What should be noted when planting Hovenia dulcis (Japanese raisin tree)?
Hovenia dulcis is one of the top ten wild fruits in China. People who have never eaten it will certainly not recognize it; with its ugly appearance and unknown fruit, many people think it is inedible. But only after tasting it do you know that Hovenia dulcis is very sweet, and it is also very rich in nutrients. Although the area of artificial cultivation is not very large at present, the editor believes this is a fruit with very good prospects for planting. So the editor has brought you the points to note when planting Hovenia dulcis. Let's take a look below.
1. Pre-sowing germination
The outer coat of the Hovenia dulcis seed has a layer of dry material, which makes the seed's water absorption capacity very poor, so we need to carry out germination treatment on the seeds when planting. Hovenia dulcis is generally suitable for sowing around March each spring, but in March the temperature has not fully risen, and the seed stems germinate relatively slowly. Before sowing, use a hotbed to germinate the seeds; the temperature during germination should be maintained at around 20 degrees, and they will begin to sprout in half a month. You can also build a plastic fence outdoors to germinate them; the temperature also needs to be maintained at around 20-25 degrees, and after continuous germination for half a month, once the coleoptile begins to turn white, you can sow. After sowing, cover with plastic film; the film only needs to cover the rows where the seed stems are planted, and once the seedlings emerge and are uniform, it can be removed.
2. Drainage, irrigation and fertilization
Hovenia dulcis likes moisture and is tolerant of fertilizer but is very afraid of waterlogging. Before planting, the planting site and each planting hole should be watered thoroughly, which is beneficial to seed germination and seedling emergence. During the seedling growth period, keep the soil moist but without waterlogging. In dry weather, water in time, and in the rainy season also drain the orchard in time to prevent waterlogging from rotting the roots and killing the seedlings. The fertilizer is mainly agricultural machinery manure; before planting, apply enough base fertilizer to the soil, and during the growth period at least two topdressings should be applied. The first is in summer at 5-6, and the second is after August.
3. Intercropping and flower removal
Hovenia dulcis is also a very shade-tolerant crop. It can grow and develop well in a continuously shaded environment, and it will not affect its yield. On the contrary, too much light time will also affect its growth, so when choosing a planting site before planting, try to choose a gentle slope with half shade and half sun, or intercrop with young fruit trees, corn and other crops. Two months after sowing Hovenia dulcis, the plant will gradually bloom and bolt, consuming relatively more nutrients, so the flower buds should be removed in batches in time, so that nutrients are concentrated in the underground tubers and promote tuber growth, which is very beneficial for increasing yield.
4. Delaying seedling collapse
As mentioned earlier, Hovenia dulcis is a shade-tolerant crop and does not like strong light. If Hovenia dulcis encounters continuous high temperature and strong light weather, seedling collapse will occur, and then growth will stop. So appropriately delaying plant seedling collapse is an important condition for making Hovenia dulcis high-yielding. According to experiments, in addition to appropriately shading the fruit trees and using sprinkler irrigation measures to reduce the orchard's light intensity and temperature during cultivation, you can also appropriately spray a little sodium sulfite solution on the fruit trees, which can effectively inhibit the plant's respiration, shorten the plant's seedling collapse period and frequency, and is beneficial for increasing yield.
The above are some of the issues that need attention during the planting of Hovenia dulcis. Hovenia dulcis grows relatively slowly, so farmers need to have enough patience. Generally, Hovenia dulcis is planted alongside other projects, and it is precisely for this reason that China's Hovenia dulcis planting area is far less than that of other fruits. However, if Hovenia dulcis is planted well, there will still be considerable economic benefits. Everyone can consider whether it is suitable for planting according to their own conditions and planting environment.