How to Plant Red Tip Photinia? Detailed Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques
Red Tip Photinia is the collective name for hybrids in the genus Photinia of the rose family (Rosaceae), an evergreen small tree named for its bright red new shoots and young leaves. Two varieties are commonly seen, Red Robin and Red Lips, among which Red Robin has especially vivid and eye-catching leaf color and better ornamental value. The leaf color of Red Tip Photinia changes with the age of the leaves. In spring and autumn, the new shoots and young leaves are a fiery red that is bright and long-lasting, full of vitality; in the hot summer season, new leaf growth decreases and old leaves turn dark green, bringing a fresh and cool feeling to the scorching summer days; in winter, leaves that have been through frost and snow turn brownish-red, bringing a touch of warmth to the desolate earth. Red Tip Photinia has strong ecological adaptability, tolerates low temperatures and poor soil, and also has a certain shade tolerance; under direct sunlight, its color is even more vivid. At present this emerging colored-leaf tree species is widely favored, with broad market prospects and huge development potential. Its propagation and cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:
Nursery Site Selection and Soil Treatment
The nursery site should be chosen with a windbreak and facing the sun, convenient transportation, flat terrain and deep soil. The soil should preferably be loose in texture, fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral, with convenient irrigation and good drainage.
Before planting, apply 3000kg of barnyard manure and 50kg of superphosphate, and plow the soil to a depth of more than 25cm, while applying fungicides and sterilizing agents to control pests and diseases. The beds should be deeply plowed and finely worked, with grass roots and stones picked out. The bed surface should be 90—120cm wide and 20—30cm high, with paths 30cm wide. The length of the seedbed depends on the situation, generally 10—20m. After the seedbed is prepared, to prevent weeds, spray a 500-fold solution of Goal before cuttings.
Cutting Treatment and Insertion
Use semi-lignified softwood shoots or fully lignified current-year branches, cut into one-leaf-one-bud pieces about 3—4cm long, with smooth cuts. After cutting, the cuttings should be quickly placed indoors in a ventilated, shady spot, sprayed with water promptly to moisten the leaf surface and keep the cuttings fresh, though it is best to cut and insert them as you go. Before insertion, treat the cut ends with a rooting agent to speed up rooting and increase the survival rate.
Cuttings can be taken in early March for spring insertion, early June for summer insertion, and early September for autumn insertion. Insert the treated cuttings into the soil at a row spacing of 4—6cm, to a depth of more than 1/2 the length of the cutting. When inserting, the cuttings should be placed evenly and neatly, with the leaves parallel, striving for uniformity so as to make management, observation and inspection easier. After insertion is complete, water thoroughly immediately so the cuttings and soil bind closely together. To prevent damping-off and root rot, a 600-fold solution of Lüheng No. 2 can be watered into the seedbed along with the irrigation.
Construction of the Plastic Film Shed and Shade Shed
After the cuttings are inserted and watered thoroughly, insert bamboo strips sharpened at both ends in an arch shape (the height from the bed surface to the top of the arch is about 50cm), cover them with agricultural plastic film, and press it tightly with soil to seal it, leaving no gaps. After the plastic film shed is sealed, remember that direct sunlight must be avoided, so a shade shed should immediately be built over the plastic shed; the shade shed should be 1.5—2m high, using shade netting with 60-70% light transmission for shading. The sides of the plastic film shed must also be shaded to prevent direct sunlight from the side.
Management After Cutting
After cutting, check the seedbed frequently. The moisture content of the substrate should be kept at about 60%, and the air humidity inside the shed should preferably be kept above 95%. The temperature inside the shed should be controlled below 30°C; if the temperature is too high, spray water to cool it down. From cutting until rooting and sprouting, shading must be maintained, keeping the shading rate above 75%. After 15 days, some cuttings begin to root, and the substrate moisture content should be appropriately reduced, generally kept at about 40%. When more than 50% of the cuttings have begun to root, the film can gradually be opened for ventilation, and the shading rate can be reduced to about 50%. When all the cuttings have rooted and more than 90% have leafed out, gradually remove the shade netting and film from the shed, give relatively sufficient light, and begin hardening the seedlings. At the same time, foliar fertilizer or low-concentration water-soluble fertilizer can be applied along with spraying or watering to promote healthy growth of the cuttings.
