Key Management Techniques for Kiwifruit Before and After the Flowering Period

Kiwifruit is a very popular fruit, and its planting area in China is also relatively large. Kiwifruit produces a relatively large number of flowers, so its fruit-setting rate is also relatively high. However, we also need to do a good job of management before and after the kiwifruit flowering period. If too many fruits set, it will instead affect fruit growth. So how should kiwifruit be managed before and after the flowering period? Below, the editor will give you a brief introduction. Let's take a look together!

1. Pruning before flowering

Before kiwifruit enters the flowering period, we need to do a good job of pruning before flowering. When the new shoots of kiwifruit grow to about 18 cm and flower clusters begin to appear on the branch tips, thinning work should begin. Thin out overly dense branches to improve the airiness of the kiwifruit tree. Ensure good ventilation and light transmission, making it easier for insects to pollinate. If it is a fruiting branch, then keep about 3 leaves on the flower cluster and pinch off the growing tip.

2. Timely bud thinning

After doing a good job of pruning before flowering, we also need to do a good job of bud thinning. This can be done when the length of the fruiting branch reaches more than 50 cm, or about half a month after the lateral flower buds separate. When thinning buds, pay attention to focusing on removing deformed flower buds, weak-growing buds, and flower buds harmed by pests and diseases. Prevent the flower buds from growing too densely, which would lead to an excessively high fruit load, uneven nutrient distribution, and affect the normal growth of the fruit.

3. Artificial pollination

Although the natural pollination rate of kiwifruit is relatively high, we should still do a good job of artificial pollination according to the actual growth conditions of the kiwifruit. First, collect pollen from the stamens of male flowers on newly opened male flowers. Then pollinate after about 1/4 of the trees in the whole orchard have bloomed. When pollinating, be careful to avoid noon, as the temperature is too high at noon and will affect the pollination rate. Bees can also be introduced into the orchard to let them collect pollen and pollinate.

4. Reasonable fertilization

As mentioned earlier, the flowering amount of kiwifruit trees is relatively large. Therefore, during the flowering period, the nutrient consumption of kiwifruit is relatively large. So we should pay attention to doing a good job of fertilization. Seven days before the kiwifruit tree blooms, apply an appropriate amount of pre-flowering fertilizer according to the tree vigor of the kiwifruit tree. The fertilizer should mainly be nitrogen and potassium fertilizer, and attention should also be paid to supplementing an appropriate amount of trace elements to meet the nutritional needs of kiwifruit flowering.

5. Proper watering

Similar to the principle of topdressing, during the flowering period, kiwifruit not only consumes a large amount of nutrients but also consumes more water. Therefore, we should also pay attention to doing a good job of watering. During the flowering period, soil moisture should be maintained at about 85%. If the temperature is high and there is drought, then the whole orchard should be watered once. If there is a lot of rain during the flowering period, then drainage should be carried out in time to prevent water accumulation from soaking the roots and affecting the flowering and fruiting of kiwifruit.

The above is a brief introduction to the management of kiwifruit trees before and after the flowering period. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!