Can fruit trees be pruned in autumn? How should they be fertilized? What are the key points of pest and disease control?

Fruit trees refer to trees whose fruit is edible, a general term for perennial plants and their rootstocks that can provide edible fruit and seeds.So can fruit trees be pruned in autumn? How should they be fertilized? What are the key points of pest and disease control?

Can fruit trees be pruned in autumn?

Fruit trees cannot be pruned in autumn; it is best to do it in winter. After fruit trees enter dormancy in winter, pruning causes them little harm. If pruning is done in autumn, the fruit trees are still in their growth period, and the stimulation of pruning will cause them to sprout, thereby consuming the tree's nutrients, doing harm rather than good.

How should fruit trees be fertilized in autumn?

Autumn fertilization of fruit trees should be based on the condition of the tree and the soil fertility to determine the specific fertilization method. Base fertilizer is best applied deeply; young trees can be applied somewhat shallowly.

(1) Young trees generally use single-tree fertilization. Dig a ring-shaped ditch 30 cm wide and 40-50 cm deep at the edge of the vertical projection of the canopy, or use a two-sided ditch method of fertilization.

(2) Large fruiting trees usually use two fertilization methods. The first is broadcasting over the whole orchard: spread the fertilizer evenly, and combine it with autumn plowing to deeply turn the orchard soil 30 cm, turning the fertilizer into the ground. The second is radial ditch application: dig 4-6 radial ditches per tree, 40-50 cm deep and 30-45 cm wide, mix the fertilizer with soil and apply it into the ditches, or dig a ring-shaped ditch 50 cm deep and 50 cm wide at the outer edge of the canopy, then, with the trunk as the center, dig several radial ditches in different directions, about 15 cm deep near the trunk, gradually deepening outward until they connect with the ring-shaped ditch.

(3) Before fertilizing, cut flat the exposed tree roots along the ditch wall; the cuts should be smooth to prevent the root system from molding and rotting. When fertilizing, the fertilizer should be filled in layer by layer, placing coarse fertilizer such as leaves and weeds at the bottom layer, applying a layer of fertilizer and covering it with a layer of soil, and finally the fertilizer and soil should be 10-15 cm above the ground.

What are the key points of pest and disease control for fruit trees in autumn?

Pests and diseases of fruit trees seriously affect fruit yield and quality. Eliminating fruit tree pests in autumn can achieve twice the result with half the effort. The main methods of eliminating fruit tree pests in autumn are as follows:

1. Trap and kill pests: Taking advantage of pests' selectivity for overwintering sites, after autumn tie grass bundles or pieces of burlap sack on the large branches of fruit trees to attract pests to pupate and overwinter, then kill them in a concentrated way.

2. Clear away residual branches and fallen leaves: In autumn and winter, in combination with pruning, cut off diseased shoots and pest-infested shoots, and clear away the weeds and dead branches and fallen leaves in the orchard and its surrounding areas, and dispose of them in a concentrated way; this can eliminate a large number of overwintering pests.

3. Plow and turn the orchard soil: Plowing and turning the orchard soil is not only an important measure for improving the soil and promoting increased fruit tree production, but also an effective method for eliminating overwintering pests and diseases. Through plowing and turning, pests and pathogens in the deep soil can be turned up to the surface and frozen to death, dried to death, or pecked and eaten by natural enemies, and pests and diseases buried deep underground cannot emerge from the soil and are smothered to death, thereby reducing the overwintering population base.

4. Chemical control: Autumn is precisely the peak period when longhorn beetle larvae bore into and damage the branches and trunks of fruit trees. If damage to the trunk of a fruit tree is found, clear away the insect frass and insert a poison stick, then seal the opening with mud; a large amount of 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate 1500-fold solution can also be poured directly into the insect hole, and the opening sealed tightly with mud; for larvae in shallower parts, a wire can be used to dig, pick out, and stab them.

5. During the leaf-fall dormancy period of fruit trees, spray 1-2 rounds of lime sulfur mixture, which has a significant control effect on many kinds of pests and diseases harmful to fruit trees.