What are the key points for spring management of peach trees?

In spring, as temperatures warm up and rainfall is abundant, peach trees enter the bud break and flowering and fruit-setting stages. Management during this stage affects the later yield and quality and directly impacts the income of fruit growers. So what key points should be noted in spring management of peach trees?

1. Timely topdressing

When March arrives, temperatures rise and stabilize, and peach trees successively enter the bud break, flowering and new shoot growth stages. These stages all consume large amounts of nutrients, so in order to meet the nutrients needed for the growth and development of peach trees, timely topdressing is necessary. Especially for fruiting trees that grew weakly last year or trees with higher yields, an appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer before bud break can promote plant growth and development as well as fruit setting. For vigorously growing plants, it may be omitted to avoid excessive vegetative growth, which is unfavorable for flowering and fruit setting.

2. Flower thinning and frost protection

In spring, temperatures warm up, but in late spring there can still be a cold spell returning, with sudden drops in temperature that can cause frost damage to peach trees, hinder their flowering and affect the fruit-setting rate. Therefore, frost protection measures should be taken before and after the flowering period, and sprays can be applied before and after flowering for prevention. In addition, for varieties with a high fruit-setting rate, flowers can be thinned from the bud stage to the early full-bloom stage, removing overly dense flowers and basal flowers, which can save nutrient consumption, concentrate nutrients and increase the fruit-setting rate.

3. Weeding and loosening the soil

Spring warming is also a period when all things revive. Besides peach trees budding and flowering, weeds in the orchard also begin to grow vigorously. They compete with peach trees for nutrients and also provide shelter and breeding sites for pests and diseases. “Therefore, timely weeding and loosening of the soil can not only reduce weeds and tree bodies competing for nutrients and reduce pests and diseases, but also increase soil permeability, which helps lower ground humidity, increase low temperatures and promote root growth and development.

4. Pest and disease control

Spring is also the period when pests and diseases revive. In March, the focus should be on controlling scale insects. If scale insect damage was severe last year, the whole orchard can be sprayed with Jiemanling to control this pest. To prevent diseases, the whole orchard can also be sprayed once with lime sulfur mixture. In April, the focus should be on controlling aphids and shot hole disease. Especially before and after peach bud break, once aphids are found, spray imidacloprid promptly for control. At the same time, attention should also be paid to gummosis caused by other diseases. After peach blossoms fade, diseased leaves can be removed by hand, and overwintering larvae of other pests can be captured and killed.

The above is Tuliu.com's introduction to the key points of spring management of peach trees. To achieve a high fruit-setting rate for peach blossoms, spring management is an indispensable task.