When Do Nanfeng Mandarin Oranges Ripen? High-Yield Methods and Price Trends Explained

It is currently the season when oranges ripen, with many choices available in different varieties and flavors. Among them, the relatively well-known Nanfeng mandarin orange, due to the particularity of its growing environment, produces fruit with a better taste and is favored by many consumers.When do Nanfeng mandarin oranges ripen? How can yields be increased? What is the price per jin?

1. When do Nanfeng mandarin oranges ripen?

Nanfeng mandarin oranges bloom in April, set fruit in May, and then continue to grow. So when do Nanfeng mandarin oranges ripen and reach the market? Early-ripening mandarin oranges can be eaten by late July on the lunar calendar, mid-ripening ones in mid-August on the lunar calendar, and late-ripening ones reach the market successively in late August on the lunar calendar.

2. How can Nanfeng mandarin orange yields be increased?

1. Canopy control

Through large-branch pruning, control the canopy diameter so that the canopy is compact and well-ventilated, with no crossing between canopies, and control canopy height and thickness to create a tree shape conducive to producing good fruit quality.

2. Fruit control

Nanfeng mandarin oranges with a fruit diameter of around 4.5cm are most popular in the market. To promote high yields in the orchard, fruit thinning must be carried out. In 2017, the orange trees in the trial orchard were all in an off year, and because the fruit load was not too heavy, the main task was thinning out deformed fruit, diseased fruit, and so on.

3. Fertilizer control

The main aim is to control the types of fertilizer, reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer, and increase the application of organic fertilizer. For high-yielding trees, the requirement is that each application of organic fertilizer as base fertilizer and fruit-swelling fertilizer is no less than 5kg per tree. Base fertilizer had already been applied at the start of this trial, so fertilizer control was mainly carried out when applying the fruit-swelling fertilizer, using the symmetrical strip trench application method. The fertilizer types were high-quality rapeseed cake fertilizer and Shidazhuang brand 51% (N:P:K=17:17:17) compound fertilizer, with 5kg of cake fertilizer + 1.5kg of compound fertilizer per tree. Foliar topdressing was used 2 times, combined with pesticide spraying, applying a medium- and trace-element water-soluble fertilizer.

4. Water control

Through certain techniques, the soil is kept at a relatively high field water-holding capacity when water is needed, while the field water-holding capacity is kept at a lower level during the fruit ripening season. The main measure adopted is covering with ground cloth.

5. Pest and disease control

Focusing on the main pests and diseases currently affecting Nanfeng mandarin oranges, simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly measures are used to prevent and control citrus yellow shoot disease, black spot disease, scab, red spider mites, citrus psyllids, and so on. The key point is to spray well 5 times.

6. Improve the ecological environment of the orange orchard

Increase the application of acidic soil conditioners or microbial inoculants to improve the soil environment; implement sod cultivation; do not use fast-acting, broad-spectrum insecticides or acaricides, and cultivate natural enemy populations. To achieve this goal, when applying the spring base fertilizer, 4kg of slaked lime was used per orange tree to reduce soil acidity. Throughout the entire production period, herbicides were strictly not used, and weeds were cut by hand.

3. What is the price of Nanfeng mandarin oranges per jin?

Looking at last year's prices, generally when they first reached the market, the wholesale price was a little higher, because only a small number of Nanfeng mandarin oranges were ripe at the start of the season, and supply in the market fell short of demand, so naturally they sold for more. When they first reached the market in September, the wholesale price was around 1.5 yuan/jin; by the time the mandarin oranges were in their full ripening period, the price was around 1.2-1.3 yuan/jin; around the Spring Festival it rose again, selling for 1.4-1.5 yuan/jin, mainly determined by the market.