How to Grow Cornus officinalis Well? These Key Techniques Must Be Mastered
Cornus officinalis, also known as Shanyurou, Yaozhao, Yurou, Zaopi, and Shuzhao, has the functions of antibacterial and sterilization, calming the nerves and dispelling wind, nourishing the liver and kidneys, and inhibiting the spread of cancer cells. Especially after modern medical research showed that Cornus officinalis has a new function of resisting HIV, market demand is increasing day by day. To grow Cornus officinalis well, mastering techniques is very important.
1. Land preparation and planting
After selecting the land, carry out planting before budbreak in early spring. Plant at a row spacing of 3m×2m (111 plants/mu) or 2m×2m (145 plants/mu), with holes 30cm-50cm deep. Loosen the subsoil, apply 10kg-15kg of base fertilizer per hole, mix evenly with the subsoil, plant strong seedlings, cut off clustered branches, and water once to settle the roots. Seedlings should be dug out on cloudy days with a small soil ball, as this gives a higher survival rate.
2. Timely topdressing
After planting and survival, apply 10kg-15kg of organic fertilizer in spring and autumn each year depending on tree age. For mature fruit trees, during the physiological fruit drop period from mid-March to mid-April, apply an additional 10kg-15kg of human excrement and urine per plant. In addition, during full bloom and the young fruit stage in May, June, July, and August, spray foliar fertilizer in the middle of each month alternately with 0.2% boric acid, 0.2% monopotassium phosphate, or 0.3% urea. This can promote the vegetative growth and fruit development of Cornus officinalis, prevent flower and fruit drop, and increase the fruit-setting rate.
3. Training and pruning
Cornus officinalis mainly bears fruit on short shoots, has strong sprouting ability and weak branching ability, so the two tree forms of modified leader with layered main branches and natural open center are suitable. Through training and pruning, the relationship among growth, flowering, and fruiting of Cornus officinalis can be regulated, thereby achieving the goals of early fruiting and early high yield.
4. Control of main diseases and insect pests
Anthracnose: occurs in early June and damages fruit. When young fruit is affected, small round red spots appear at first, then expand into black sunken lesions with purplish-red edges and irregular red halos, causing green fruit to turn red before ripening. In severe cases, the lesions continuously expand, causing the fruit to turn black, dry up, and drop.
Control methods: spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture at the early stage of disease incidence, and spray 50% carbendazim 800 times solution in early to mid-June; promptly remove diseased fruit and bury it deeply in a centralized place to reduce reinfection; increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to improve the plant's disease resistance.
Gray plaster disease: mainly damages branches and trunks. After being affected, round or irregular thick films appear on the bark of the branches, resembling plaster. After mature trees are affected, tree vigor declines, and in severe cases they may even die.
Control methods: promptly scrape off the mycelial membrane with a knife, brush the branches and trunks with Baume degree lime sulfur mixture, and eliminate scale insects; spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture at the early stage of disease incidence, once every 7-10 days, 3-4 times.
Fruit-boring moth: also known as Cornus officinalis fruit borer and Yaozhao worm, it damages fruit by larvae boring into and eating the flesh. When Cornus officinalis fruit first turns red, the larvae bore into the fruit, feed in all directions, and accumulate frass everywhere. As the fruit ripens, the damage worsens.
Control methods: in late May, treat the soil with 40% phoxim 1:500 to kill larvae; spray 20% kungfu 2000 times solution during the emergence period; use vinegar plus trichlorfon to make poisoned bait to trap and kill adult moths.