Latest precautions for growing Hovenia dulcis (Japanese raisin tree)
Hovenia dulcis is one of the top ten wild fruits in our country. People who have never eaten it will certainly not [know it]; with its ugly appearance and unknown fruit, many people think it is inedible. But only after eating it do you know that Hovenia dulcis tastes very sweet, and Hovenia dulcis is also very rich in nutrients. Although the area under artificial cultivation is not very large now, the editor thinks this is a fruit with very good prospects for cultivation. So the editor has brought you the precautions to note when growing Hovenia dulcis. Let's take a look below.
1. Pre-sowing germination
The outer coat of Hovenia dulcis seeds has a layer of dry material, which makes the seeds' water absorption capacity very poor, so when planting we need to carry out germination treatment on the seeds. Hovenia dulcis is generally suitable for sowing around March each year in spring, but in March the temperature has not fully risen, and the seed stems sprout relatively slowly. Before sowing, use a hotbed to germinate the seeds; the temperature during germination should be maintained at around 20 degrees, and they will begin to sprout in half a month. You can also build a plastic fence outdoors to germinate them; the temperature also needs to be maintained at around 20-25 degrees, with continuous germination for half a month, and when the coleoptile begins to turn white you can sow. After sowing, cover with plastic film; the plastic film only needs to cover the rows where the seed stems are planted, and once the seedlings emerge and are uniform it can be removed.
2. Drainage, irrigation and fertilisation
Hovenia dulcis likes moisture and tolerates fertiliser but is very afraid of waterlogging. Before planting, the planting site and each planting hole should be watered thoroughly, which is beneficial for seed germination and seedling emergence. During the seedling growth period, the soil should be kept moist but must not be waterlogged. In dry weather, water in time, and in the rainy season also drain the orchard in time to prevent waterlogging from rotting the roots and killing the seedlings. The fertiliser used is mainly agricultural machinery manure. Before planting, apply sufficient base fertiliser to the soil, and during the growth period topdressing should be carried out at least twice. The first time is in summer at 5-6, and the second time is after August.
3. Intercropping and flower removal
Hovenia dulcis is also a very shade-tolerant crop. It can grow and develop well in a continuously shaded environment, and it will not [affect] its yield. On the contrary, too much light time will also affect its growth, so when choosing a planting site before planting, try to choose a gentle slope with half shade and half sun, or intercrop with young fruit trees, corn and other crops. Two months after sowing Hovenia dulcis, the plants will gradually flower and bolt, which consumes relatively more nutrients, so the flower buds should be removed in batches in time, so that nutrients are concentrated in the underground tubers and the growth of the tubers is promoted; this is very beneficial for increasing yield.
4. Delaying seedling collapse
As mentioned earlier, Hovenia dulcis is a shade-tolerant crop and does not like strong light. If Hovenia dulcis encounters continuous high temperature and strong light weather, seedling collapse will occur, and then growth will stop. So appropriately delaying plant seedling collapse is an important condition for making Hovenia dulcis high-yielding. According to experiments, in addition to appropriate shading of the fruit trees and sprinkler irrigation measures to reduce the orchard's light intensity and temperature during cultivation, you can also appropriately spray a little sodium bisulfite solution on the fruit trees, which can effectively inhibit the plants' respiration, shorten the plants' seedling collapse period and frequency, and is beneficial for increasing yield.
The above are some of the issues to note during the cultivation of Hovenia dulcis. Hovenia dulcis grows relatively slowly, so farmers need to have enough patience. Generally, Hovenia dulcis is grown alongside other projects, and it is precisely for this reason that the cultivated area of Hovenia dulcis in our country is far less than that of other fruits. However, if Hovenia dulcis is grown well, there will still be considerable economic benefits. Everyone can consider whether it is suitable to grow according to their own conditions and planting environment.