Four key points for winter management of chestnut trees

Winter pruning The suitable period for winter pruning of chestnut trees should be arranged from mid-December to January of the following year. For chestnut trees that have entered the full bearing period, all diseased and pest-infested branches inside the canopy, overlapping branches, whorled branches, crossing branches, dead and dried branches, thin and weak branches, and drooping branches should be pruned away during pruning, so as to improve ventilation and light penetration conditions inside the canopy, and at the same time help concentrate nutrients so that the shoots become thick and well-developed. For the terminal branches and the extension branches of the scaffold branches, it is advisable to retain 50 cm and make a heading-back cut, to promote the growth of lateral branches and increase the number of bearing mother branches. At the same time, a portion of the water sprouts inside the canopy or in the middle and lower parts of large branches should be retained and cultivated into bearing mother branches; for bearing mother branches that grow too vigorously, appropriate heading-back should be carried out to promote the sprouting of new branches from their lower parts.

Pest and disease control The main purpose is to kill the chestnut weevil, and in conjunction with clearing the orchard, pick up all damaged chestnut fruits, burr husks, etc. in the orchard; remove dead branches, fallen leaves, residues and waste, and the shoots and branches left after pruning from the orchard, and burn them in a centralized manner.

? Bark scraping When scraping bark, plastic sheeting should be spread under the trunk to catch the debris, and a sharp knife should be used to scrape off the rough bark, old bark and peeling bark, which should be carried outside the orchard for centralized burning. After scraping the bark, promptly apply whitewash to the trunk and large branches to prevent pests or pathogens from infecting the trunk.

???? Freeze protection In winter, chestnut trees are prone to frost damage, which is very unfavorable for the tree's overwintering. The soil around the tree base should be loosened and covered with grass, etc., to improve the tree's cold resistance and enable it to overwinter safely.