What are the key points of spring management for apple trees? The latest detailed explanation is all here
Spring is an important season for apple trees. At this time, temperatures rise, and it is the season when all things revive. Spring management is the foundation of apple management for the whole year. Only by doing a good job in management during this season can a good foundation be laid for the whole year's growth, development, flowering, and fruiting, achieving the goal of high and stable yields. Now follow the editor to take a look at the key points of spring management for apple trees.
1. Watering and fertilizing before bud break
If basal fertilizer was not applied in autumn of the previous year, it should be supplemented promptly after the soil thaws, and quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer should also be applied as a top dressing. Generally, for young trees, apply 0.4-0.6 kg of ammonium bicarbonate or 0.2-0.3 kg of urea per tree; for mature trees, apply 1-2 kg of ammonium bicarbonate or 0.5-1 kg of urea and 2-4 kg of superphosphate per tree. After that, water, and at the same time pay attention to loosening the soil to preserve moisture, breaking up compacted soil conditions, increasing soil permeability, and creating a good environment for root growth and development.
2. Supplementary pruning before flowering
For supplementary pruning before flowering, appropriately thin out some weak flower buds on plants with excessive flowers, and shorten some medium and long fruiting branches. For slender branches and weak fruiting branches that do not form flowers, promptly thin out those that are too densely grown, and shorten the remaining ones. For branches with no fruiting capacity, promptly cut them back to strong buds at the rear, and leave 3-4 flower buds on flower-bearing branches before shortening. For branch groups that have been left unpruned for 2-3 years and still have not formed flower buds, cut them back to a rear branch or blind node, and control the flower branch rate at 25%-30%. Before bud break, make multiple ring cuts on 1-year-old branches, which can increase the bud break rate and branching ability. Ringing young trees at the flowering stage has a significant effect on controlling excessive vegetative growth and increasing the fruit setting rate.
3. Flower and fruit management
At the flower bud separation stage, leave one inflorescence about every 20 cm. For weak trees with excessive flowers, thin out some weak flowers. For normally fruiting trees, leave 2-3 flowers per inflorescence. Artificial supplementary pollination or placing bees in the orchard can significantly increase the fruit setting rate and yield. You can also spray Yifuyuan plant nutrient solution during full bloom, which has a very significant effect on increasing the fruit setting rate and yield.
4. Pest and disease control
Adopting comprehensive measures for pest and disease control in early spring can achieve twice the result with half the effort. First, thoroughly clean the orchard, scrape off the rough bark and peeling bark of the plants completely, and burn diseased branches, dead branches, residual stubs, diseased and pest-infested fruits, weeds, fallen leaves, etc. in a centralized manner or bury them deeply in combination with applying basal fertilizer, so as to reduce the base number of pests and diseases. During the germination stage, Yifuyuan microbial nutrient solution can be applied throughout the orchard in the greenhouse, which can enhance the photosynthesis of fruit tree leaves and make the leaves thicker and shinier. In addition, it should be noted that spring is the peak period for apple Valsa canker. After the disease occurs, immediately scrape off the diseased spots until reaching the xylem, and at the same time scrape off healthy bark around the diseased spots to a width of 0.5 cm, then apply Yifuyuan microbial nutrient solution after scraping.
The above is an introduction to the key points of spring management for apple trees. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.