Schisandra Fruit-Bearing Time and Frequency, Reasons for No Fruit, and Planting Methods
Schisandra is divided into two types, northern Schisandra and southern Schisandra. Because it has effects such as nourishing the liver and strengthening the body, it is widely used as medicine. It is now planted in many regions, but to achieve high yields of Schisandra, the fruit-bearing rate must be increased. So when does Schisandra bear fruit? How many times a year does it bear? What is the reason for no fruit? How should it be planted?
Fruit-bearing time:
The flowering period of Schisandra is from May to July, and the fruit period is from July to October. Its fruit can be picked when it matures in autumn, and after being sun-dried or steamed and then sun-dried, with the fruit stalks and impurities removed, it can be sold. The price is not cheap, so it is planted in many places. In addition, Schisandra bears fruit once a year, so to bear fruit, management techniques must be in place.
What to do if it does not bear fruit?
When the berry growth period arrives, if no fruit is seen or there are only a few clusters of fruit, and each cluster has only a few berries, it will have a great impact on yield. Therefore, beginners should pay extra attention. In general, the main reasons Schisandra does not bear fruit are as follows:
1. Due to individual differences among trees, some trees bloom later. Because Schisandra is a wind-pollinated plant, late flowering means insufficient pollen quantity, causing insufficient pollination or failure to pollinate. Therefore, some plants only bloom without bearing fruit, or bear a few clusters with only a few berries. Insufficient pollination is especially obvious in individual courtyard cultivation. Because the number of plants cultivated in courtyards is small, the fruit-bearing rate of plants at the edge of the upwind side is very low. For ornamental Schisandra with only three to five plants, the fruit-setting rate is even lower.
2. Because there are farmlands around the orchard, herbicides sprayed on the farmlands, such as 2,4—D butyl ester and atrazine, drift onto the plants. Schisandra is extremely sensitive to pesticides during the flowering period and has poor resistance. When damaged by pesticides, the flowers drop and no fruit is produced.
3. In addition, during the flowering period, if the soil is dry, the temperature is relatively high, or the soil humidity and air humidity are too high, such as continuous rain, pollination will be insufficient and the fruit-setting rate will decrease.
Planting techniques:
1. Site selection and land preparation
Choose a moist environment, loose and fertile loam or humus soil, and a place with irrigation conditions such as under forest, river valleys, both banks of streams, or slopes of about 15 degrees, with 50%-60% shade and good ventilation and light. Choose the terrain well, prepare the land, turn the soil, and make beds with fine cultivation. For low-lying, easily waterlogged plots with a lot of rain, raised beds can be made, with a bed height of about 15 cm. In high, dry areas with less rain, level beds can be made. No matter which type of bed, there must be more than 15 cm of loose soil layer. The bed width is 120-150 cm, and the length depends on the seeds and terrain. Apply 5-10 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per square meter, mix it evenly with the bed soil, and rake the bed surface level for sowing.
2. Field planting
About 60 cm from the tree stump, plant one plant on each side. This planting method gives high yields. Build trellises artificially, and plant Schisandra seedlings at row spacings of 100 cm*50 cm and 60 cm*50 cm. Use north-south rows to facilitate ventilation and light transmission. Dig holes about 30 cm deep and 30 cm wide, mix fertilizer and soil evenly, and fill them into the holes. When planting seedlings, fill half the soil, lift the seedlings slightly so the root system straightens out, which helps survival. Firm the soil, water, and after the water seeps in, cover with a layer of soil to preserve moisture.