The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Red Tip Photinia

Red tip photinia is the collective name for hybrids of the genus Photinia in the rose family (Rosaceae). It is an evergreen small tree, named for its bright red new shoots and young leaves. Two varieties are commonly seen: Red Robin and Red Lip, among which Red Robin has strikingly vivid leaf color and better ornamental value. The leaf color of red tip photinia can change with the age of the leaves. In spring and autumn, the new shoots and young leaves are a fiery red, bright and long-lasting, full of vitality; in the high-temperature summer season, new leaf growth decreases and old leaves turn dark green, bringing a fresh and cool feeling to the scorching summer days; in winter, leaves that have endured frost and snow turn brownish-red, bringing a touch of warmth to the bleak earth. Red tip photinia has strong ecological adaptability, tolerates low temperatures and poor soil, and also has a certain shade tolerance; under direct sunlight, its color is even more vivid. At present, this emerging colored-leaf tree species is widely favored, with broad market prospects and huge development potential. Its propagation and cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:

Nursery site selection and soil treatment

The nursery site should be chosen to be sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, with convenient transportation, flat terrain and deep soil. The soil should preferably be loose in texture, fertile and slightly acidic to neutral, and it should be convenient to irrigate with good drainage.

Before planting, apply 3000kg of barnyard manure and 50kg of superphosphate. The soil should be plowed to a depth of more than 25cm, and fungicides and bactericides should be applied at the same time to prevent and control pests and diseases. The beds should be made by deep plowing and fine preparation, removing grass roots and stones. The bed surface should be 90—120cm wide and 20—30cm high, with a walkway 30cm wide. The length of the seedling bed depends on circumstances, generally 10—20m. After the seedling beds are made, to prevent weeds, spray a 500-fold dilution of Goal before cutting.

Cutting treatment and cuttings

Use semi-lignified tender branches or fully lignified current-year branches, cut into one leaf and one bud, about 3—4cm in length, for work such as ecological and landscape greening planning and design. The cut should be smooth. After the cuttings are cut, quickly place them in a ventilated, cool indoor spot, spray water promptly to moisten the leaf surface, and keep the cuttings fresh, though it is best to cut and insert them as you go. Before cutting, treat the cut ends with a rooting agent to speed up rooting and increase the survival rate.

Cutting can be done in early March for spring cutting, early June for summer cutting, and early September for autumn cutting. Insert the treated cuttings into the soil at a row spacing of 4—6cm, at a depth of more than 1/2 the length of the cutting. When cutting, insert the cuttings evenly and uniformly, with the leaves parallel, striving for neatness and consistency to facilitate management, observation and inspection. After cutting is completed, water thoroughly immediately so that the cuttings and soil are closely combined. To prevent damping-off and root rot, a 600-fold dilution of Luheng No. 2 can be watered into the seedling bed together with the irrigation water.

Construction of the plastic film tunnel and shade shed

After the cuttings are watered thoroughly, insert bamboo strips sharpened at both ends in an arch shape (the height from the bed surface to the top of the bamboo arch is about 50cm), cover them with agricultural plastic film, and press and seal with soil, leaving no gaps. After the plastic film tunnel is sealed, remember that direct sunlight must be avoided; a shade shed should be built over the plastic tunnel immediately, with a shed height of 1.5—2m, using shade netting with 60-70% light transmittance for shading. The plastic tunnel must also be shaded on all sides to prevent direct sunlight from the sides.