A Detailed Guide to Macadamia Nut Cultivation Techniques: Master the Key Growing Points of the "King of Dried Nuts"
Macadamia nut, also known as Australian nut, Queensland nut and so on, is a nut native to Australia with rather high economic value. So, what cultivation techniques does the macadamia nut require? If you want to grow it, let's take a look together!
1. Site selection and land preparation
Macadamia nut is a tropical economic crop with strong adaptability, and it is relatively suitable for planting on flat land. Although it is a tropical plant, the growing temperature should not exceed 34 degrees, and the winter temperature only needs to stay above zero. Choose soil that is relatively deep and soft, rich in humus, with a soil pH of around 5 and strong permeability, able to ensure a normal water supply during summer droughts. Finally, because macadamia trees have poor wind resistance, the planting plot should be in an area with little strong wind; in areas with strong and frequent winds, a windbreak forest must be established.
2. Seed selection and field planting
The selection of varieties is very important. When choosing varieties, pay attention to their growth ability, wind resistance, yield, tree shape and other aspects. Macadamia nut cultivation usually relies mainly on clonal bud-grafted seedlings; after about two years of cultivation, budding is carried out, then the preparatory work is done and field planting is carried out at the right time. When planting, avoid hot and rainy weather as well as drought; it is best to plant after rain, because this can help young trees regain growth as quickly as possible. Control the planting density, keeping the number of trees per mu within 35. Because macadamia trees have a high probability of self-incompatibility, in order to increase the fruit-setting rate, at least two or more varieties should be kept in each mu.
3. Young tree management
After successful field planting, do a good job of managing the young trees: water frequently to prevent soil drought and increase the soil's water content. About two months after planting, apply appropriate supplementary fertilizer according to the actual growth of the young trees, following the principle of frequent small applications. Once the young trees' new shoots mature, fertilization can begin. The first three years of planting are basically the young tree stage of macadamia trees. During this time, if the terminal buds grow too vigorously, appropriately cut back the tops and remove some ineffective low-hanging branches; in other cases, pruning is not necessary.
4. Management of trees in production
After the third year of planting, macadamia trees will basically begin to bear fruit. At this time, the nutritional consumption of the macadamia trees is high. When doing the winter orchard cleanup each year, carry out green manuring reasonably, then apply an appropriate amount of farmyard manure and compound fertilizer under each fruit tree. The amount of fertilizer used should be determined according to the age of the fruit tree; the older the tree, the greater the amount of fertilizer should be increased accordingly. Pruning at this stage is mainly renewal pruning, and low-hanging branches, overly long and dense branches, and pest- and disease-affected branches should be cut off in time. This can avoid excessive nutrient consumption and also improve the tree's permeability.
The above are the cultivation techniques for macadamia nuts. If you want to invest in growing them, you must study more in order to obtain higher economic benefits.