Field Transplanting
Before transplanting the seedlings, apply sufficient base fertilizer. Transplanting is generally done in spring from March to April or in autumn from October to November, determined according to local climatic conditions. The planting spacing should be set according to the cultivation goal. If one-year-old small shrubs are planned for cultivation, a row spacing of 35cm*35cm or 40cm*40cm is suitable, about 3000 plants per mu. When lifting the seedlings, try to keep as much soil around the roots as possible, and never pull the seedlings by hand, so as to avoid damaging the young roots and epidermis. When transplanting, the root system should be spread out and gently compacted. Water thoroughly with settling water promptly after planting.
Management After Planting
During the recovery period after planting, special attention should be paid to water management: if there are consecutive sunny days, water once a day within one week after transplanting, and afterwards water once every week; if there are consecutive rainy days, drain promptly. After about half a month, once the seedlings have passed the recovery period, fertilizer can be applied. Fertilization should follow the principle of light and frequent application: in spring, apply urea once every half month, about 5kg per mu; in summer and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once every half month, about 5kg per mu; in winter, apply well-rotted organic fertilizer once, about 1500kg per mu, preferably by digging trenches and burying it. At ordinary times, weed and loosen the soil promptly to prevent the soil from becoming compacted. Weeding should follow the principle of “remove early, remove small, remove completely” without damaging the roots.
Pest and Disease Control
Red Tip Photinia has strong resistance to pests and diseases, and no devastating pests or diseases have been found so far. Gray mold, leaf spot, or scale insect damage may occur. Gray mold can be prevented by spraying a 1000-fold solution of 50% carbendazim, and during the disease period can be controlled by spraying a 800-fold solution of 50% zineb; leaf spot can be controlled with a 300—400-fold solution of 50% thiophanate; scale insects can be controlled by spraying a 800-fold solution of dimethoate emulsion.
Cultivation Methods of Red Tip Photinia|Pest and Disease Control Methods for Red Tip Photinia
Cultivation Methods of Red Tip Photinia|Pest and Disease Control Methods for Red Tip Photinia--When purchasing seedlings, choose a supplier with a good reputation that can provide quality after-sales service, so as to ensure the purity of the variety and reduce production risks.
Selection and Preparation of the Red Tip Photinia Nursery Site
The soil of the planting site should preferably be loose in texture, fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral, with convenient irrigation and good drainage. Before planting, apply 3000 kg of rotted barnyard manure and 50 kg of superphosphate per mu, and plow the soil to a depth of more than 25 cm, while applying insecticides to control underground pests. After plowing, level the soil, dig drainage ditches, and make seedbeds about 1 m wide.
Transplanting Red Tip Photinia Seedlings
Transplanting is generally done in spring from March to April and in autumn from October to November, specifically determined according to local climatic conditions. The planting spacing should be set according to the time kept in the nursery and the cultivation goal. If the plan is to cultivate and sell one-year-old small shrubs, a row spacing of 35×35 cm or 40×40 cm is suitable, about 3000 plants per mu.
When transplanting the seedlings, carefully remove the packaging or take off the nutrient pot, ensuring the root soil ball remains intact, and dig holes at the marked points; pile fine soil at the roots, spread the root system out, and gently compact. Water thoroughly with settling water promptly after planting.
Management After Planting Red Tip Photinia
During the recovery period after planting, special attention should be paid to water management. If there are consecutive sunny days, water once 3 to 4 days after transplanting, and afterwards water about once every 10 days; if there are consecutive rainy days, drain promptly. After about 15 days, once the seedlings have passed the recovery period, fertilizer can be applied. In spring, apply urea once every half month, about 5 kg per mu. In summer and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once every half month, about 5 kg per mu; in winter, apply well-rotted organic fertilizer once, about 1500 kg per mu, preferably by digging trenches and burying it. Fertilization should follow the principle of light and frequent application, and a single application should not be too large, so as to avoid damaging the roots and burning the seedlings. At ordinary times, weed and loosen the soil promptly to prevent the soil from becoming compacted.
