization Methods with Soil Loosening for Navel Oranges

1. Trench fertilization. On the outer edge of the canopy drip line, open strip-shaped fertilization trenches on two opposite sides, mix fertilizer and soil evenly, and apply into the trenches, changing the position each time.

2. Ring trench fertilization. Along the outer edge of the canopy drip line, open ring-shaped fertilization trenches on two opposite sides, mix fertilizer and soil evenly, and apply into the trenches, changing the position each time.

3. Radial trench fertilization. Within the canopy projection area, starting at a certain distance from the trunk, dig 4 to 6 radial fertilization trenches that are shallow inside and deep outside, mix fertilizer and soil evenly, and apply into the pits, changing the position each time.

4. Hole fertilization. Within the canopy projection area, dig several fertilization holes, mix fertilizer and soil evenly, and apply into the holes, changing the position each time.

Main Pruning Methods and Effects for Navel Oranges

1. Heading back. A pruning method in which a section is cut off from new shoots or perennial branches. Usually, heading back current-year new shoots can promote branching, lower branching height, and enhance tree vigor; heading back perennial branches, because it reduces the branching order at the shoot-emergence site, makes the new shoots that emerge even more vigorous.

2. Thinning out. Cutting off new shoots, perennial branches, or branch groups from their basal branching point. Thinning can reduce the total number of branches in the tree, help moderate growth vigor, and promote flowering and fruiting.

3. Renewal pruning. Cutting away the weakened front portion of a large branch group, then moderately heading back the vigorous branches at the cut. Through renewal pruning, the vegetative growth of the branches at the cut is promoted, renewing a branch group that had been declining into a new branch group with strong growth vigor.

4. Bud rubbing and shoot release. When navel orange buds sprout sporadically, rub them off, repeating 2 to 3 times, and after more buds have matured, allow them to sprout a large number of new shoots uniformly and evenly.

5. Pinching. During the growing season, remove the tip section of new shoots that have not stopped growing. This is actually a very light heading back carried out during the growing season.

6. Propping, pulling, and hanging branches. By applying external force, change the growth direction or insertion angle of new shoots and large branches, achieving the purpose of adjusting growth vigor and distribution space.

So navel orange cultivation actually requires so many procedures, and every step is very important. If you want to grow delicious navel oranges, you must have enough patience and do each step of the work well. I hope the editor's methods are useful to everyone, so that you can all grow high-yielding and delicious navel oranges.