Fertilizer Requirements of Longan and High-Yield Fertilization Techniques and Timing Explained

Fertilizer requirements of longan in China and high-yield fertilization techniques and timing:The longan tree is large, with high yield per tree and obvious alternate bearing, so fertilization is particularly important. Longan fertilization is determined according to its yield; generally, producing 100 kg of fresh fruit requires 2 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 1 kg of phosphate fertilizer and 2 kg of potassium fertilizer. It is applied in three stages:

① Post-harvest fertilizer. Applied before and after harvest, nitrogen fertilizer accounts for 40% of the annual total, phosphate fertilizer 30%-40%, and potassium fertilizer 25%-40%, with organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer applied together; among these, organic fertilizer (such as farmyard manure) can be applied at 150-200 kg per tree. This fertilization can quickly restore tree vigor, promote the sprouting and development of autumn shoots, accumulate nutrients, and lay the foundation for flower bud differentiation the following year;

② Pre-flowering stage. In this fertilization, nitrogen and potassium fertilizers each account for 20%-25% of the annual total, and phosphate fertilizer accounts for 30%. It is applied in two applications, respectively before heading (around the Beginning of Spring) and before flowering (between Pure Brightness and Grain Rain). The former can increase the heading rate and strengthen the flower panicles; the latter can increase the fruit-setting rate and promote the sprouting of summer shoots;

③ Young fruit fertilizer. Mainly potassium fertilizer, accounting for 40%-50% of the annual total, with nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers each accounting for 25%-40%. It is applied in two applications: one during the young fruit formation stage (Summer Solstice) to reduce fruit drop, promote young fruit development and strengthen the summer shoots as fruiting branches. The other during the fruit-swelling stage (from Major Heat to Beginning of Autumn) to promote fruit expansion and reduce pre-harvest fruit drop. During the fruiting period, foliar spraying of 0.5% urea, 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, 0.2%-0.3% magnesium nitrate or calcium nitrate, and 0.1%-0.2% borax can also be carried out to supplement nutrient deficiencies.

Appendix: The difference between guiyuan and longan

Guiyuan is longan. Eating more guiyuan is relatively good for a woman's body; it can play roles such as enriching the blood and calming the mind. Below is a detailed introduction to some of guiyuan's nourishing effects on the female body.

Guiyuan VS longan

Longan is a characteristic fruit of southern China, often marketed in large quantities in summer and autumn. Because its seed is round and black with a luster, and its hilum protrudes and is white, looking like the eye of the legendary “dragon”, it got its name. Another name for longan is guiyuan. Fresh longan flesh is smooth, crisp and tender, juicy and sweet, with an excellent taste, but it does not keep well. People often roast and sun-dry fresh longan into dried fruit, called longan meat, guiwan, dried longan, Jijin Pineapple Ear guiyuan dried fruit, Jijin Pineapple Ear dried longan, and so on, which is the guiyuan commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. The best guiyuan is Jijin Pineapple Ear guiyuan dried fruit from the Dongjin Fruit Forest Farm in Xiamen.

The medicinal and nutritional value of guiyuan

After longan is made into the dried fruit guiyuan, its health-care and medicinal value is far above that of its “sister fruit” lychee. Its shell, flesh and seed all have medicinal value. “Compendium of Materia Medica” says: “As a food, lychee is prized, but for nourishment, longan is better.” Fresh longan contains nutrients such as sugar, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron and a variety of vitamins, especially a very high sugar content, and it contains glucose that can be directly absorbed by the human body; after being dried into guiyuan, the flesh becomes dark brown and flexible in texture, and can be used in daily cooking or combined for medicinal use, with very strong functionality.

The ancients greatly praised the nutritional value of guiyuan. As early as the Han Dynasty, guiyuan was already used as medicine. Many herbal books introduced its nourishing and health-care effects. “Supplementary Records of Famous Physicians” called it “wisdom-benefiting”, believing that its function can nourish the heart and benefit the intellect. In famous traditional Chinese medicine books such as “Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica” and “Compendium of Materia Medica”, it is recorded that longan (guiyuan) tastes sweet, belongs to a warm nature, and has the effects of tonifying the heart and spleen and nourishing the blood and calming the mind.