How to Grow Date Palms? A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques
The date palm, also known as the sea date, is one of the important fruit tree crops in hot arid regions. It is currently planted on a large scale in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other provinces and regions. So how do you grow date palms?
1. Seed selection and seed treatment
When the ripe fruit turns yellow to orange, pick the fully ripe fruit, promptly remove the skin and flesh, wash them, and then put the seeds into a container holding a 500-fold dilution of thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim solution to soak for 30 hours.
2. Sowing and sprouting
The sowing substrate is made by mixing river sand, chaff and a small amount of loess in a certain ratio, so that it both retains moisture and allows air through. Spread the substrate evenly on the seedbed, water it thoroughly, then broadcast the seeds, and cover with clean river sand to a thickness of 2-3 cm.
When the seeds show white (begin to sprout), put them into well-aerated nutrient bags (size 18 cm × 9 cm) to grow on. The nutrient soil consists of 4 parts sandy loam, 1 part mushroom soil and 1 part rice husk ash. Lay a layer of plastic film under the nutrient bags. Sow 1 seed per bag, with the hilum facing down, then cover with sand, ideally to a thickness of 1.5 cm; it must not be too thin, as too thin will affect moisture retention. Finally, water thoroughly, cover with a shade net, and keep moist to promote sprouting. When winter temperatures are low, add a plastic film cover to keep warm, which helps germination. Seeds that have not sprouted should remain on the seedbed and be carefully managed.
3. Seedling stage management
(1) Shading and moisture retention: after the sprouted seeds are placed in the nutrient bags, a 50% shade shed should be set up in summer to minimize direct sun exposure, lower the temperature and retain moisture; in winter, plastic film should be used to keep warm and retain moisture.
(2) Fertilizer and water management: when the seedlings grow to 1-2 leaves, the nutrients stored in the seed are basically used up. At this point, spray alternately with 0.5% urea solution or compound fertilizer solution every 15 days. You can also combine this with pesticide spraying and use 0.1%-0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution or urea solution for foliar topdressing. Keep the nutrient soil permeable and free of waterlogging, so as to avoid root rot and seedling death.
(3) Pest and disease control: there are relatively few pests and diseases at the small seedling stage; simply spray regularly with a 500-700-fold dilution of thiophanate-methyl or mancozeb.
4. Management after planting
(1) Key points for field planting: for landscaping use, the row spacing is 1.5 m and the plant spacing is 1 m; for commercial fruit cultivation, double these spacings, and plant 2%-5% male trees (slender plants) as pollinators. Water frequently at first; after planting, the first watering should soak the entire root ball (that is, water thoroughly to settle the roots), and in the early period after planting, spray water on the leaves several times a day to keep the branches and leaves in high humidity. However, watering should be based on the weather conditions at the time; excessive watering will cause water to accumulate at the roots, and over time this leads to root rot.
(2) Fertilizing and pest control: during the temporary planting period, when the root system's absorption capacity is not strong, applying foliar fertilizer together with foliar water spraying can more directly and effectively promote the growth of date palm seedlings. For pest control, insecticide bags can be used; an insecticide bag is a small cloth bag filled with a powerful insecticide. Clipping it among the branches can prevent wood-boring and heart-boring pests.
(3) Support and wind protection: after large trees are planted, support for wind protection is very necessary. Bamboo poles can be linked lengthwise and crosswise so as to resist wind together.
(4) Water management: during the growing period, watering should favor dryness over wetness; keeping the potting soil moist is enough. Too much watering easily causes the lower leaves of the plant to rot and develop disease, leading to the occurrence and spread of black spot, causing the leaves to turn yellow or even die. In summer, water 2-3 times a day; when the air is dry in summer and autumn, frequently spray water on the plant to raise the ambient air humidity, which is beneficial to its growth and at the same time keeps the leaves dark green and glossy. In winter, appropriately reduce the amount of watering to help it survive the winter.
(5) Light management: date palms grow faster in high-temperature, high-humidity, semi-shaded environments, and are afraid of direct sunlight; under blazing sun their leaf color will fade or turn yellow, and leaf scorch and black spot will occur, losing their fruiting and ornamental value. They are relatively shade-tolerant; during the seedling cultivation period or growing period, especially in summer and autumn, the shading level is generally 60%, but in winter and spring they should be given bright scattered light.
(6) Marketing and trading: 3-5 year old seedlings can be traded as fruiting trees or commercial landscape trees. In recent years, domestic trading has been priced by height, at 15,000 yuan/m. At the same time, they can also produce fruit, which can be made into other products.