What are the key points to note when growing oranges? Read this latest guide to understand it all
The orange is a fruit we all know well. The orange juice we enjoy drinking in daily life is made from it, and it has an excellent taste and a very pleasant fragrance. It is also highly nutritious, and there are a great many processed foods on the market that use it as a raw material, so market demand for it is enormous, attracting many people to grow it. However, there are many issues that need attention during cultivation. Below, follow along with the editor to learn the precautions for growing oranges.
1. Seed selection
The orange is originally a fruit produced by crossing pomelo and mandarin. Through long-term cultivation and selective breeding, it has a great many varieties of its own, such as the common orange, sweet orange, bitter orange, as well as the blood orange that has become quite popular in recent years. We often eat all of these, so before planting some people hesitate, not knowing which ones to grow. When selecting seeds, we base our decision on market consumption conditions and local conditions, seeing which variety is welcomed by consumers, and then grow superior varieties according to the actual local situation.
2. Land preparation and basal fertilization
After choosing suitable varieties to grow, the next step is to choose the plot for planting. After choosing the land comes land preparation and basal fertilizer application, in order to grow oranges well, increase the survival rate of seedlings, and lay the foundation for high and abundant yields in the future. First, the soil must be deep-plowed. Plowing can loosen the soil and also use sunlight to kill pathogens and pests in the soil, reducing the possibility of disease and pest damage. After plowing, control the row spacing and dig individual holes 60cm deep and 60 wide, and into each hole bring about 50 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and about 20-30 kg of ternary compound fertilizer as basal fertilizer. After filling, cover with a layer of shallow soil, water it wet, and then the saplings can be planted.
3. Fertilizer and water management
Oranges have different requirements for fertility and moisture at different growth stages. For young plants, in order to promote their growth and form a canopy early, topdressing should be applied about 6 times per year, generally using organic fertilizer together with foliar spraying. Once the plants begin to bear fruit, topdressing should be applied 4 times per year, mainly using organic fertilizer and farmyard manure together with foliar spraying. Organic fertilizer and farmyard manure are generally applied by ring-shaped trenching or hole application, which can improve fertilizer use efficiency.
During the seedling stage, watering should be frequent to keep the soil moist and promote seedling growth, but there must not be standing water, and after the rainy season drainage should be timely to avoid root rot in the seedlings. After entering the fruiting stage, water generally once every half month, and in the middle and late fruiting stage, control the frequency and amount of watering, because the fruit needs to accumulate and deposit sugar, and too much water makes the taste bland.
4. Field management
In addition to fertilizer management, field management also needs attention. Field management mainly consists of cultivation and weeding, pruning, flower and fruit thinning, and disease and pest prevention. Cultivation and weeding are mainly done during the seedling stage, which can enhance soil permeability and speed up root growth; pruning must be carried out throughout the entire growth period, with seedlings having messy branches and leaves pruned away; growth-stage pruning is done to promote side branch growth, control plant height, make it grow horizontally, and bear more flowers and fruit; fruiting-stage pruning removes old, weak, diseased and damaged branches and leaves, so that nutrients are concentrated in the fruit, improving yield and quality.
The above is an introduction to the precautions for growing oranges. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.