Latest Key Technical Points for Field Management of Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a large tree of the Lauraceae family and has a wide distribution range in southern China. The flowers, leaves, and fruits of cinnamon have a very strong fragrance, from which cinnamon oil can be extracted. Cinnamon oil is also the main raw material for synthesizing cinnamic acid and is widely used in the cosmetics and cigarette industries. Moreover, different parts of cinnamon also have different medicinal values. China now already has a certain area of cinnamon cultivation, so how should cinnamon be managed during cultivation? Let's take a look together below!
1. Intertillage and Weeding
During the seedling stage of cinnamon, its growth ability is not very strong, and the threat from weeds is relatively great, so we must do a good job in intertillage and weeding. This needs to be done about three times per year, and generally the last intertillage of the year is carried out around November. Remove weeds from the field and cover the weeds around the tree disc to slow down water evaporation and improve soil water retention. During intertillage and weeding, be careful not to damage the base of the cinnamon stems and roots, to prevent sprouting tillers, excessive nutrient consumption, and effects on cinnamon growth.
2. Water and Fertilizer Management
Within two months after planting and afforestation, water and fertilize regularly to promote seedling growth and improve seedling survival rate. Cinnamon relatively prefers water, so the soil should be kept moist during cultivation. However, it is not tolerant of waterlogging, so attention should also be paid to moisture content. Excessive water can cause root rot, rotten leaves and leaf drop in cinnamon, and lead to root rot disease and other pests and diseases, so it should be determined specifically according to soil moisture conditions. Also, each intertillage is best carried out together with topdressing. In the first three years of planting, focus on applying nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers to improve the growth ability of cinnamon. From the fourth year onward, increase the proportion of potassium fertilizer and control the fertilizer amount according to the number of plants planted.
3. Shaping and Pruning
The tree form of cinnamon is relatively large. When planting, in order to ensure a stable tree form and control the tree structure, the cinnamon trees should be properly shaped and pruned. First cut off ground-level side branches and sprouting tillers, then during harvesting cut off weak-growing, pest- and disease-affected, overly long, overly dense, overlapping, and injured branches of mature trees. Improve permeability in the plantation and enhance cinnamon growth. About 3 years after planting, shaping and pruning work needs to begin. After that, prune once every other year, and control pruning intensity according to tree age. For example, for trees under 4 years old, retain a crown of about half the tree height.
4. Appropriate Intercropping
Because the planting spacing of cinnamon during the seedling stage is relatively large, appropriate intercropping can be carried out in the early planting period to improve the utilization rate of land resources. Intercropping crops should choose tall crops such as pigeon pea. Pay attention to the nature of the crops and ensure that intercropping crops have low water and fertilizer requirements and will not compete for the nutrients needed for cinnamon growth. This can not only reduce land waste, but also improve soil structure and promote cinnamon growth. After the crops mature, they can also be turned into the soil as green manure. If the yield is high, they can also be harvested and sold, adding another part of planting benefit. However, after the forest becomes closed, intercropping should be stopped and nutrients should be concentrated on cinnamon.
The above is a brief introduction to the field management methods for cinnamon cultivation. Cinnamon has a long growth period, so management during the planting process is very important. Pest and disease prevention and control work should also be done well. Overall, it is relatively troublesome. Therefore, if friends do not have management skills and sufficient patience, large-scale planting is still not recommended. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting.