Growing Fruit Trees in Rural Areas: Fertilizer Types, Application Frequency, and the Benefits of Grafting

Rural areas are vast and rich in resources; besides raising livestock and poultry, you can also grow fruit trees, crops, and more. Today, the editor will introduce to you: What fertilizer is better for growing fruit trees in rural areas? At least how many times a year should you apply it? Do they need grafting? What are the benefits?

1. What fertilizer is better for growing fruit trees in rural areas?

There are many varieties of fruit trees, and they can generally be divided into five stages: the young tree stage, the early fruiting stage, the full fruiting stage, the late fruiting stage, and the aging stage. Wait, I need to correct that: the aging stage. The nutrient requirements differ at each stage. During the young tree stage, because the root system and above-ground parts grow vigorously, a large supply of nitrogen and phosphorus is needed; during the fruiting stage, because of the large amount of fruit produced, a large supply of nitrogen and potassium is also needed, especially during the full fruiting stage; during the aging stage, nutrient needs decline, but to promote renewal and rejuvenation and maintain tree vigor, nitrogen supply should not be too low.

The type of fertilizer applied should generally be determined according to factors such as the fertilizer requirements of the fruit trees and the types of fertilizer. Fruit trees need not only large-element fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but also trace-element fertilizers such as boron, iron, zinc, and copper. These nutrient elements come from organic fertilizers such as farmyard manure, crop straw, cake fertilizer, and chicken manure, and also from chemical fertilizers such as urea, diammonium phosphate, potassium sulfate, and various compound fertilizers. Only by applying organic fertilizers together with chemical fertilizers, and large-element fertilizers together with trace-element fertilizers, can the growth and development needs of different fruit trees at different stages be met. Overcome the practices in production of emphasizing nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer, making light of potassium fertilizer, and neglecting organic fertilizers and trace fertilizers. Combine underground fertilization with above-ground fertilization.

2. At least how many times a year should fertilizer be applied?

Apply fertilizer at least four times a year:

The first topdressing should be before flowering: fruit trees consume a large amount of nutrients when they sprout and bloom. If nutrient supply cannot keep up at this time, it will lead to a prolonged flowering period and a reduced fruit-setting rate, so an appropriate amount of quick-acting fertilizer should be applied.

The second is topdressing after flowering: this topdressing should be carried out immediately after the flowers fall, to reduce physiological fruit drop, promote new shoot growth, and expand leaf area. The first and second topdressings should be closely combined, mainly applying quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer. For mature trees, apply 1 kg of urea per tree, and spray foliar fertilizer to increase the effective fruit-setting rate.

The third is topdressing during the fruit enlargement and flower bud differentiation period: at this time the fruit expands rapidly, flower buds begin to differentiate, and the contradiction between reproductive growth and vegetative growth is acute. Timely application of appropriate amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers and various medium and trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, and silicon can improve the photosynthetic effect of leaves, promote nutrient accumulation, and meet the nutrient needs of fruit enlargement and flower bud differentiation.

The fourth is topdressing during the period when autumn shoots stop growing: its main role is to improve leaf photosynthetic function, increase late-stage nutrient accumulation in the tree body, and promote continued flower bud differentiation and plumpness. For the third and fourth topdressings, apply 50 kg of human manure and urine, 1 kg of calcium superphosphate, and 0.5 kg of potassium sulfate per mature tree. Timing of the fourth fertilization: early-maturing and mid-maturing varieties can be fertilized after harvest, while late-maturing varieties should be fertilized before harvest.

3. Do fruit trees need grafting? What are the benefits?

In fruit tree cultivation, the vast majority of fruit trees need grafting. Grafting has the following benefits:

1. The seeds produced by many fruit trees are heterozygous, so sowing seeds cannot maintain the superior characteristics of the woody plant;

2. Grafting can shorten the time to fruiting, because the branches are generally collected from adult mother trees, and the branches already have the ability to flower;

3. Grafting is a strong-strong combination and can better express the qualities of the scion.