Don't relax management of peach trees after harvest; these key points need to be mastered

Peaches have successively entered the picking period. Some fruit growers relax management of peach trees after the fruit is picked, and some even do not manage them at all. This will be very detrimental to the growth of peach trees in the current year and the high yield in the coming year. After fruiting, peach trees consume a large amount of nutrients. After peach picking is a critical period for nutrient accumulation and flower bud differentiation in peach trees. Strengthening management at this time can increase the tree's nutrient accumulation, restore tree vigor as quickly as possible, enable the tree to form good flower buds, and create favorable material conditions for improving peach yield and quality in the coming year. The post-harvest management measures are as follows:

I. Clearing the orchard

After picking peaches, clear the orchard in a timely manner. Remove and deeply bury rotten fruit, diseased and insect-damaged fruit, fallen leaves, weeds, etc. in the peach orchard to eliminate sources of disease and pest transmission.

II. Intertillage

After harvest, carry out intertillage and loosen the soil in a timely manner to a depth of 10-15 cm.

III. Fertilizer and water management

1. Topdressing. During fruit growth, peach trees consume a large amount of tree nutrients, and the tree body lacks nutrients. Nutrients need to be supplemented in a timely manner to restore tree vigor. Dig shallow ring ditches along the outer edge of the canopy's vertical projection, and apply 1 kg of urea, 2 kg of ammonium bicarbonate and an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer per tree. Foliar fertilizer can also be sprayed, such as 1% urea solution or 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, to extend the leaf nutrient production period and accumulate more nutrients.

2. Apply sufficient base fertilizer. Base fertilizer is mainly fully decomposed farmyard organic fertilizer, supplemented by NPK compound fertilizer. With the trunk as the center, dig 4-8 radial ditches 35-40 cm away from the trunk. The end near the trunk is 15-20 cm deep, and the far end is 35-40 cm deep. Apply 4000 kg of decomposed high-quality barnyard manure + 30-40 kg of potassium sulfate per mu, and irrigate after fertilizing.

3. Watering. After peach harvest, there is generally more rain, so watering may not be necessary. If the drought lasts too long, water as appropriate to replenish soil moisture. In the rainy season, drain water to prevent waterlogging, and water once before the soil freezes.

IV. Timely pruning

1. Thin out excessively dense vigorous branches. For strong branches, keep 1-2 secondary shoots; for those without secondary shoots, cut back to leave 35-40 cm. Lightly cut back lignified new shoots. Pinch the tips of excessively vigorous fruiting branches and vigorous branches that have not stopped growing.

2. For fruiting branches, cut back leaving 2-3 branches at the base. For vigorous branches that were twisted, pressed or bent during winter pruning last year, cut back at the secondary shoot at the base, or cut at the bend where shoots emerged, then pinch the tips of the emerged shoots.

3. Renew and rejuvenate weaker medium and small branch groups and horizontal drooping branches. Thin out upright, densely growing, and diseased or insect-damaged branches on vigorous branch groups. Where there is space, cut back leaving 15-20 cm.

V. Disease and pest control

The main diseases and pests after peach harvest are bacterial shot hole, aphids, leafminers, red spiders, gummosis, etc., which should be controlled at the appropriate time.

1. Bacterial shot hole. Prevention should be the main approach. Starting in early June, spray zinc sulfate lime solution on the leaves. The ratio is zinc sulfate : quicklime : water at 0.5:2:120, once every 15 days, for a total of 4-5 times.

2. Aphids. Control can be done with 10% imidacloprid 3000-fold solution or 5% acetamiprid 1500-fold solution.

3. Red spiders. Control can be done with 1.8% abamectin 3500-fold solution or 20% pyridaben 1500-fold solution.

4. Leafminers. Control can be done with 25% diflubenzuron No. 3 1000-fold solution.

5. Gummosis. First, try to avoid mechanical damage to branches and trunks; second, after scraping off the gum on branches and trunks, apply a protective agent made of 10 parts quicklime, 1 part lime sulfur mixture, 2 parts salt, 0.3 part vegetable oil and an appropriate amount of water, and smear it on the affected areas or cut openings.

6. Oriental fruit moth. Control can be done with 4.5% beta-cypermethrin 2000-fold solution or emamectin benzoate 4000-fold solution.

Zanhuang County Forestry and Tourism Bureau Shang Sujuan Lei Ling