The Latest Management Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Persimmon Trees

Persimmon trees are widely distributed in our country and are planted in many places. Persimmons are delicious, juicy and nutritious, and are deeply loved by people. Persimmon trees have large root systems and a strong ability to absorb water and fertilizer, making them easy to cultivate. When cultivating persimmon trees, good maintenance and management work must be done so that the persimmon trees grow healthily.

Tree Disk Management

1. Deep plowing of the tree disk to store water and preserve fertilizer: Deep plow the tree disk 2 times each year, the 1st time in spring from March to April, and the 2nd time after fruit harvest until before the soil freezes. The deep plowing range is from the trunk to the edge of the canopy. It should be slightly shallow near the trunk and gradually deeper outward to prevent root damage.

2. Mulching the tree disk with grass: Covering the area under the tree disk with grass is an effective way to improve soil nutrients and moisture conditions, and is one of the important measures for high yield and high quality of persimmon trees. Its benefits are, first, it can slow sudden changes in ground temperature under the tree disk and achieve the purpose of keeping soil temperature stable; second, it can reduce evaporation and runoff and keep soil moisture relatively stable; third, it can increase soil organic matter content. The mulching time is in March each year. Before mulching, apply an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer, then water, and then mulch. The suitable mulching thickness is 15-20 cm, and the coverage range should be within the canopy range, but no grass should be placed within a 30 cm radius around the trunk. After mulching, scatter a small amount of soil here and there to press down the grass to prevent wind blowing and fire.

Applying Base Fertilizer in Autumn

The suitable time for applying base fertilizer in autumn is from mid-to-late September to early October. At this time, ground temperature is high, microbial activity is vigorous, and organic matter decomposes and rots quickly, which is beneficial for root absorption. The fertilizer should be mainly organic fertilizer, supplemented with quick-acting fertilizers such as N, P, and K. Apply 100-200 kg of farmyard manure, 10-20 kg of human excrement and urine, and 15 kg of plant ash per tree, and mix in 0.5 kg of urea and 4 kg of superphosphate.

Use trench application or ring-shaped trench application. Dig a trench or ring-shaped trench 50 cm wide and 60 cm deep along the outer edge of the canopy. Place topsoil and undecomposed crop straw in the bottom layer of the trench, and apply a mixture of decomposed farmyard manure and fine fertilizer into the 20-30 cm soil layer. No matter which fertilization method is used, decomposed farmyard manure and fine fertilizer should not be applied too deep, so as not to affect fertilizer efficiency.

Skillful Application of Topdressing

Persimmon trees are topdressed 2 times each year. The first time is in March in spring, together with grass mulching of the tree disk. The second time is in late July during the rapid fruit expansion period. Topdressing should be mainly quick-acting fertilizer, mainly nitrogen fertilizer in the early stage and mainly potassium fertilizer in the later stage, supplemented with an appropriate amount of phosphate fertilizer. If irrigation conditions are available, apply topdressing on time; if there are no irrigation conditions, topdressing can be done according to the weather by taking advantage of rain. Generally, according to the size of the canopy, dig several small holes around each tree, apply chemical fertilizer, and then fill them level with soil.

The amount of topdressing should be specifically determined according to the size of the canopy and the load. Generally, mature trees are applied with 0.5-1.5 kg of nitrogen fertilizer, 0.5-1 kg of potassium fertilizer, and 0.25-0.75 kg of phosphate fertilizer per tree. During the growing season, combine with pesticide spraying and use 0.5% urea, 200 times potassium dihydrogen phosphate, or photosynthetic micro-fertilizer, etc. for foliar spraying 3-4 times.

Reasonable Pruning

In production, persimmon trees are often neglected in pruning and allowed to grow naturally, resulting in strong upper parts and weak lower parts, poor light, bare inner canopy, outward movement of fruiting parts, and reduced yield. In pruning, the principles should be to do less heading back, to promptly retract after fruiting, and not to leave too many long-unpruned branches.

1. Winter pruning should mainly be light pruning, combining thinning and retraction, adjusting the framework, and improving ventilation and light conditions. Part of the overly dense branches, thin and weak branches, overlapping and crossing branches, and diseased, pest-infested, and dried branches should be thinned out. Pay attention to retracting perennial weakened large branches to stimulate the growth of new branches. Head back small branches to promote secondary buds to sprout into branches.

2. Summer pruning should follow the principle of combining thinning, pinching, bud notching, and ring girdling, that is, thinning out large branches and new shoots in the inner canopy that are too dense, weak, or improperly positioned. Because the remaining branches have improved light and nutritional conditions, they easily form flowers and bear fruit. Before germination, notch buds on vigorous one-year-old branches to promote the growth of medium and short branches. For new shoots growing from notched buds and other branches, pinch the tips when they are 30-40 cm long. After pinching weak branches, flower buds easily form at the top. After pinching vigorous branches, the secondary branches they produce can form flower buds in the same year and bear fruit the next year. To improve the fruit-setting rate, ring girdle large auxiliary branches during the flowering period.

3. Branch bending in autumn: The best time in the year for branch bending is September, but in summer during May to June, when branches grow vigorously, upright vigorous branches can be bent at any time, and vigorous new shoots can be twisted. In September, the main objects of branch bending are main branches and auxiliary branches. The opening angle of the basal main branches should be about 90°. If less than 70°, bend downward; if greater than 70°, bend upward; if the orientation is inappropriate, bend to the left or right. Note that such large branches should not be bent forcefully, as they are prone to splitting. The correct method is to make 3 saw cuts on the back side, then step on the base with the foot, slowly pull downward with both hands, and finally fix it in place. The upper main branches and side branches should all be pulled flat.

Prevention and Control of Pests and Diseases

The main insect pests of persimmon trees are scale insects, persimmon stem borers, persimmon caterpillars, and others. The main diseases are angular leaf spot and circular leaf spot. Comprehensive prevention and control measures:

1. In early winter, thoroughly clean the orchard, remove the remaining persimmon calyxes on the trees, and sweep up fallen leaves, diseased and pest-infested fruits, and diseased and pest-infested branches and trunks around the persimmon trees. This can remove overwintering sites for pests and diseases such as circular leaf spot, angular leaf spot, and persimmon calyx moth, reducing damage the following year.

2. In winter, scrape off the old, coarse, and raised bark on the trunk and large branches and destroy it centrally. After scraping, whitewash the trunk. This can eliminate persimmon stem borers and grass scale insects.

3. Chemical control: Before persimmon trees germinate, carefully spray the tree body once with 5 Baume degree lime sulfur mixture. From early June to early August, alternately spray Bordeaux mixture at a high multiple, mancozeb, and thiophanate-methyl, etc. for disease control, and according to the occurrence of insect pests, spray pesticides in time for control.