How to manage peach trees in summer? Detailed explanation of key points for peach orchard management

Summer is an important period for peach tree shoot growth and fruit enlargement. Strengthening peach orchard management is the key to increasing production in the current year and achieving a bumper harvest next year.

1. Fertilize according to the tree: In late May, apply a topdressing to peach trees that bear more fruit this year and have weaker tree vigor. Conversely, do not fertilize peach trees that bear little fruit and have stronger tree vigor. When fertilizing, dig a ring-shaped fertilization ditch about 1 m long and 0.25 m deep and 0.25 m wide at the drip line of the tree canopy. For adult bearing trees, apply 40-50 kg of decomposed human, livestock and poultry liquid manure per tree, plus 0.3-0.4 kg of ammonium phosphate (or 0.25 kg of urea, 0.5-0.8 kg of superphosphate), then backfill soil to cover the pit after fertilizing. For small trees, apply half the amount. At the same time, carry out foliar topdressing on peach trees by spraying 0.1% Lufenwei No. 1 foliar fertilizer (or a mixed fertilizer solution of 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.3% urea) every 15-20 days, 4-5 times in succession.

2. Drainage and waterlogging prevention: Peach trees are afraid of waterlogging. June-July is the rainy season, so the main ditches, back ditches, sediment traps, etc. should be frequently dredged and cleaned. Do a good job of drainage in the peach orchard, especially in low-lying peach orchards. Dig the main ditch and back ditch to depths and widths of 0.5 m and 0.3 m respectively to lower the groundwater level and facilitate peach tree growth.

3. Summer pruning: Carry out summer pruning on peach trees in May-June. (1) Bud removal and pinching: Remove excessive vegetative buds inside the canopy and competitive buds, twin buds, etc. below the pruning cuts. When new shoots grow to 50-60 cm, pinch the tips. (2) Branch pulling and shoot twisting: For upright peach trees with relatively strong growth, use branch pulling, branch hanging and branch propping methods to increase the angle of the main branches and moderate tree vigor. At the same time, twist upright excessive vegetative branches and other vigorous growing branches 180 degrees, but do not twist them off, so that they turn from upward growth to horizontal growth, prompting excessive vegetative branches to become fruiting branches. (3) Spraying hormones: When the secondary branches of peach trees grow to about 60 cm, spray once with a 500-fold solution of 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder, which can effectively control their growth and promote flower bud differentiation.

4. Disease and pest control: In May-June, use 80% thiophanate-methyl or 75% chlorothalonil at 800 times, or carbendazim at 800-1000 times, and spray the canopy 3 times in succession to control gummosis, anthracnose, etc. For trees that already have gummosis, first scrape off the diseased spots, then apply thiophanate-methyl wettable powder mixed with edible vinegar liquid or use 402 fungicide at 100 times to smear the affected areas. At the same time, spray the canopy 2-3 times with mixed liquid medicines such as 50% decamethrin at 1500 times, 20% pirimicarb or buprofezin at 1200 times, etc., to control peach fruit borer, aphids, peach fruit moth (or lesser peach fruit moth), etc.

5. Intertillage and weeding: On sunny days in summer, for peach orchards without intercropping, use manual weeding, and bury the weeds in pits at the drip line of the canopy, or cover the peach trees with the weeds. It is also possible to spray a mixed herbicide solution of glyphosate (Nongda) and paraquat in the peach orchard. After the weeds die, they serve as mulch, which helps retain moisture and resist drought. In autumn, turn them into the soil to increase soil organic matter.