How to Grow Finger Citron? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

When the fruit of the finger citron matures, each carpel separates, forming slender, curved segments that resemble fingers, hence the name finger citron. So, do you know how to grow finger citron?

1. Soil

The finger citron has no strict requirements for soil quality; sandy loam that is loose, fertile, well-aerated, and well-draining is best, followed by yellow-red sandy soil. After the new shoots of the seedlings turn green, they can be planted in all four seasons, and the best planting periods are from January to May and from August to September.

2. Field Planting

After cuttings or grafted seedlings have been cultivated for one year and the young seedlings reach 50 cm in height, they can be planted in either spring or autumn, and it is better when the temperature begins to warm up in February and the new buds are about to sprout. Plant with a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of 30-40 cm, water with rooting water, and afterward water once every 7-15 days.

3. Water and Fertilizer

The finger citron is a shallow-rooted plant and absorbs water and nutrients relatively weakly, so when fertilizing and watering we should pay attention to increasing the frequency of fertilization and watering, while keeping the amount of fertilizer and water appropriate each time. Entering the full fruit-bearing period, additional compound fertilizer is needed.

4. Pruning

What needs special attention during pruning is that if a newly planted finger citron blooms, we need to remove the flowers, otherwise it will affect the plant's growth and development. Second, its pruning is different from that of other plants; basically, pruning is needed throughout all four seasons, because the finger citron grows branches and leaves very quickly, and if reasonable pruning is not carried out, it will easily accelerate the aging of the entire plant and seriously affect yield.

5. Weeding

It begins to bloom around Awakening of Insects (March 6); for each flower cluster, keep 2-3 robust female flowers and remove the rest. In fruit-preserving techniques, it is generally required to keep 1-2 fruits per branch, and remove any extra ones. After entering the fruiting period, pull out weeds around the plant by hand; do not use a hoe, so as to avoid damaging the roots. After planting, the finger citron must be hilled up once a year for 5 years, carried out after pruning and clearing the orchard, and after hilling up, cover the tree tray with a thin layer of grass.

The fruit of the finger citron begins to mature one after another from the end of August. When the peel begins to change from green to light yellow-green, harvest on a sunny day, until harvesting is finished in winter.