How to do a good job of overwintering management for prickly ash trees? These technical points must be mastered

Prickly ash, aliases: hui, dajiao, Qinjiao, Shujiao, Chuanjiao or Shanjiao. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the Rutaceae family, Zanthoxylum genus, and can be planted alone or used as a protective thorn hedge. Its fruit peel can be used as a seasoning, and aromatic oil can be extracted from it; it can also be used as medicine, the seeds can be eaten, and it can also be processed into soap.

Prickly ash is an economic shrub tree species with low investment, quick results, high benefits, convenient planting and management, wide uses, and strong adaptability. Its pepper peel is both an edible seasoning and a medicinal material. The pepper seeds can be pressed for edible oil and are also a raw material for light industry. As people's living standards improve, demand is increasing more and more. The following is a brief introduction to the seedling raising and high-yield cultivation techniques summarized in our county during the promotion of the improved large red robe prickly ash variety and the implementation of the provincial government's prickly ash base county program:

Prickly ash's adaptation to natural conditions

Prickly ash prefers a warm and cool climate, and its vertical distribution can reach 1800-2000 m. It is not tolerant of low temperatures and needs relatively high temperatures. It needs annual rainfall of 400-500 mm. It is relatively tolerant of drought and not tolerant of waterlogging. One-year-old young branches freeze at -18°C, and fifteen-year-old large trees are prone to freezing at -25°C. It needs deep, fertile, moist soil, grows well on neutral and slightly acidic soil, and grows especially well on calcareous mountain land. It can be planted in both the north and the south, mainly in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, that is, the northwest, southern northeast, north China, east China, central China and southwest. Afforestation land should not be on mountaintops, mountain ridges, wind gaps, shady and cold, dry, or excessively steep slopes.

Overwintering management:

1. Water and fertilizer management in autumn. After prickly ash trees enter July, topdressing nitrogen fertilizer should be stopped to prevent excessive growth in the later season. At the same time, base fertilizer should be applied as early as possible in September-October, which helps improve the nutritional level of the tree.

2. Use pruning to control excessive tree growth. In September-October, measures such as pulling, bending and pinching are taken on upright vigorous branches to weaken the growth vigor of vigorous branches. The effect of controlling vigorous trees is obvious, and timely spraying of Hushu Jiangjun for heat preservation and freeze protection hinders pathogens from settling and multiplying on the tree body, while also improving the tree's cold resistance.

3. Enhance the nutritional level of the tree. In July-August, quick-acting potassium fertilizers such as potassium sulfate can be applied; foliar spraying of high-efficiency microfertilizers such as photosynthetic microfertilizer and amino acid chelated fertilizer plus 800 times Xin Gaozhi Mo solution can improve the tree's photosynthetic capacity. In September-October, foliar spray with a mixed fertilizer solution of 0.5% potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 0.5%-1% urea plus 800 times Xin Gaozhi Mo solution, spraying 2-3 times consecutively every 7-10 days, can effectively improve the tree's nutrient reserves and cold resistance.

4. Strengthen overwintering protection management. Adopt effective protective measures such as hilling soil around the trunk and hilling soil around the whole seedling to strengthen protection of the tree body; apply Hushu Jiangjun to the trunk for heat preservation and freeze protection or carry out trunk whitewashing protection. Use a protective agent made of 5 parts quicklime + 0.5 part sulfur + 2 parts salt + 0.1 part vegetable oil + 20 parts water to coat the trunk.

5. Spray antifreeze. During the overwintering period, spray the tree body with a 1%-1.25% antifreeze solution, which can effectively prevent freezing damage to branches.

The eight-character formula for winter management of prickly ash trees:

1. “Prune”, which means shaping and pruning. Winter is a great season for pruning prickly ash. When pruning, the “seven branches” must be cut off, namely: water sprouts, dead branches, diseased and insect-infested branches, overly dense branches, crossing branches, overlapping branches, and weak slender branches. Then burn the removed branches together, which can eliminate overwintering pests and pathogens on the branches and trunks.

2. “Scrape”, which means scraping off rough bark. Many insect eggs overwinter in the cracks of the rough bark of prickly ash trees, and mulberry white scale parasitizes the trunk. Scrape off the rough bark and gum oozing spots, burn them together, then apply Liujiao Wei and Suolibaer pesticides, and then smear thin mud to cover the wounds, which can eliminate pathogens and insect eggs. This method also has the effect of rejuvenating tree vigor.

3. “Paint”, which means whitewashing the trunk. Whitewashing can reduce freezing damage, delay the budding and flowering of prickly ash trees, and protect them from late spring frost damage. In addition, it can also kill overwintering insect eggs and pathogens hidden in the bark. The pesticide used for painting the trunk is “high-efficiency whitewash agent”, with extremely high effectiveness.

4. “Spray”, which means spraying pesticides. Some pathogens and insect eggs overwinter not only on dead branches, fallen leaves and weeds, but can also parasitize and overwinter in places such as branch forks. Therefore, before prickly ash trees sprout, generally spray once with Suolibaer against “99” insecticide pesticide. It is best to spray before the prickly ash leaves fall, and the control effect is excellent. At the same time, other trees around the prickly ash orchard should also be sprayed to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

5. “Clean”, which means cleaning the prickly ash orchard. Some pathogens and insect eggs of prickly ash trees overwinter on dead branches and rotten leaves. In winter, before turning the orchard soil, clean up the debris in the prickly ash orchard and burn it together, which can eliminate overwintering pathogens and insect eggs.

6. “Apply”, which means changing soil and applying fertilizer. Dig away the old soil at the base of prickly ash trees to expose the roots, and cut off diseased roots. Sprinkle Genfusan pesticide, then replace with new soil and bury well, which can prevent root rot. Then, under the crown of the prickly ash tree, use ring-shaped, radial and strip-shaped fertilization methods to apply farmyard manure, phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, with an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer.

7. “Turn”, which means turning the prickly ash orchard. Using the natural conditions of low temperature and drought in winter, by turning the orchard soil, overwintering pests in the soil are turned out to freeze to death or be eaten by birds. The turning depth should be 20-25 cm. It is best to do it before the soil freezes. Turning the prickly ash orchard can not only eliminate overwintering pests, but also improve soil physical and chemical properties, improve soil structure, and enhance the orchard soil's ability to retain water and moisture in winter.

8. “Water”, which means watering in winter. When entering the "Sanjiu" period, give prickly ash a full watering of winter water, which can play a role in keeping warm, overwintering safely, increasing nutrition, and improving the tree's resistance.