Key Points of Lychee Cultivation Techniques and Planting Management Methods
Cultivation Techniques 1. Shaping and pruning of young lychee trees. Young trees are mostly shaped into a round-headed form with main branches, completed within 2-3 days after planting. Methods such as pulling, propping, pushing and hanging are used to adjust the growth angle and orientation of branches. Pruning and shaping of young trees are carried out simultaneously; before new shoots sprout, methods such as pinching, heading back, thinning and bud removal are used to suppress shoot growth and promote branching. Pruning should be light rather than heavy, mainly removing crossing branches, overly dense branches, curved branches, weak and small branches, as well as flower spikes that are not allowed to bear fruit, so that nutrients are effectively used to expand the canopy.
Cultivation Techniques
1. Shaping and pruning of young lychee trees
Young trees are mostly shaped into a round-headed form with main branches, completed within 2-3 days after planting. Methods such as pulling, propping, pushing and hanging are used to adjust the growth angle and orientation of branches. Pruning and shaping of young trees are carried out simultaneously; before new shoots sprout, methods such as pinching, heading back, thinning and bud removal are used to suppress shoot growth and promote branching. Pruning should be light rather than heavy, mainly removing crossing branches, overly dense branches, curved branches, weak and small branches, as well as flower spikes that are not allowed to bear fruit, so that nutrients are effectively used to expand the canopy.
2. Shaping and pruning of fruit-bearing trees
Autumn shoots are the fruit-bearing mother branches of lychee, and generally only 1-2 rounds of new shoots are cultivated. The first shoot flush is timed for mid-to-late July; the second shoot flush should be in late September. If the second autumn shoot flush encounters dry weather, water should be applied promptly, and foliar topdressing or water spraying should be carried out on the leaves; when the late autumn shoots are close to turning green, spray 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.3% urea solution. Each time the tender autumn shoots are 3-8 cm, fungicides and insecticides should be sprayed to prevent and control tea thrips damage. If new shoots are too long, they should be uniformly retracted to maintain a row spacing of about 50 cm between lychee trees.
3. Post-harvest pruning
After harvesting the fruit, promptly cut off the fruit stalks and the dry branches, dead branches and undesirable branches damaged during harvesting, as well as the late autumn shoots that sprout after the End of Heat period; retain as much as possible the sunny branches, strong branches and well-growing horizontal branches. After pruning, clean the orchard promptly and carry out centralized harmless treatment.
4. Treatment of pruning wounds
After shaping and pruning are completed, use a sealant to quickly seal the pruning cuts, prevent the wounds from drying and cracking and bacterial invasion, and protect the wounds so they heal healthily.