Requirements and precautions for lifting, pruning and foliar fertilization of pomegranate saplings

Cultivation and management of pomegranate saplings is very important, so in the daily planting and management of pomegranate saplings, how do you lift the seedlings, prune and apply foliar fertilizer? What are the requirements and precautions?

1. What are the precautions when lifting pomegranate saplings?

1. Pomegranate seedlings cannot be lifted at just any time; it is mostly recommended to choose the dormant period of the saplings, which includes from leaf fall in autumn to the following spring. If spring is chosen, lift the seedlings as early as possible before the saplings begin to sprout, and pay attention to watering to ensure the root system is intact, so as not to affect the survival rate.

2. Under normal circumstances, the lifting depth should be deep rather than shallow; if too shallow, it is easy to damage the roots. Also, if the lifted soft-seeded pomegranate saplings have too few roots, the survival rate will be reduced to a certain extent. During the process, take care to minimize root damage; for the main roots and lateral roots of saplings that are too long and difficult to dig up, you can choose to cut them off.

3. When digging up saplings, bare roots alone are not conducive to better later growth; the roots should carry a soil ball, which can help them retain water well. After pomegranate saplings are planted in time, they should be made to fit closely with the soil, so that the root system recovers its absorption function and the survival rate is improved.

2. What are the requirements for pruning pomegranate saplings?

1. In summer, when flower buds first appear, ring-barking large branch groups can significantly increase the fruit-setting rate, but be careful to promptly cut back the current-year branches at all levels of branch tips by one-third to one-half; the bud at the cut must be a leaf bud, not a flower bud, otherwise it will only bear fruit without sending out branches to expand the crown.

2. For short branches, flat and slanting branches, and water sprouts growing in suitable positions inside the crown, you may leave them unpruned for the time being, so as to increase the total growth of the whole pomegranate sapling and moderate the tree vigor; in summer or autumn, when new shoots grow to 40 cm, pinch off the tender tip, which can increase the number of short branches in the branch groups.

3. For perennial large branches that are weak in growth or restricted in growing space, you may choose to cut them back in winter to vigorous branches and places with good ventilation and light conditions; in addition, technicians at the seed pomegranate sapling base remind that during winter pruning you can remove from the base densely overlapping branches, diseased, insect-damaged and dry branches, and weak drooping branches, so that the crown presents a layout of sparse on top and dense below, sparse outside and dense inside, sparse large branches and full small branches.

3. What should be noted about foliar fertilization of pomegranate saplings?

Although pomegranate saplings absorb nutrients through their roots, they can also absorb a small amount of nutrients through their leaves, so this method is relatively commonly used; its fertilizer utilization rate is high, the fertilizer effect is fast, and it is easily absorbed quickly by the plant. It is widely used for preserving flowers and fruits, promoting flower bud differentiation, and correcting deficiency symptoms. The suitable temperature for foliar fertilization is generally 18°C to 25°C. If in summer, before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. on that day.

Most fertilizers that can dissolve in water can be used for foliar topdressing of pomegranate saplings, including urea, monopotassium phosphate, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, superphosphate and the leachate of plant ash, ammonium metaphosphate and most trace element fertilizers, etc. It can also be combined with spraying pesticides; the concentration must be appropriate to prevent pesticide damage and fertilizer damage.

However, when spraying mixed preparations, note that it must be based on not reducing the pesticide effect and fertilizer effect. The soft-seeded pomegranate sapling base says that alkaline pesticides such as lime sulfur mixture and Bordeaux mixture cannot be mixed with superphosphate, manganese, iron, zinc, molybdenum fertilizers, etc., while urea can be mixed with pesticides such as Bordeaux mixture, phoxim and Tuzet.