How to Cultivate and Manage Loquat? Latest Technical Methods Tutorial
Loquat is a plant belonging to the Rosaceae family and is also a fruit native to China. The loquat fruit has a very good taste, contains rich sugars and various vitamins, and has the function of moistening the lungs and stopping cough. Moreover, loquat leaves also have medicinal effects such as clearing lung and stomach heat, and are the raw material for many medicines. So how do we manage loquat when growing it? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation and management techniques for loquat. Let's take a look!
1. Temperature Management
Loquat was originally a subtropical fruit, so it has certain temperature requirements. For commercial cultivation, the temperature should be controlled at around 16 degrees. It is necessary to ensure that there is no severe cold weather in the planting area. Under normal cultivation, the flowering period of loquat is generally in late winter and other cold seasons. If the temperature is low, it will seriously reduce the number of loquat flowers and fruits, and minus 3 degrees will cause fruit frost damage. When the temperature rises back above 10 degrees, the pollen will begin to germinate, and the optimal temperature should be around 18 degrees. If the temperature is too high and exceeds 30 degrees, then it will inhibit the growth of branches, leaves, and roots. Moreover, 1-2 weeks before harvest, if high temperature is encountered, it will cause fruit sunburn and loss of commercial value.
2. Fertilizer and Water Management
We should control the amount of fertilizer and water according to the different ages of the trees. After the young trees are planted, the first topdressing should be carried out when the first leaf grows. The fertilizer should mainly be decomposed farmyard manure, applied about twice a month, following the principle of applying more frequently but in small amounts. For fruiting trees, the number of topdressings each year should not be less than three times, carried out in January, March, May, and other time periods respectively. In July, nitrogen fertilizer application should be stopped, the proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be increased, and the growth of vigorous branches should be controlled. Then pay attention to watering. For fruit trees with strong growth, pay attention to drainage, reduce soil moisture, and prevent excessive water accumulation from causing root rot.
3. Shaping and Pruning
Shaping and pruning work is also very important for the growth of loquat trees. After the young trees are planted, layered work should be done well. At about 45 cm from the ground, keep about 3 main branches as the first layer, then control the spacing at about 55 cm and layer about three times. In spring, when the young trees sprout new shoots, carry out branch bending. Then, after the fruiting trees are harvested, promptly prune old dead branches, pest- and disease-damaged branches, and crossing and overlapping branches, etc., to promote the production of new shoots and cultivate fruiting branch groups. Prevent excessive nutrient consumption, reduce the number of flowers and fruits, and enhance the growth ability of loquat.
4. Flower and Fruit Management
During the young tree stage of loquat, management should be strengthened, and then flower promotion work should be carried out reasonably the following year. Also, flower thinning and fruit thinning should be done well to prevent the number of flowers and fruits from exceeding the bearing range of the loquat tree. When thinning flowers and fruits, control the intensity according to the tree's growth vigor. Trees with strong growth should be thinned less; on the contrary, weak trees should be thinned more. Then follow the principle of thinning the weak and keeping the strong. About 4 months after fruit thinning, bagging work should be done well. Before bagging, do a good job of spraying pesticides to prevent and control pests and diseases. When bagging, try to increase the space inside the bag. First put in about 3 leaves to prevent the bag surface from contacting the fruit surface and causing injury to the fruit.
The above is a brief introduction to loquat cultivation and management techniques. The planting management of loquat is very crucial. Therefore, everyone should not neglect it during the planting process, to prevent some irreparable losses. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!