The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Boxwood Trees

Boxwood trees are not strict about soil requirements. Sandy soil, loam soil, and brown soil can all be used for planting, but loam soil rich in organic matter is best. When preparing the land, the terrain is required to be level. In combination with deep plowing, apply organic fertilizer, about 2000 kg per mu. When applying base fertilizer, note that the organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed and applied deeply in the planting holes. Under the climatic conditions of the Beijing area, the planting time for seedlings is mainly spring, generally two or three days before “Qingming” in early April. For open-field planting of boxwood trees, the general row spacing is 0.5×1.5 or 0.4×1.2 m, with about 1000-1500 plants planted per mu.

As the trees age, seedlings can later be lifted every other plant. Container seedlings of boxwood trees can be planted in holes or furrows. Before planting seedlings, mark lines and set points according to the planned row and plant spacing, dig holes according to the points or open furrows according to the planting row spacing. The furrow depth should be greater than the depth of the seedling roots, about 40 cm deep. Before planting, apply base fertilizer deeply, mix fully decomposed organic fertilizer evenly with soil, and place it at the bottom of the holes. When planting, remove the container from the seedlings, arrange them in the furrows according to plant spacing, make the root system contact the soil, and fill and firm the soil. When firming after covering with soil, do not crush the root ball; step on the gap between the root ball and the planting hole. The soil covering depth should be slightly deeper than the original soil mark, so as to prevent the soil from sinking after watering and exposing the roots, which would affect survival.

Watering

Watering is a major measure to ensure the survival of planted seedlings. This is especially true in the north, where spring is dry and rainy periods are few and evaporation is high. If the water supply is insufficient, the survival rate of seedlings will be seriously affected. After planting seedlings, soil can be banked up between every 4 to 6 rows to facilitate irrigation. The first watering is required within 24 hours after planting, the second watering 3 to 5 days later, and the third watering 5 to 7 days after that. After the three waterings are completed, whether to water again can be decided according to the weather and the condition of the seedlings.

The amount of water should not be too large or too small. If the amount of water is too large, the soil becomes soft and the seedlings are prone to lodging; if the amount of water is too small, survival is affected. After planted seedlings are watered or receive relatively heavy rainfall, they are prone to lodging, tilting, or root exposure. If such phenomena occur, they should be straightened, earthed up, and firmed immediately; otherwise, because the seedlings are sprouting and growing, the stems will bend within a few days. When straightening seedlings, first dig away the soil near the seedling roots, straighten the seedlings, align the direction between rows and between plants, and then return the soil and firm it. After planting seedlings, if the seedbed soil sinks and pits appear after three consecutive irrigations, leveling and filling with soil should be carried out in time. The ground can also be leveled in combination with intertillage, so that the seedlings receive a consistent amount of water and uneven drought and waterlogging are prevented. Boxwood trees relatively prefer water, so in watering, the principle of “prefer wet over dry” should be followed.

At the seedling stage, the root system is relatively shallow and sensitive to moisture. Generally, keeping the surface soil moist is the standard, and irrigation should be done in small amounts and multiple times. During the rapid growth period of the seedlings, growth is fast and water demand is high, so heavy irrigation should be used, allowing both wet and dry conditions, and watering should be sufficient and thorough. However, in the later growth period, in order to prevent excessive vegetative growth of the seedlings and promote lignification, irrigation should be stopped. Generally, watering should begin to be controlled at the end of summer. Irrigation time: each watering is best done in the morning and evening, not at noon when the temperature is highest.

Intertillage and Weeding

Intertillage and weeding are routine tasks in seedling-stage management. Intertillage and weeding are two concepts, but they can be carried out together.

Generally, intertillage and weeding are best done after rain or after irrigation. When the soil is moist, pull the weeds out by the roots, and the soil-loosening effect is also good. Shortly after seedlings are newly planted, most of the soil surface is exposed to the air. Not only does the soil dry out very easily, but weeds also tend to grow. During this period, intertillage and weeding should be carried out in time to promote the development of the seedling root system.

Generally, shallow cultivation should be done near the seedling roots, and the depth between rows and plants can be appropriately increased, usually 3 to 5 cm. Intertillage during the rainy season promotes gas exchange and the evaporation of gaseous water, which can prevent waterlogging of the seedlings. In the northern region, spring is generally dry, and in autumn weeds have stopped growing. In these two periods, intertillage should be the main practice, while in summer, weeding should be the main practice. The rapid growth period of weeds is before and after the rainy season. During this period, weeding should be strengthened, and weeding should adhere to the principle of removing early, removing small, and removing completely. For perennial weeds, the underground parts must all be dug out; otherwise, they will become increasingly difficult to remove.

Topdressing

Topdressing can timely supplement the large nutrient needs of seedlings during the period of vigorous growth and development, promote the growth and development of seedlings, and improve quality. Boxwood trees need relatively more phosphorus at the seedling stage, relatively more nitrogen during the peak growing season, and relatively more potassium in autumn when growth stops.

After seedlings are planted, a 0.4% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed on the leaves, preferably on cloudy days or in the early morning or evening when the air is moist. Generally, spraying potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the leaves three to four times a month is sufficient. For newly transplanted boxwood seedlings, fertilization should be carried out as early as possible in the early stage, but care should be taken that the fertilizer concentration is not too high, so as not to burn the new roots. During the rapid growth period of the seedlings, the amount of fertilizer applied should be increased and the number of fertilizer applications should be increased, no less than once a month. Urea can be used for nitrogen topdressing, in two ways: dry application and wet application.

Dry application can be done by broadcasting and furrow application. Broadcasting is spreading chemical fertilizer evenly on the soil between the seedlings, followed by shallow hoeing 1-2 times to cover it with soil; furrow application is opening furrows between the seedling rows, generally 15-20 cm away from the seedling roots, applying the chemical fertilizer into the furrows, and then covering with soil. When applying in furrows, note that the furrow depth should be within the distribution layer of the root system, so as to facilitate the seedlings' absorption of fertilizer. Wet application is dissolving the fertilizer in water and sprinkling it evenly over the seedbed or between rows. It is best to irrigate once after application to avoid burning damage. Nitrogen fertilizer should be applied in spring and summer, and the last nitrogen application must not be later than “Liqiu”. This is to prevent excessive vegetative growth of the seedlings and reduce the overwintering ability of boxwood seedlings. In August and September, nitrogen fertilizer must be stopped, and fertilization should focus mainly on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. This promotes the lignification and root growth of boxwood seedlings and improves the cold resistance of the seedlings.