Detailed Explanation of Key Field Management Techniques for Lychee

Lychee is a very popular fruit with high nutritional value, but it should not be eaten too much as it can cause internal heat. Because one often cannot eat enough in a single sitting, there is always a sense of wanting more. Lychee is a warmth-loving plant, and in China it is basically grown in Guangzhou, Fujian and other places. Now the uses of lychee are becoming increasingly broad, so the planting area and yield of lychee still need to increase. Today, let us learn about the field management techniques for lychee.

1. Fertilization

Fertilization for lychee needs to be divided according to the growth stage of the lychee tree. First, we divide it into two major stages, namely the young tree stage and the fruiting stage. Young lychee trees are mainly fertilized to promote the development of branches and leaves, so we should fertilize multiple times throughout their entire growth process, with an appropriate amount each time. Nitrogen fertilizer should be the main type, with appropriate use of compound fertilizer, potassium fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer, as well as a small amount of boron fertilizer and zinc fertilizer. For lychee trees in the fruiting stage, fertilization needs to be further divided into three small stages. The first stage is pre-flowering fertilizer, mainly nitrogen fertilizer with an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer. The second is fruit-swelling fertilizer, mainly potassium fertilizer supplemented with phosphorus fertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer. The third is post-fruiting fertilizer, mainly nitrogen fertilizer supplemented with other trace fertilizers.

2. Weeding

Weeding should also be carried out according to the growth stage of the lychee tree. Young lychee trees need at least seven to eight rounds of intertillage and weeding per year on average, and this needs to be analyzed specifically according to the growth condition of the weeds, as this can promote the development of the lychee tree's root system and reduce nutrient consumption. Mature lychee trees usually only need three to four rounds of intertillage and weeding per year, respectively before flowering, before and after fruit harvest, and in autumn and winter. This can enhance soil permeability while promoting root growth and nutrient absorption.

3. Watering

Young lychee trees develop their root systems relatively slowly, so they are shallow-rooted plants. Therefore, we only need to water when rainfall is relatively low, and drain promptly when there is excess water in the field. For mature lychee trees, there are several points to note regarding watering and drainage. For example, when the lychee tree is growing branches and leaves and lacks water, watering is needed. Next is watering during the flowering period, and then watering in the early stage of fruit development. But in the later stage, water should be reduced as much as possible because the fruit needs to accumulate sugar, otherwise the lychee will not be sweet. Finally, when heavy rainfall occurs, drainage should be carried out promptly, otherwise it will trigger many common lychee diseases.

4. Pruning

Pruning of lychee branches and leaves is also carried out in stages. For young fruit trees, we mainly prune some of the relatively messy branches and leaves growing at the lower part of the lychee tree to maintain the growth of the tree shape. In the initial stage, we mainly promote the growth of the main trunk and branches. When they have grown to a certain extent, appropriate pruning is needed to promote the growth of side branches. For mature fruit trees, we need to prune according to the principles of keeping the strong and removing the weak, keeping the new and removing the old, and keeping the healthy and removing the diseased. This can increase lychee yield to a certain extent.

5. Pollination

When planting lychee trees, we have already arranged pollinator trees in a certain ratio. But now many orchards often use manual assisted pollination to increase the success rate of lychee pollination. For example, placing bee colonies during the lychee flowering period, and then manually collecting pollen, then using the dipping method, the shedding board method and the spraying method for artificial pollination. When the pollination success rate increases, it means the lychee yield also increases.

6. Disease Prevention

There are many pests and diseases of lychee, such as anthracnose, downy mildew, leaf blight, fruit cracking disease, phytophthora disease, lychee stink bug, geometrid moth, longhorn beetle, thrips, borers and scale insects. Therefore, we need to carry out prevention and control according to specific conditions. As for the specific prevention and control of pests and diseases, we can refer to the previous article on common pest and disease control for lychee.