The Latest Macadamia Nut Cultivation Techniques: A Method Tutorial
The scientific name of the macadamia nut is Macadamia integrifolia (macadamia). As the name suggests, the macadamia nut originated in Australia. However, after many years of cultivation, it is now grown to some extent in tropical regions around the world. China's main growing areas are also in tropical provinces such as Guangdong and Yunnan, and the macadamia nut industry is now continuously developing. So how should macadamia nuts be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for macadamia nuts. Let's take a look!
1. Site Selection
The macadamia nut is a tropical economic crop with fairly strong adaptability, and it is relatively well suited to being grown on flat land. Although it is a tropical plant, the temperature should not exceed 34 degrees, and in winter the temperature only needs to stay above zero. Then choose soil that is relatively deep and loose, rich in humus, with soil pH controlled at around 5, and strong permeability, so that a normal water supply can be guaranteed during summer droughts. Finally, because macadamia trees have poor wind resistance, the planting plot should be kept free of strong winds; in areas with strong and frequent winds, a windbreak forest should be established.
2. Seed Selection and Field Planting
The choice of variety is very important. When selecting varieties, we should pay attention to their growth capacity, wind resistance, yield, tree shape and other aspects. Usually, macadamia nut cultivation mainly uses clonal bud-grafted seedlings; after about two years of cultivation, budding is carried out, and then the preparation work is done and field planting is carried out at the right time. When planting, be careful to avoid high-temperature, rainy, and drought weather; it is best to plant after rain, because this can help young trees recover their growth as quickly as possible. Control the planting density well, keeping the number of trees planted per mu within 35. Moreover, because macadamia trees have a high probability of self-incompatibility, at least two or more varieties should be kept in each mu of land.
3. Young Tree Management
After successful field planting, the management of young trees should be done well, watering frequently to prevent the soil from drying out and to increase the soil's water content. Then, about two months after planting, apply additional fertilizer appropriately according to the actual growth of the young trees, following the principle of applying more frequently but in small amounts. Once the new shoots of the young trees mature, fertilizer application can begin. The first three years of planting are basically all part of the young tree stage of macadamia trees. During this time, if the terminal buds grow too vigorously, then the tops should be cut back appropriately, and some ineffective low-hanging branches should be removed; in other cases, no pruning is needed.
4. Management of Bearing Trees
After the third year has passed, macadamia trees will basically begin to bear fruit. At this time, the nutritional consumption of macadamia trees is high, so when doing the winter orchard cleaning work each year, green manure should be turned in reasonably, and then an appropriate amount of farmyard manure and compound fertilizer should be applied under each fruit tree. The amount of fertilizer used should be determined according to the age of the fruit tree; the older the tree, the more fertilizer should be used accordingly. Pruning at this stage is mainly renewal pruning, and low-hanging branches, overly long and dense branches, and diseased or pest-infested branches should be cut off in time. This can avoid excessive nutrient consumption and also improve the tree's permeability.
Macadamia nuts have a very high demand for water. During the flowering and fruiting stage, the soil must be kept moist at all times. If there is a lack of water during the oil accumulation period of the fruit, it will have a very large impact on the quality and yield of macadamia nuts. When the leaves are found to be wilted, weak, and dull, water should be applied in time. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting us.