Detailed Explanation of Key Points of New Macadamia Planting Techniques

Macadamia belongs to the genus Macadamia in the family Proteaceae. Smooth-shelled and rough-shelled macadamia are the two species in the genus Macadamia whose fruits are edible. Macadamia is an evergreen tree. After coming into production, it flowers and fruits every year, with no obvious alternate bearing, and has a long economic life (40~60 years). The kernel contains about 70% oil and about 9% protein. The seed shell is hard and very resistant to storage and transport. In the full production period, 1 mu yields more than 4000 yuan.

I. Site selection

The planting area should be selected in areas without strong winds and without typhoons, with loose soil and good drainage, pH4~6, with pH5.5 being best. When planting, make beds and open drainage ditches well to prevent waterlogging on rainy days.

II. Land preparation

For flatland orchards, deep plow and prepare into beds, and dig irrigation and drainage ditches and planting holes well. For mountain orchards, carry out strip reclamation or build contour terraces. If pit planting is used, expand the pits year by year after planting and improve the soil by pressing green manure and applying fertilizer. The planting spacing is 5 m X 7 m or 4.5 m X 8 m. The planting holes should be dug one month before backfilling so that the holes have enough time to weather, and organic fertilizer, weeds, and compost are fully decomposed. After backfilling, let the soil in the planting holes settle.

III. Variety selection

900# and Ownchoice show early production, high yield, and high quality. Several varieties should be mixed when planting.

IV. Planting

When planting, first place a small amount of decomposed organic fertilizer and compound fertilizer (0.1 kg) in each prepared planting hole and mix evenly with the upper layer of soil piled up. Then, according to the size of the seedling root ball, dig a small hole in the center of the soil mound, untie the seedling soil ball packaging bag (nutrition bag), put the seedling into the small planting hole, and backfill with soil. After backfilling, cover soil around the seedling to form a deep saucer-shaped tree dish about 1 m in diameter, cover the tree dish with weeds, and finally water thoroughly to settle the roots, watering 20~30 kg per plant. Within 1 month after planting, if there is no heavy rain, water thoroughly once about every 3 days.

V. Fertilization

Macadamia fertilization should be based mainly on organic fertilizer, with inorganic chemical fertilizer as a supplement.

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VI. Pruning

For 1~2-year-old trees, remove the seedling branches on the trunk. Pruning and developing the tree structure is done on 3~5-year-old trees. Pruning 2~3 times a year is sufficient, and the amount of branches and leaves removed each time must not exceed 1/3 of the plant. Do not remove the main lateral branches or the weak small branches on branches at all levels. After entering the fruiting period, almost no much pruning is needed. After the orchard closes in, remove or retract some lateral branches in a planned way.

VII. Weeding, intercropping, and mulching

(1) Weeds cut down by weeding can be used to press green manure as fertilizer or to cover the tree dish to retain water.

(2) Intercrop or relay intercrop forage grass, mainly legume varieties. Intercropped crops can be short-stemmed or creeping crops, such as peanut, soybean, sweet potato, melons, etc. Intercropped crops should be rotated, not continuously cropped, and should be planted as much as possible on contour beds, within the range outside the drip line of the tree canopy. In the → year of fruit tree planting, intercropped crops should also be planted outside the tree dish. When intercropping creeping crops such as sweet potato and melons, also prevent vines from climbing on the plants.

(3) Mulching: mulch within the drip line of the plant canopy. Mulching materials can be weeds, plant

fallen leaves, straw of intercropped crops, etc.

VIII. Whitewashing for overwintering

Cold resistance is relatively stable. In winter, simply whitewash the trunk in combination with disease and pest prevention.

IX. Harvesting

Generally, manual picking is carried out in mid-to-late September before they fall off. Fruits from early flowers mature and fall off sporadically in mid-July, so they should be picked up and collected promptly. Seeds with the shells removed are dried at normal temperature below 40°C for 2 weeks to reduce the moisture content to about 6%, then the seeds are dried at a high temperature of 60~70°C until the moisture content is lower than 1.2%.