How much does a Chinese torreya seedling cost? A detailed guide to growing techniques
The Chinese torreya tree is a relatively rare plant, also known as the Chinese nutmeg yew and commonly called the concubine tree. The Chinese torreya has relatively high requirements for its growing environment, and its production areas are very limited. An ideal Chinese torreya planting site requires cool, shady conditions, high air humidity, not-too-strong light and well-drained mountainous hills. Ventilation conditions, altitude and even slope aspect all have a very important influence on the growth of the Chinese torreya tree, so it is relatively difficult for farmers to grow.How much does a Chinese torreya seedling cost? What are the related growing techniques?
1. How much does a Chinese torreya seedling cost?
A one-year-old Chinese torreya seedling costs between 6 and 18 yuan per tree; a seedling grafted from three-year scion wood onto two-year rootstock costs between 78 and 98 yuan per tree; a seedling cultivated for seven or eight years that can already bear fruit reaches about 2,500 yuan per tree. If the market continues to develop at this rate, a Chinese torreya tree that has grown for nearly ten years is estimated to be worth over ten thousand yuan.
2. Chinese torreya growing techniques
1. Planting time and soil requirements
The best planting time for Chinese torreya is from late October to early December, followed by spring planting, from late February to mid-March. It is best to choose cloudy and humid weather and avoid planting in high temperatures, strong winds and dry weather. The planting site requires deep, fertile, loose, well-drained soil. Generally, slightly acidic to neutral clay loam, sandy loam and similar soils are all suitable for growing Chinese torreya, but acidic red loam with a pH value below 5 is not suitable for growing Chinese torreya.
2.. Deep digging, shallow planting
(1) Deep digging: The root system of Chinese torreya is relatively deep and wide. When planting, first dig a planting hole 60 to 80 cm square and 30 to 50 cm deep, so that the soil is loose, which helps the roots grow deep and absorb nutrients.
(2) Shallow planting: To ensure the survival rate, seedlings should be planted immediately after being lifted. After the grafted seedling is placed in the hole, begin covering it with soil. When covering with soil, be sure to keep the seedling upright, otherwise its growth will be affected. Plant shallowly, cover the roots with topsoil and firm it down. The planting depth should be such that the root collar of the seedling is level with the mouth of the hole, then cover with another 3 to 5 cm of soil and shape it into a steamed-bun shape.
3. Lift gently, tread firmly
When planting Chinese torreya seedlings, in order to spread out the seedling roots, tread lightly and firmly while filling in soil. When the empty hole is 70% filled with soil, lift the seedling gently so that the roots extend naturally in the soil. Then add more soil and tread it down gently, and water moderately to improve the survival rate.
4. Weeding, loosening the soil
After the rainy season ends each year, weeding and soil loosening should be carried out in good time. The cut weeds can be buried or spread over the root zone, which serves the dual purpose of shading and acting as fertilizer. Soil loosening in young plantations can be combined with fertilization, expanding the hole outward by 30 to 40 cm each year. Soil loosening during the growing season should be shallow, preferably no more than 10 cm deep; in winter, soil loosening can be appropriately deeper; soil loosening within the tree canopy should be shallow, and deeper outside the canopy.
5. Shaping
Generally, when the tree is about 1.5 m tall, pruning, pinching out the growing tips and removing buds should be carried out to develop 3 to 4 scaffold branches. For seedlings with a lopsided crown, a horizontal pulling and slow-release method can be used to balance the growth among the scaffold branches and increase their spread angle, so as to moderate the growth vigor; for seedlings with fewer branches, pinching off the top of the main shoot promotes branching, thereby forming a relatively standard multi-main-branch natural shape or open-center tree shape earlier, laying the foundation for high and abundant yields.
6. Reasonable fertilization
During the mature plantation stage, Chinese torreya needs to be fertilized 2 to 3 times a year. Spring fertilizer uses quick-acting fertilizer, applied in March—April to promote the development of new shoots and female cones; autumn fertilizer is applied after fruit harvest in mid-to-late September, using chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer, to help the tree recover its vigor. In high-yield years, an additional summer fertilizer can be applied in July—August, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, to promote the development of Chinese torreya seeds.