Pest and Disease Control
Red Tip Photinia has strong resistance, and no devastating pests or diseases have been found. However, if management is improper or the nursery environment is poor, gray mold, leaf spot, or damage from scale insects, cutworms and the like may occur. Gray mold can be prevented by spraying a 1000-fold solution of 50% carbendazim, and during the disease period can be controlled by spraying a 800-fold solution of 50% zineb. Leaf spot can be controlled with a 300—400-fold solution of 50% carbendazim or a 300—400-fold solution of thiophanate. Scale insects can be controlled by spraying a 200-fold solution of dimethoate emulsion or a 800—1000-fold spray. Control of cutworms should preferably be carried out before planting; the soil should be appropriately deep-plowed, and phosphorus-containing insecticides such as Tuchong Bisha should be spread. If cutworm damage occurs after planting, remedial treatment must be carried out promptly, otherwise it will spread and cause great harm, especially to Red Tip Photinia at the seedling stage, possibly causing large-scale death.
Cultivation Methods of Red Tip Photinia
Cultivation Methods of Red Tip Photinia|Pest and Disease Control Methods for Red Tip Photinia--When purchasing seedlings, choose a supplier with a good reputation that can provide quality after-sales service, so as to ensure the purity of the variety and reduce production risks.
Selection and Preparation of the Red Tip Photinia Nursery Site
The soil of the planting site should preferably be loose in texture, fertile, and slightly acidic to neutral, with convenient irrigation and good drainage. Before planting, apply 3000 kg of rotted barnyard manure and 50 kg of superphosphate per mu, and plow the soil to a depth of more than 25 cm, while applying insecticides to control underground pests. After plowing, level the soil, dig drainage ditches, and make seedbeds about 1 m wide.
Transplanting Red Tip Photinia Seedlings
Transplanting is generally done in spring from March to April and in autumn from October to November, specifically determined according to local climatic conditions. The planting spacing should be set according to the time kept in the nursery and the cultivation goal. If the plan is to cultivate and sell one-year-old small shrubs, a row spacing of 35×35 cm or 40×40 cm is suitable, about 3000 plants per mu.
When transplanting the seedlings, carefully remove the packaging or take off the nutrient pot, ensuring the root soil ball remains intact, and dig holes at the marked points; pile fine soil at the roots, spread the root system out, and gently compact. Water thoroughly with settling water promptly after planting.
Management After Planting Red Tip Photinia
During the recovery period after planting, special attention should be paid to water management. If there are consecutive sunny days, water once 3 to 4 days after transplanting, and afterwards water about once every 10 days; if there are consecutive rainy days, drain promptly. After about 15 days, once the seedlings have passed the recovery period, fertilizer can be applied. In spring, apply urea once every half month, about 5 kg per mu. In summer and autumn, apply compound fertilizer once every half month, about 5 kg per mu; in winter, apply well-rotted organic fertilizer once, about 1500 kg per mu, preferably by digging trenches and burying it. Fertilization should follow the principle of light and frequent application, and a single application should not be too large, so as to avoid damaging the roots and burning the seedlings. At ordinary times, weed and loosen the soil promptly to prevent the soil from becoming compacted.
Pest and Disease Control
Red Tip Photinia has strong resistance, and no devastating pests or diseases have been found. However, if management is improper or the nursery environment is poor, gray mold, leaf spot, or damage from scale insects, cutworms and the like may occur. Gray mold can be prevented by spraying a 1000-fold solution of 50% carbendazim, and during the disease period can be controlled by spraying a 800-fold solution of 50% zineb. Leaf spot can be controlled with a 300—400-fold solution of 50% carbendazim or a 300—400-fold solution of thiophanate. Scale insects can be controlled by spraying a 200-fold solution of dimethoate emulsion or a 800—1000-fold spray. Control of cutworms should preferably be carried out before planting; the soil should be appropriately deep-plowed, and phosphorus-containing insecticides such as Tuchong Bisha should be spread. If cutworm damage occurs after planting, remedial treatment must be carried out promptly, otherwise it will spread and cause great harm, especially to Red Tip Photinia at the seedling stage, possibly causing large-scale death.