Detailed Explanation of Blood Orange Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods
Blood orange is a newly emerging citrus variety in recent years. Its flesh and juice are deep red, resembling blood, which is how it got the name blood orange. Its advantages include large fruit, no seeds, and high yield, and its taste has consistently received praise from consumers on the market. So how should this citrus be cultivated? Let's take a look.
1. Site Selection and Orchard Establishment
It is advisable to choose a sunny site with deep soil, loose and fertile texture, and slightly acidic soil as the orchard site. The slope of the orchard should be less than 25 degrees. In addition, the site should have convenient transportation and be close to a water source, which facilitates transport, irrigation and drainage, and water storage during cultivation. After selecting the site, clear the ground of weeds and leftover plant debris, cover the soil once to loosen it, then carry out orchard planning and prepare for planting.
2. Planting
The planting time is generally from September to November or from February to March. When planting, you can purchase saplings, which currently cost about 8 yuan each on the market, or you can propagate seedlings yourself. On flat land, planting can be done at a density of 3×4 m spacing between plants and rows, generally planting 50-60 trees per mu; if the terrain is terraced, planting can be done at a density of 2.5×3 m, planting about 80 trees per mu.
The planting holes should be 80 cm in both height and width. Apply base fertilizer to each hole, backfill half of it, and then plant. When planting, trim the sapling's roots slightly, place the sapling in the center of the planting hole, spread the roots out without letting them twist together, hold the sapling upright, and gently lift the sapling while filling in soil so that the roots and soil are closely connected. After firming the soil by stepping on it, water thoroughly, and cover the area near the roots with straw to retain moisture.
3. Fertilizer and Water Management
To meet the growth needs of blood orange, the supply of fertilizer is essential. It is recommended to apply more organic fertilizer, reasonably combine it with inorganic fertilizer, and fertilize according to the plant's growth condition. Fertilization should mainly be soil application, supplemented by foliar spraying. For young trees, nitrogen fertilizer should be the main type. In the year of planting, fertilize 5-6 times before and after shoot growth, applying 100-400 grams of nitrogen fertilizer per tree each time, along with a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For mature trees, apply sprouting fertilizer, fruit-setting fertilizer, fruit-swelling fertilizer, and post-harvest fertilizer well. For the first three applications, apply 2-4 jin of compound fertilizer per tree each time; for the post-harvest fertilizer, apply 50-100 jin of organic fertilizer per tree together with 1-2 jin of chemical fertilizer to increase yield and quality. Water management is relatively simple: water during drought and drain during waterlogging.
4. Pests and Diseases
During cultivation, blood orange may suffer from anthracnose, root rot, mites, scale insects, aphids, longhorn beetles, and other pests and diseases, all of which affect its growth and development as well as yield and quality. Therefore, pest and disease control must be done well during cultivation. For example, for anthracnose, spray mancozeb, zineb, chlorothalonil, and other agents during the spring and summer shoot emergence periods and before fruit ripening. For insect pests, manual capture and chemical control can be used, with commonly used agents including abamectin, cartap, and cyhalothrin.
The above is an introduction to blood orange cultivation techniques. We hope it helps you. To learn more about related cultivation techniques, please stay tuned to us.