A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods for Sugar Apple Trees
Sugar apple is a tropical fruit. Its flesh is milky white and tastes refreshingly sweet, and its shape has many soft wart-like protrusions. Both its taste and appearance resemble the lychee, which is why it is also called custard apple. In recent years it has become quite popular on the market, and at present sugar apple trees are grown in many regions across the country. Let us take a look below at the cultivation methods for sugar apple trees.
1. Planting Time
Sugar apple trees are generally planted starting around March in spring, when the temperature is on the rise, which favors plant growth. In low-temperature regions, however, methods such as plastic film mulching or greenhouse cultivation should be used to raise the temperature. Its flowering period is in summer, from May to June, and its fruiting period is from June to November.
2. Propagation Methods
There are two ways to grow sugar apple: growing from seed and grafted seedling propagation. For growing from seed, select healthy, disease-free seeds, subject them to a series of treatments, and then sow them in suitable soil. When planting, the seeds should not be buried too deep; water to keep the soil moist, and the seeds will germinate. Grafted seedling propagation generally uses the branch grafting method in spring and the bud grafting method in summer to cultivate superior saplings.
3. Orchard Management
During the seedling stage, the plants are generally watered once every 3-5 days. In drought conditions, water once a day; conversely, in rainy weather, extend the watering interval, and if rainfall is excessive, drain promptly. When the saplings have grown 6-8 leaves, they can be watered with some dilute manure water or low-concentration urea solution, and as the plants grow, gradually increase the concentration of the fertilizer solution. In the later stage of seedling growth, apply potassium fertilizer or compound fertilizer to cultivate strong seedlings and speed up their growth. In addition, during management, attention should be paid to pest and disease control. For sugar apple trees, the main pest is aphids, and the main disease is root rot, so preventive measures should be taken.
4. Pruning
When the plants have grown to a certain extent, they should be pruned in a timely manner. This not only makes their growth thicker and sturdier but also improves their appearance and makes the fruit plumper. Pruning generally involves cutting the branches, keeping 2-3 robust branches as the main branches, and on the main branches likewise keeping 2-3 side branches. Repeat this pruning to promote branching. When growing in the south, the height of the plants should be controlled to avoid the impact of typhoon weather and unnecessary losses. During the rainy season, soil should be banked up promptly to prevent water accumulation at the roots.
The above are cultivation methods for sugar apple trees. We hope they can help you. To learn more about cultivation knowledge, please stay tuned to us.