The Latest Reasons Why Young Fruit Trees Are Prone to Decline and Die, and Preventive Measures

During fruit tree cultivation, young fruit trees often become weak and fail to thrive, harming the normal growth of the trees and causing relatively serious economic losses for fruit growers. So what causes young fruit trees to be prone to decline and die? Let's find out together with the editor.

1. Branch dieback

Branch dieback in fruit trees occurs because watering too frequently during the growing season and applying too much nitrogen fertilizer make young trees grow too vigorously and not become sufficiently sturdy; combined with relatively high temperatures and little rain or snow in winter and early spring, the water demand of the branches and the supply from the root system become imbalanced, causing the branches to lose water and dry up.

Preventive measures: First, spring planting should be advocated; after autumn introduction, heel in the plants first, and after planting and trunk heading, slip a long plastic film bag over each tree, which can prevent branch dieback, prevent pests, and also promote bud break and growth. Alternatively, after planting, use glycerin or animal oil and strip it upward from the lower end of the sapling, which can prevent water loss. For those that have already developed branch dieback after planting, in early April, cut off the dieback portion at the lower sprouting site, keep 2-3 buds on the upper part of what remains, and remove all the rest.

2. Fertilizer damage

There are two types of fertilizer damage. First, applying too much chemical fertilizer and doing so in too concentrated a manner can easily burn the root system; the symptom is longitudinal drying of the trunk or death of the whole plant. Second, applying large amounts of undecomposed organic fertilizer causes root burn, which leads to weakening or even death of the aboveground parts.

Preventive measures

For slight root burn caused by fertilization, first loosen the soil in the tree plate, mix the fertilizer and soil together, then water 1-2 times to dilute the fertilizer concentration. For trunks with longitudinal drying, promptly apply medicine or paint, wrap with plastic sheeting, and promote the formation of healing tissue to prevent it from turning into dieback disease or rot disease.

3. Root water loss

Saplings that are not watered in time after planting, or whose roots had already lost water severely before planting, are extremely prone to dying after planting.

Preventive measures: In this situation, the only option is to replace the saplings and replant. If the saplings have only mild water loss, they can first be soaked in clean water for 10-20 hours, then dipped in rooting powder before planting. In addition, when lifting the saplings, dip them in mud slurry, then wrap them with plastic bags or wet cattail bags before loading and transporting, so as to avoid water loss during transit.

4. Freeze damage

Some fruit trees have poor cold resistance and are extremely prone to freeze damage in winter, which causes the cambium of the branches to die, resulting in longitudinal drying of the trunk or even death of the whole plant, such as persimmon, fig, pomegranate and other fruit trees.

Preventive measures: For fruit tree varieties prone to freeze damage, preventive measures should be taken before overwintering. First, whitewashing: apply limewater to the trunk to provide fairly good freeze resistance. Second, wrapping: wrap the trunk with newspaper or rice straw. Third, after wrapping, strip some animal fat onto the exposed trunk areas or spray hydroxymethyl cellulose to prevent water loss; for parts that have died from stress, prune them off in time.

The above is an introduction to the reasons why young fruit trees are prone to decline and die and the preventive measures. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.