Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Spring Planting of Loquat

(1) Land preparation: When building a loquat orchard on flat land, a planting trench should be dug, generally 0.80--1.0 m wide and about 0.80 m deep. The distance between planting trenches is generally about 3 m, and the length of the planting trench depends on the size of the orchard site or the length of the slope. When digging the trench, keep the topsoil and subsoil separate, placing the topsoil on the upper edge. When backfilling, first backfill the topsoil, and use 3--4 layers to bury and press in straw, rice straw, farmyard manure, phosphate fertilizer, etc. Generally, base fertilizer is applied 1--2 months before planting.

Loquat has wide adaptability to soil. Generally, sandy or gravelly loam soils can all be used for cultivation, but the best soil is one with deep soil layers, loose texture, high humus content, strong water and fertilizer retention capacity, and which is not prone to waterlogging. If the soil is too heavy and clayey, some sandy soil can be mixed in. If the soil is relatively strongly acidic, lime should be appropriately added in combination with fertilization to improve the soil. Sloped land must be terraced into contour benches at equal elevations. Mountain soil is relatively barren, so the large-hole, large-fertilizer cultivation method must be adopted. The planting hole should be 1 m long and 1 m wide, and 0.8--1.0 m deep. At the same time, each hole should be backfilled in 3--4 layers with more than 50 kg of barnyard manure, green manure, etc., 0.8--1 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 1 kg of quicklime. The fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the soil. Farmyard manure is placed in the bottom layer to facilitate root absorption. Phosphate fertilizer and lime should be placed in separate layers and must not be mixed. Wait until the fertilizer has decomposed and the soil has settled after loosening before planting.(2) Select excellent strong seedlings: Variety selection should follow the principle of "matching the tree to the site," and at the same time require relatively large fruit, generally around 50 g, with thick flesh and sweet taste, and grafted varieties with strong productivity and disease resistance.(3) Planting time: Plant before the spring shoots sprout in spring, generally around March in spring. If too late, it will affect the emergence of spring shoots. When the soil is too wet or the wind speed is too high, it is not suitable to plant.(4) Planting density: Close planting is generally determined according to the cultivated variety, soil fertility, terrain, and so on. Usually, barren sloped land is planted more densely than fertile, deep flat land, and weak trees are planted more densely than vigorous trees. The plant and row spacing is generally 2 x 3 m, with 111 plants per 667 sq m. It can also be 2 x 3.5 m or 2.5 x 3.5 m.(5) Rational arrangement of pollinizer trees and appropriate variety combination: Loquat is mostly self-pollinated, but some varieties show self-incompatibility. Therefore, in the same orchard, 2--3 varieties should be cultivated, but the varieties are required to have similar full-bloom periods to facilitate pollination. Generally, for every 2 rows of the main cultivated variety, 1 row of pollinizer variety is planted, with a ratio of 2:1. Bees can also be released during the flowering period to increase the pollination rate. Loquat orchards should combine early-, mid-, and late-maturing varieties, so that different ripening periods can meet market supply and demand. Generally, early-, mid-, and late-maturing varieties are combined at 1--3:5--6:2--4.(6) Rational planting: Transplanting seedlings with soil generally gives a high survival rate. If transplanted without soil, the roots should be dipped in mud slurry. When planting, place the seedling at the center of the planting point and spread the root system evenly in the hole, then fill in soil in layers so that the roots fully contact the soil. While filling, firm the soil, water to settle the roots, then cover with soil again up to near the graft union, and water again to settle the roots so that the soil and loquat roots are fully in contact, then fill in more soil. Generally, the backfilled soil is about 10--20 cm higher than the ground. Around each loquat seedling, make an earth ring about 5 cm high to facilitate watering, fertilizing, or intercepting rainfall.(7) Trunk training: The trunk training height is 30--40 cm above the graft union, and the branches above it are kept at a length of about 20 cm. Above the trunk height, select and retain 3 plump buds to cultivate as main branches, with the directions of the main branches at 120 degrees.