A Detailed Guide to the Latest Hawthorn Fertilization Techniques and Key Points

We are all quite familiar with hawthorn. It is rich in nutrients and widely used, and among its well-known benefits is its appetite-stimulating effect. Hawthorn has extremely strong adaptability and can grow well even in poor soil, but for the sake of yield and quality, mastering fertilization techniques when growing hawthorn is crucial. So how should hawthorn be fertilized? I have put together the key points of hawthorn fertilization techniques. Let's take a look together.

1. Topdressing at the flowering stage

During the flowering stage, hawthorn needs a large amount of nutrients to produce more flowers. At this time, the fertilizer requirement accounts for one quarter of the total fertilizer amount. Fertilization at this stage is mainly nitrogen fertilizer, applying 0.1-0.5 kg of urea or 0.3-1.3 kg of ammonium bicarbonate per plant. Apply a certain amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer according to the plant's growth condition to help the plant flower smoothly.

2. Topdressing before the fruit enlargement stage

Topdressing at this time is intended to improve the nutritional status of flower bud differentiation. At this stage, topdressing should be flexibly controlled according to soil fertility, plant growth condition, and the fertilization status at the flowering stage. Generally, when soil fertility is sufficient, the plant grows well, and plenty of flower fertilizer has been applied, less or no fertilizer may be applied; conversely, when the soil is poor and little fertilizer was applied at the flowering stage, more should be applied. Generally, the fertilization amount is controlled within 0.1-0.3 kg of urea or 0.3-1 kg of ammonium bicarbonate per plant.

3. Topdressing at the fruit enlargement stage

During the fruit enlargement stage, the plant needs a large amount of potassium to transport nutrients, enabling the fruit to expand rapidly and also reducing the chance of fruit cracking. Therefore, fertilization at this stage should mainly be potassium fertilizer, combined with some nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, to promote fruit growth, increase yield, and improve quality. Generally, apply 0.2-0.5 kg of potassium sulfate per plant, combined with 0.25-0.5 kg of ammonium bicarbonate and 0.5-1 kg of superphosphate.

4. Application of base fertilizer

Base fertilizer is applied after the fruit is harvested. After harvest, the tree vigor is relatively weak and nutrient consumption is relatively high. Applying base fertilizer at this time is intended to promote the plant's absorption and accumulation of nutrients, which is beneficial for flower bud differentiation. For base fertilizer, decomposed organic fertilizer is generally chosen, combined with some chemical fertilizer, of which nitrogen fertilizer accounts for half of the total application amount, while phosphorus fertilizer accounts for 80% of the annual application amount and potassium fertilizer accounts for 20%. Base fertilizer is applied by digging a trench. Dig a 20-40 cm trench near the plant roots, first mix the base fertilizer and soil evenly before applying it into the trench, so as to prevent the roots from directly contacting the concentration and causing root burn.

5. Foliar topdressing

The above are all soil fertilization methods. There is another method that uses a sprayer to spray diluted fertilizer solution onto leaves or fruit, called foliar topdressing or leaf spraying. This method uses a small amount of fertilizer but has a quick effect and an extremely high utilization rate. According to the plant's growth condition, carry out foliar topdressing 2-3 times per year, and it can also be combined with soil topdressing by diluting the same fertilizer with water before spraying.

The above are the key points of hawthorn fertilization techniques. I hope they can help you. If you want to learn more about hawthorn cultivation, please stay tuned to us.