How to grow potted jujube trees? Key care methods and photo appreciation
Many flower enthusiasts like growing fruit trees in pots, mostly orange trees, pomelo trees, lemons and the like; potted jujube trees are not very common, so this article collects and organizes some photos of potted jujube trees, along with daily care methods, for the reference of flower enthusiasts. Potted jujube trees generally begin flowering in June, when the plant has a relatively high demand for humidity; on sunny days water every day to keep the potting soil moist.
In spring and autumn, on fine days, water once every 1 to 2 days; in winter, when the potting soil is dry, water with anti-freezing water. Potted jujube trees are mainly given organic fertilizer liquid such as cake fertilizer, applied once every 7 to 10 days. The branch and leaf growth period, flower bud development period and young fruit growth period of the jujube tree are all major periods of nutrient demand, and at these times 2 applications of organic fertilizer liquid can be given.
For pruning, potted jujube trees can be trained in a central-leader form. The trunk is 20 to 30 cm high, with about 5 main branches growing on the leader, and branch groups growing on the main branches. Potted jujube trees are best pruned in February to March, removing useless branches, crossing branches, overly dense branches and so on. After heading back the jujube head of a scaffold branch that is to be extended, the first secondary branch below the cut must be removed, otherwise the main bud will not sprout. Branches to be used for fruiting should be cut back to the 2-year-old part, and the secondary branch below the cut should not be removed.
Key care points for potted ornamental jujube
Jujube is a deciduous fruit tree of the genus Ziziphus in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae, native to China. Jujube is extremely adaptable, tolerant of poor soil, resistant to salinity and alkali, and easy to manage. The best potted jujube varieties are those that fruit early, have large fruit, beautiful branch form and compact plant shape, such as Dragon Jujube, Winter Jujube, Snow Jujube, Gourd Jujube, Teapot Jujube and so on, as well as 'Pot Jujube No. 1' bred by the Fruit Tree Research Institute of Wulijiang Farm in Sihong County, Jiangsu. Below is a discussion of the potting techniques for ornamental jujube:
1. Preparation of nutrient soil and selection of containers.
The nutrient soil is made by mixing 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts decomposed organic fertilizer and 2 parts sandy soil, then spraying with potassium permanganate solution, covering tightly with plastic film, and after one week removing the plastic film before use. Earthenware pots and purple clay pots are best as containers; new flower pots must be soaked in water for 3 days before use to prevent the pot wall from absorbing water too strongly and damaging the root system. Old flower pots must be scrubbed clean and can be scalded with boiling water to achieve disinfection.
2. Selection of seedlings and potting up.
Choose 1-year-old grafted seedlings, requiring high-quality jujube seedling varieties with a height above 50 cm, fresh, sturdy and with a well-developed root system. Before potting up, first cover the drainage hole with a piece of broken tile, then place larger-particle vermiculite about 3 cm thick at the bottom of the pot as a drainage and breathable layer; after cutting off the excess fibrous roots and damaged or diseased roots of the jujube seedling, place it in the center of the pot, fill with nutrient soil, water thoroughly, and cover the pot mouth tightly with film.
3. Water and fertilizer management.
Whenever the potting soil lacks water, water promptly, and water thoroughly; the phenomenon of "wet on top, dry below" must not occur. During the flowering period, mist with clean water at noon to maintain humidity, which has the effect of preserving flowers and fruit. One month before flowering and during the young fruit stage, the soil in the pot should be kept slightly moist. Topdressing is needed because of the large nutrient demand; for young trees planted from budding until the end of May, mainly apply 0.1% to 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution. From June onward, mainly apply 0.5% to 1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution; during the flowering period and fruit enlargement period, topdress once every 10 days. At the same time, foliar spraying is also needed once every half month, such as with a mixed solution of 0.1% urea + 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 0.2% magnesium-potassium fertilizer or iron-zinc fertilizer. Base fertilizer is applied in mid-September in autumn; the method is to take out soil 10 cm deep from the pot, then fill in decomposed organic fertilizer or cake fertilizer, and water thoroughly.
4. Training and pruning:
Potted jujube trees are very light-loving, so attention must be paid to training and pruning so that they do not shade each other. After side branches sprout, select and keep 3 to 4 healthy, evenly distributed side buds, and cut off all the others. Appropriately cut off dense branches, water sprouts and slender branches to facilitate ventilation and light penetration and reduce the occurrence of disease. When entering full bloom, the tender tips at the tops of new branches should be pinched off by hand to promote nutrient supplyto flowers and fruit.
5. Preserving flowers and fruit and thinning flowers and fruit.
To increase the fruit-setting rate, 5 to 7 days after the full flowering period in early June, spray with 10 ppm to 15 ppm gibberellin (920), spraying once every 5 days for a total of 2 sprays. At the same time, spray a little 5000-fold borax solution to promote fertilization and fruit setting, once every half month, for several consecutive sprays, but it must not be mixed with other pesticides for simultaneous spraying, to avoid pesticide damage. During the hard-core stage, spray 10 mg/l naphthaleneacetic acid to prevent flower and fruit drop. Then thin out excess flowers and young fruit to reduce nutrient consumption and ensure sufficient nutrients are supplied to the retained flowers and fruit. The first fruit thinning is carried out after flowering when small fruits can be distinguished, keeping 1 to 2 fruits per inflorescence. The second fruit thinning is carried out one month after flowering (when the fruit diameter is about 1 cm to 1.5 cm); this thinning is final fruit setting, generally keeping one fruit per 2 to 4 leaves, with more fruit kept on strong branches and less on weak branches, removing withered and yellow fruit, diseased and insect-damaged fruit and deformed fruit, and removing small ones while keeping large ones.
