Origin, Sapling Prices and Time to Fruiting of the Subtropical Famous Fruit Tree, the Almond Tree
The almond tree is an evergreen broadleaf tree belonging to the Anacardiaceae family and the genus Mangifera. With a large, densely shading crown, it stays green all year round; the tree has an attractive grain, and its fruit is sweet, richly fragrant and highly nutritious, making it a famous subtropical fruit. So where is the almond tree's place of origin? How much does a sapling cost? How many years until it bears fruit? The details are compiled below:
According to the latest prices on Alibaba, almond tree saplings currently cost 3-5 yuan each.
The almond tree's place of origin is Guangxi.
The almond tree bears fruit early; grafted saplings can flower in the second year and set fruit in the third year; seedling-grown trees flower in the fourth year and set fruit in the fifth year. A 7-year-old tree yields an average of 5 kg of dried fruit per tree, and enters full fruiting from 8 to 10 years.
The almond tree generally flowers in February and March, and sets almond fruit in July and August. When ripe, the fruit turns pale yellow and drops easily.
[Edit this section] Transplanting methods for the almond tree
Almond tree seedlings need to be transplanted after 1-2 years of cultivation in the seedbed, so that they can develop a dense root system as well as a certain trunk form and crown shape, becoming robust, high-quality urban landscaping stock. Tree species are divided into fast-growing and slow-growing. Fast-growing species can produce stock with a trunk diameter at breast height of 5-8 cm after one transplanting, and stock with a trunk diameter at breast height of 10-15 cm after two transplantings. Slow-growing species require two transplantings to produce stock of 4-5 cm, and three transplantings to produce stock of 8-10 cm.
Transplanting of fast-growing tree stock
I. First transplanting.
The first transplanting is carried out when the seedlings have been raised in the sowing bed until the ground-level trunk diameter reaches about 1 cm. At this stage the seedlings are still relatively short, and dense planting is used to promote rapid height growth.
1. Technical requirements for transplanting:
(1) The transplanting season is mainly spring, with summer and autumn as secondary periods.
(2) The seedbed is 1.2-1.5 m wide with 50 cm walkways, and the beds run north to south.
(3) Transplanting uses a spacing of 80×80 cm, planted in double rows in a staggered triangular arrangement.
2. Requirements for transplanting methods:
(1) The whole process from digging, transporting to planting the stock must be tightly organised, minimising the time the roots are exposed.
(2) The stock should be graded at transplanting, using grade A or grade B seedlings, and planted strictly by grade without mixing.
(3) The stock should carry an appropriate amount of original bed soil; before planting the main root must be cut, leaving the main root 15-20 cm long, with total lateral root spread of 15-20 cm.
(4) The leaves on the above-ground part of the transplanted stock should be appropriately reduced, but the terminal bud must be retained.
(5) The planting depth should be slightly deeper than when it grew in the original seedbed.
(6) Water immediately after planting, then water two or three more times at intervals of 3-7 days.
II. Second transplanting. The second transplanting takes place when the stock reaches a trunk diameter at breast height of 4-5 cm. Although the stock has already met the basic requirements for urban landscaping, continued cultivation at wider spacing can produce large-specification, high-quality landscaping stock with a certain trunk height and crown shape.
1. Technical requirements for transplanting:
(1) The transplanting season is mainly spring, with summer and autumn as secondary periods.
(2) The seedbed is 1.2-1.5 m wide with 50 cm walkways, and the beds run north to south.
(3) Transplanting uses a spacing of 110-120×80-90 cm, planted in double rows in a staggered triangular arrangement.
2. Requirements for the transplanted stock:
(1) When digging the stock, keep as much of the root ball as possible, prune damaged roots, and leave a total lateral root spread of 30-40 cm.
(2) Broadleaf species are heavily pruned at this time, with a uniform retained height of 2.8-3.0 m.
(3) The dug-up stock should be graded, using grade A or grade B seedlings, and transplanted strictly by grade.
3. Requirements for transplanting methods:
(1) The transplanting process should be tightly organised and planned, minimising the time the roots are exposed and improving the survival rate of transplanting.
(2) The planting depth should be 5-10 cm deeper than the original growing site, and the root collar should not be left exposed when planting.
(3) The transplanting work should meet neat and tidy requirements; after transplanting, the stock should form straight rows both lengthwise and crosswise, neatly arranged, with the bed surfaces clean and tidy.
(4) Water immediately after planting to settle the roots, then water two or three more times at intervals of 3-7 days.
Transplanting of slow-growing tree stock
I. First transplanting.
The first transplanting is carried out after the seedlings have been cultivated for 1 year.
1. Technical requirements for transplanting:
(1) The transplanting season is mainly spring, with summer and autumn as secondary periods.
(2) The seedbed is 1.2-1.5 m wide with 50 cm walkways, and the beds run north to south.
(3) Transplanting uses a spacing of 20-40×30 cm.
2. Requirements for transplanting methods:
(1) The whole process from digging, transporting to planting the stock must be tightly organised, minimising the time the roots are exposed.
(2) The stock should be graded at transplanting, using grade A or grade B seedlings, and planted strictly by grade.
(3) The stock should carry an appropriate amount of original bed soil; before planting the main root must be cut, leaving the main root 15-20 cm long.
(4) The leaves of the transplanted stock should be appropriately reduced to lower transpiration intensity.
(5) The planting depth should be slightly deeper than when it grew in the original seedbed.
(6) Water immediately after planting, then water two or three more times at intervals of 3-7 days.
II. Second and third transplantings
The second and third transplantings are basically the same as those for fast-growing species.