Detailed Explanation of Key Cultivation Techniques for Yangfeng Sweet Persimmon

Yangfeng sweet persimmon is a type of persimmon and belongs to a Japanese variety. It is deeply loved by people for its high fruit-setting rate and good quality, and it is now also planted in some areas. So what are the cultivation techniques for Yangfeng sweet persimmon?

1. Site selection and land preparation

Yangfeng sweet persimmon is suitable for growing in places with loose and fertile soil, good drainage, and shelter from the wind while facing the sun. Therefore, when selecting soil, calcareous soil, neutral soil, or slightly acidic soil can be used for planting. After selecting the site, deeply plow the soil, apply sufficient base fertilizer, and then dig holes with a height, width, and depth of 1*0.8*0.6 m respectively at a row spacing and plant spacing of 4-5 m.

2. Seedling selection

Choose new varieties that have been identified by departments at or above the provincial level, are suitable for local planting, and are suitable for promotion. Varieties with a long local cultivation history and good growth and sales can also be selected for planting. For seedlings, 1-2-year-old grafted seedlings have a relatively high survival rate when cultivated. The seedling height should be above 1 m, the ground diameter above 1.2 cm, the main root length above 20 cm, and the number of lateral roots above 15, with a good graft union, and they should be plump, robust, and free of pests and diseases.

3. Planting seedlings

Plant the selected seedlings into the dug holes, then cover with soil and water lightly.

4. Management techniques after planting

(1) Fertilizer requirements: When backfilling topsoil in winter, apply 50 kg of pig and cattle manure or 1.5 kg of calcium-magnesium-phosphate fertilizer per plant. Later, apply 6.5 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 2.5 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 0.6 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu, and at other times apply appropriate fertilizers according to soil fertility and plant growth.

(2) Water requirements: When watering, generally apply bud-break water, pre-flowering water, fruit-swelling water, and overwintering water to keep the soil moist.

(3) Training and pruning: Yangfeng sweet persimmon is generally pruned and trained once each during the young tree stage, the mature stage, and after fruiting. Generally, for young-stage saplings, it is only necessary to select 3-4 suitable branches as scaffold branch heads, generally without heading back, and remove nearby weak branches and vigorous branches growing in the same direction. At present, the multi-main-branch natural open-center form is generally used. During training, temporarily retain the central leader, cut back by 1/2-1/3 each year, and maintain the open-center state. Once the canopy is formed, remove the central leader; during the full fruiting period, it is only necessary to thin out excessive large branches year by year to promote the growth of inner canopy branches, cultivate small fruiting branch groups, support large branches to grow outward and diagonally upward, gradually replace the original branch heads, and raise the angle of the main branches. Fruiting branches are generally not headed back; remove dense branches, water sprouts, crossing branches, and diseased or dead branches so that the branches are distributed reasonably.

(4) Pest and disease control: Yangfeng sweet persimmon can be affected by pests and diseases such as persimmon mealybug, persimmon fruit borer, and giant mealybug. Therefore, in winter, thoroughly clean up diseased fruit, diseased calyxes, dead branches, and fallen leaves to eliminate overwintering sources of pests and diseases. Also, before budding in spring, spray once with 5-degree lime sulfur mixture or 95% mineral oil emulsion at 150 times dilution for control.