A Detailed Guide to the Market Price and Planting Methods of the Sand Apple
The sand apple, also known as the huahong apple, resembles the hawthorn, apple and crabapple in appearance. Because of its high nutritional value and rich fragrance, it is deeply loved by people, and it is currently planted in many regions. So how much is the sand apple market price per jin? What are the planting methods?
1. Introduction to the sand apple:
1. What is the sand apple?
The sand apple is a small deciduous tree of the genus Malus in the rose family. Its leaves are elliptical or ovate with serrated edges, the pedicels and calyx are covered with fine hairs, and when it blooms the flowers are suffused with red. The fruit is yellow or red and 4-5 cm in diameter.
2. Where does the sand apple come from?
The sand apple has many places of origin and is distributed in areas such as the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins. Among the common ones are Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Xinjiang and other places.
2. How much is the sand apple market price per jin?
The sand apple market price is not expensive, but it is slightly more expensive than apples. Generally, one jin can be bought for about 3-10 yuan, but because the place of origin and the market differ, there will be a certain difference in price. For example, when buying in a major producing area, one jin can be bought for about 3 yuan, and the more you buy the cheaper the price, though it will not be much cheaper. But if you buy in an area with relatively low output, the market price will be more expensive and can reach more than 10 yuan per jin. So when buying, try to check the local market.
3. What are the planting methods for the sand apple?
1. Land selection and soil preparation: what kind of land is suitable for planting?
The sand apple likes to grow in slightly saline-alkaline soil that is loose, fertile and rich in nutrients, so when selecting land, try to choose a sunny hillside or plain area for planting. After choosing the land, deep-plow the soil and make pits 90 cm wide and 80 cm high, with a row spacing of 6-9 m and a plant spacing of 2 m, to make planting easier later on. After digging the pits, apply an appropriate amount of base fertilizer, then scatter a thin layer of soil over it.
2. Seedling selection: what kind of seedlings are good to choose?
There are many varieties of sand apple, and Huangtaiping, Daqiu, Lingdang, k9 and 123 are currently relatively excellent varieties, so when choosing seedlings, you can pick one of them to plant, and of course you can also plant them mixed. When selecting seedlings, try to choose seedlings about 90-120 cm tall with well-developed roots and no damage or disease.
3. Planting: how many plants per mu?
(1) Planting method: straighten out the roots of the selected seedlings, then plant them in the pits and gradually cover them with soil.
(2) Planting density: under normal circumstances, planting just over 40 seedlings per mu is enough. If the tree crown is relatively small, about 80 plants can be planted per mu. The exact number to plant depends on the size of the tree crown and the terrain.
4. Field management techniques: how to manage?
(1) Soil replacement requirements: after the seedlings are planted, generally every other year you should dig pits around the tree, then replace the soil and apply an appropriate amount of farmyard manure and homemade organic fertilizer.
(2) Pruning and shaping: after the sand apple tree has grown for a period of time, short branches, dense branches, diseased branches and other branches that are not conducive to the tree's growth will appear, so these branches should be pruned according to the tree's condition to improve air permeability.
(3) Water requirements: in May, spread a layer of dry grass or rice straw around the tree, then water it with an appropriate amount of water.
(4) Fertilizer requirements: the sand apple tree does not have high fertilizer requirements, and generally the amount of fertilizer applied depends on the tree's growth condition. During the young tree stage, nitrogen fertilizer is mainly used, while during the budding stage, flowering stage, fruiting stage and after fruit harvest, foliar fertilizer is mainly used.
(5) Pest control: during the growth period, the sand apple tree will suffer from pests such as leafhoppers, caterpillars and stinging caterpillars, so prevention and control measures should be taken well. For plants that have already been damaged, omethoate or trichlorfon can be sprayed to kill the pests.
In general, the sand apple is not expensive, and one jin can generally be bought for 3-10 yuan, but because the place of origin and the market differ, the price will vary, so when buying, try to check the local market. In addition, if you want to grow sand apple trees well, you need to do a good job in basic management work such as water and fertilizer and pruning, and only then will you get a high yield.