6. Repotting and soil replacement.
After potted jujube trees have grown for 2 to 3 years, the root system becomes larger and the nutrients in the potting soil gradually become insufficient. At this time the nutrient soil and a larger pot should be replaced; the time is before April in spring. Water the potting soil thoroughly 5 days before repotting, soak the pot to be used through with water, use a sharp blade to cut off 3 cm to 5 cm thick from the outer periphery of the soil ball together with the roots, then place the trimmed soil ball into the pot, fill the gaps level with the prepared nutrient soil, and water thoroughly.
7. Pest and disease control.
The insect pests harming jujube trees include green plant bug, jujube gall midge, jujube bud-eating weevil, scarab beetle, red spider, leaf mite and so on, and the diseases include anthracnose, ring rot, jujube rust, fruit shrinkage disease and so on. For insect pest control, from mid-April to mid-May, choose 30% acephate 600-fold to 800-fold solution, or 2.5% decis or fenpropathrin 3000-fold solution, and spray alternately 3 times. From late May to early June, choose to spray 1.8% abamectin or clofentezine 3000-fold solution. In mid-June spray 20% pyridaben 4000-fold solution and so on. During the flowering period, scarab beetles and green plant bugs can be caught by hand, and generally no spraying is done; if they occur in large numbers, 2.5% trichlorfon powder can be placed in the pot. For disease control, during the fruit growth period from mid-July to late August, spray once every 10 to 15 days, for a total of 3 to 4 sprays. The agents are 50% carbendazim, 70% thiophanate-methyl, 75% chlorothalonil and other 1000-fold solutions.
Key care points for potted ornamental jujube
The best potted jujube varieties are those that fruit early, have large fruit, beautiful branch form and compact plant shape, such as Dragon Jujube, Winter Jujube, Snow Jujube, Gourd Jujube, Teapot Jujube and so on. China Indoor Greening Network today discusses the potting techniques for ornamental jujube.
1. Preparation of nutrient soil and selection of containers
The nutrient soil is made by mixing 4 parts garden soil, 4 parts decomposed organic fertilizer and 2 parts sandy soil, then spraying with potassium permanganate solution, covering tightly with plastic film, and after one week removing the plastic film before use. Earthenware pots and purple clay pots are best as containers; new flower pots must be soaked in water for 3 days before use to prevent the pot wall from absorbing water too strongly and damaging the root system. Old flower pots must be scrubbed clean and can be scalded with boiling water to achieve disinfection.
2. Selection of seedlings and potting up
Choose 1-year-old grafted seedlings, requiring high-quality jujube seedling varieties with a height above 50 cm, fresh, sturdy and with a well-developed root system. Before potting up, first cover the drainage hole with a piece of broken tile, then place larger-particle vermiculite about 3 cm thick at the bottom of the pot as a drainage and breathable layer; after cutting off the excess fibrous roots and damaged or diseased roots of the jujube seedling, place it in the center of the pot, fill with nutrient soil, water thoroughly, and cover the pot mouth tightly with film.
3. Water and fertilizer management
Whenever the potting soil lacks water, water promptly, and water thoroughly; the phenomenon of "wet on top, dry below" must not occur. During the flowering period, mist with clean water at noon to maintain humidity, which has the effect of preserving flowers and fruit. One month before flowering and during the young fruit stage, the soil in the pot should be kept slightly moist. Topdressing is needed because of the large nutrient demand; for young trees planted from budding until the end of May, mainly apply 0.1% to 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution. From June onward, mainly apply 0.5% to 1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution; during the flowering period and fruit enlargement period, topdress once every 10 days. At the same time, foliar spraying is also needed once every half month, such as with a mixed solution of 0.1% urea + 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate + 0.2% magnesium-potassium fertilizer or iron-zinc fertilizer. Base fertilizer is applied in mid-September in autumn; the method is to take out soil 10 cm deep from the pot, then fill in decomposed organic fertilizer or cake fertilizer, and water thoroughly.
4. Training and pruning
Potted jujube trees are very light-loving, so attention must be paid to training and pruning so that they do not shade each other. After side branches sprout, select and keep 3 to 4 healthy, evenly distributed side buds, and cut off all the others. Appropriately cut off dense branches, water sprouts and slender branches to facilitate ventilation and light penetration and reduce the occurrence of disease. When entering full bloom, the tender tips at the tops of new branches should be pinched off by hand to promote nutrient supply to flowers and fruit.
5. Preserving flowers and fruit and thinning flowers and fruit
To increase the fruit-setting rate, 5 to 7 days after the full flowering period in early June, spray with 10 ppm to 15 ppm gibberellin (920), spraying once every 5 days for a total of 2 sprays. At the same time, spray a little 5000-fold borax solution to promote fertilization and fruit setting, once every half month, for several consecutive sprays, but it must not be mixed with other pesticides for simultaneous spraying, to avoid pesticide damage. During the hard-core stage, spray 10 mg/l naphthaleneacetic acid to prevent flower and fruit drop. Then thin out excess flowers and young fruit to reduce nutrient consumption and ensure sufficient nutrients are supplied to the retained flowers and fruit. The first fruit thinning is carried out after flowering when small fruits can be distinguished, keeping 1 to 2 fruits per inflorescence. The second fruit thinning is carried out one month after flowering (when the fruit diameter is about 1 cm to 1.5 cm); this thinning is final fruit setting, generally keeping one fruit per 2 to 4 leaves, with more fruit kept on strong branches and less on weak branches, removing withered and yellow fruit, diseased and insect-damaged fruit and deformed fruit, and removing small ones while keeping large ones.