How to Grow Hawthorn? A Detailed Explanation of Hawthorn Planting Methods and Techniques
Hawthorn fruit may not be very common in our daily lives, but products made from hawthorn are everywhere, such as hawthorn slices, candied hawthorn skewers (bingtanghulu) and hawthorn juice. Hawthorn has a relatively low sugar content and a rather sour taste, but it is the favorite fruit of people who enjoy sour flavors. It can not only be eaten raw, but also dried and used as medicine, with high medicinal value. So how should hawthorn be grown? Let's take a look below!
1. Site Selection and Cultivation
Before planting hawthorn, choosing a planting plot is very important. Hawthorn has a strong ability to adapt to soil, but fertile soil with a loose, deep texture can effectively promote the growth of hawthorn. The site for establishing an orchard can be chosen on plains or hills, and you only need to set up a good irrigation and drainage system within the orchard. Hawthorn can be planted in all four seasons of the year, but try not to choose winter for planting. The temperature in winter is too low, which is not conducive to seed germination and seedling emergence, and its growth rate will also slow down, which will have a certain impact on the later fruiting rate and quality.
2. Land Preparation and Sowing
After choosing the plot, begin land preparation by plowing the soil 15-20cm deep, spraying chemicals to disinfect it, and then exposing it to the sun for a month to eliminate bacteria and parasites in the soil. Then mix the base fertilizer with the soil, put it into the pit, place the hawthorn seedling in the very center, and begin filling with soil, pressing it gently with your foot while filling. This allows the seedling roots to extend better, contact a larger area of soil, and enhance the absorption capacity of the roots. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots. The soil must be firmly pressed and piled into a mound to prevent the seedling from being blown over in windy weather.
3. Intertillage and Earthing Up
During the planting process, you can carry out intertillage and earthing up in a timely manner according to soil fertility and tree growth conditions, to improve soil permeability, increase nutrients, and promote root growth and development. Then begin fertilizing. Fertilization cannot rely on a single type of fertilizer; a reasonable combination of nutrients must be provided to balance nutrition. Too little fertilizer will cause the hawthorn tree to lack nutrients, reduce its growth rate, and affect fruit ripening and quality. Excessive fertilizer leads to nutrient surplus, causing excessive vegetative growth of branches, early fruit drop, and also has a certain impact on yield and quality.
4. Shaping and Pruning
Hawthorn has a strong branching ability, and failing to manage branches in a timely manner will seriously affect the growth and development of the main trunk. Without sufficient nutrient supply, the main trunk becomes very weak. Therefore, during the planting process, it is essential to prevent the increase of branches and the excessive growth of shoots, cut off excessively vigorous branches and diseased branches, and retain some fruiting branches that have not grown excessively. This makes the hawthorn tree stronger and grow better. When the crown branches of the hawthorn tree grow to about 40 cm, cut them back by 30 cm and then let them continue growing. Too many branches will reduce both the growth of the main trunk and the permeability within the tree body.
In addition to watering thoroughly after planting, a hawthorn tree only needs to be watered about 3-4 times a year, once in each season. Growing hawthorn trees is relatively simple, but the time to profit will be relatively long, so everyone needs to have enough patience. Only with effort can there be success! The prospects for growing hawthorn are still relatively good, and friends who have the time and conditions can consider it. This article is for reference only, and I hope it is helpful to everyone.