Latest Tutorial on Apple Summer Management Techniques and Methods
Apple cultivation in the northern regions of our country requires a certain amount of low temperature to grow. The northern climate is suitable for apple growth, but northern summers are more or less very hot, so summer is a critical period for apple tree management, because temperature differences can cause some effects, especially since in recent years the climate has been somewhat abnormal, and in many northern regions summer is almost catching up with the south. In summer we must do the following management work well.
1. Pruning and adjustment
Summer pruning: bending branches in order to widen the branch angle, increase internal light, and promote new branch growth; pinching new shoots is to control growth and promote secondary sprouting; removing some extension branches, water sprouts, and buds on drooping branches reduces nutrient consumption; twisting shoots lightly damages the xylem of some shoots to inhibit growth; ring-cutting 3 mm of bark from the trunk and main branches inhibits excessive growth.
2. Reasonable topdressing
Summer is the peak period of fertilizer demand and also a critical period when vegetative growth shifts to reproductive growth, so nitrogen fertilizer needs to be controlled and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers increased. Fertilizer must not be lacking; a lack of fertilizer will affect growth vigor and delay entry into the reproductive growth period. Topdressing should be done in time roughly between June and July, and topdressing is best combined with foliar feeding, as absorption and results are relatively quick.
3. Drainage and irrigation
Summer temperatures are high, so cooling is necessary. Water at night to ensure the tree body's water content, which can enhance its ability to resist high temperatures and heat. Sometimes, in order to cool down, water can be sprayed in the orchard to lower the temperature, and spraying water can prevent sunscald damage. If there is a lot of rain, also clear the drainage channels; do not let it become too wet, as disease is likely to occur.
4. Pest and disease control
Rainy and high-temperature summer is a period of high incidence of canker disease. Check the trunk and branches, and when diseased spots are found, promptly scrape off the surface layer with a knife. After scraping clean, apply a chemical agent to the wound, and collect the scraped bark and burn it to avoid contagion. Then spray the whole orchard once with a 600-fold Wofeng solution, focusing on the branches and trunk, and then use an adjusted Wofengsu solution to drench the roots of diseased plants. The main pest, the apple small leafroller, severely eats leaves in summer and mainly hides in old bark, so first scrape the bark and apply a 300-fold trichlorfon solution.
The main management tasks for apples in summer are to prevent excessive growth, prevent sunscald, and maintain balanced nutrients and water for normal growth. At the same time, pay attention to diseases so as not to affect tree health. All of these can ensure that the apples enter the reproductive growth stage well.