Latest Cultivation and Management Techniques for Cuihong Plums: A Tutorial
Cuihong plum is a common fruit on the market. It differs from other plums in that its skin is thin, the fruit is crisp, the flesh is sweet, and it stores well, which is why it is loved by a large number of consumers. It has also attracted many people to grow it, so how should Cuihong plum cultivation and management be carried out? Let's find out together with the editor.
1. Fertilization
For young trees, the principle of light and frequent application should be adopted. From the time planting survives until bud break, apply fertilizer once, using only diluted manure water and amino acid water-soluble fertilizer. After that, mainly use quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer, applying once before bud break and once again after leaf expansion. Adult trees are generally fertilized three times a year. The first time is in early to mid-March to April, when the root system is in its growth and sprouting period and needs to absorb nutrients to promote spring shoot growth, while also promoting flower bud differentiation and improving the fruit-setting rate, so this fertilization is relatively important. Mainly use quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer, applying half a jin of compound fertilizer per tree. Trees with weaker vigor can be appropriately supplemented with nitrogen fertilizer, while those with excessive vigor may go without. After flower drop, calcium must be maintained. Calcium is the fourth most important element required by fruit trees and must be taken seriously. After fruit set, apply 2-3 jin of high-potassium compound fertilizer per tree.
2. Tree Plate Mulching
For adult trees, the tree plate can be covered year-round with weeds or straw, and during autumn fertilization or hole expansion and soil improvement, these can be pressed into the orchard together. This can both build up soil and, in summer, keep the soil moist and lower ground temperature, which is beneficial to plant growth. In autumn, carry out one tillage of the whole orchard, at a depth of 10-20 cm, and apply organic fertilizer along with turning the soil.
3. Drainage and Irrigation
During the fruit ripening period, water demand is relatively low. If heavy rain suddenly falls or rainfall is excessive, it can easily cause poor fruit coloring and fruit cracking, so during the rainy season attention must be paid to strengthening drainage. Summer rainstorms and autumn continuous rain can easily cause tree death. Too low humidity is also unfavorable to the growth of Cuihong plum branches and shoots, so trenches should be opened in time for drainage. The fruit expansion period is the peak period of water demand; drought at this time will affect fruit quality and yield, but watering too much is also inadvisable, and keeping the soil moderately moist is sufficient.
4. Training and Pruning
Pruning Cuihong plum should adopt different methods according to different plants and different canopy shapes. For plants with vigorous growth and abundant flowering, the fruited bearing branches should have the weak removed and the strong retained; for those with a dense, closed canopy, small branch groups should be headed back and shortened, and diseased, pest-damaged and dead branches cut off, so as to increase canopy ventilation. For plants that grow robustly and flower little, part of the weak branches should be thinned out, and a few densely growing branch groups selected for heading back and shortening, to increase ventilation on the outside of the canopy as well as the green leaf layer inside. For plants that grow weakly and flower heavily, the fruited bearing branches should be cut off in time; after spring heading back and shortening, the new shoots that sprout should have the strong retained and the weak removed; for weakly growing plants that flower less, weak branch groups can be headed back and shortened; after spring heading back and shortening, the new shoots that sprout should have the weak removed and the strong retained, so that the canopy is renewed with robust shoots.
The above is an introduction to Cuihong plum cultivation and management techniques. We hope it helps you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.