What are the conditions for growing cashews? A detailed explanation of the environmental requirements
The cashew is one of our favorite nut foods. It is rich in nutritional value, can be stir-fried and eaten, and can also be used medicinally. It is one of the four major dried fruits in the world. In recent years, its market has been on a steady upward trend, with good market prospects, and it has also attracted many growers. However, it has somewhat strict requirements for the growing environment and is not suitable for all environments. Below, Qinnong Web brings you the growing environment for cashews. Let's take a look.
1. Temperature
The cashew is a tropical seasonal fruit tree, native to the Brazil region. It is a tree species that likes warmth and sunshine. It is suitable for growing in an environment with an average temperature of 24-28 degrees, and with an air temperature between 25-30 degrees, it grows extremely rapidly and flowers and fruits normally. It is not cold-tolerant, but as the tree ages, its cold tolerance gradually increases. When the temperature is below 10 degrees, one- or two-year-old fruit trees will dry up and die, while trees more than three years old can tolerate cold slightly. However, whether old trees or young trees, they are all relatively sensitive to temperature, especially in low-temperature environments.
2. Light
The cashew is a tree species that likes light. In an environment with sufficient sunlight, it grows well and has more flowers and fruits. With too little light and long-term exposure to a relatively shaded environment, it will grow poorly and have fewer flowers and fruits. In its place of origin, Brazil, the annual sunshine duration can reach 1500-2000 hours, so in our country only Hainan or the southwestern region can meet its sunshine duration requirements. In these areas, the annual sunshine duration can reach 1500-2500 hours.
3. Soil
The cashew has strong environmental adaptability and is not strict about soil. It can grow normally in arid and barren red soil, sandy soil, or rocky mountain land, but its growth and the number of flowers and fruits are not as good as in fertile soil. It likes to grow in soil with good aeration, fertility, looseness, and good drainage. It avoids low-lying land with poor drainage or soil with relatively high salinity and alkalinity. Generally, it grows and fruits best in areas below 400 meters above sea level.
4. Water
The peak growing season of the cashew tree is in the early rainy season, so its demand for water is still relatively high. With sufficient water, it grows quickly. Areas with annual rainfall of 1000-1600 millimeters are most suitable. It avoids areas with year-round rainy seasons or relatively high groundwater levels, as this will cause the root system to be submerged in water for a long time, leading to root rot and, at worst, plant death.
The above are the cashew growing conditions brought to you by Qinnong Web. From the several conditions above, it can be seen that the cashew likes warm areas with sufficient sunlight and suitable rainfall. In our country, only provinces and cities such as Hainan and Guangxi meet the requirements.