Key Field Management Techniques and Methods for Cinnamon Explained in Detail
Cinnamon is a large tree of the Lauraceae family, with a wide distribution range in southern China. The flowers, leaves and fruit of cinnamon have a very strong fragrance, from which cinnamon oil can be extracted, and cinnamon oil is the main raw material for synthesizing cinnamic acid, widely used in the cosmetics and cigarette industries. Moreover, different parts of cinnamon have different medicinal values. China now has a certain area planted with cinnamon, so how should cinnamon be managed during cultivation? Let's take a look together below!
1. Intertillage and Weeding
During the seedling stage of cinnamon, its growth capacity is not very strong, and the threat from weeds is relatively great, so we must do a good job of intertillage and weeding. This needs to be done about three times a year, and generally the last intertillage of the year is carried out around November. Clear the weeds in the field and cover the weeds around the tree disc to reduce the rate of water evaporation and improve soil water retention. When intertilling and weeding, be careful not to damage the base of the cinnamon stem and the roots, to prevent the production of root suckers, which would consume excessive nutrients and affect the growth of cinnamon.
2. Water and Fertilizer Management
Within two months after planting and afforestation, water and fertilize regularly to promote the growth of seedlings and improve their survival rate. Cinnamon relatively likes water, so the soil should be kept moist during cultivation. However, it is not tolerant of waterlogging, so attention should also be paid to the water content; excessive water will cause cinnamon root rot and decay, rotten leaves and leaf drop, and trigger diseases and pests such as root rot, with specifics depending on the soil moisture condition. Also, each intertillage is best carried out together with topdressing. In the first three years of planting, focus on applying nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer to improve the growth capacity of cinnamon. From the fourth year, increase the proportion of potassium fertilizer, and control the fertilizer amount according to the number of plants planted.
3. Shaping and Pruning
The tree form of cinnamon is relatively large. When planting, in order to ensure a stable tree form and control the tree structure, we should properly carry out shaping and pruning of the cinnamon trees. First cut off the side branches and root suckers on the ground, then during harvest cut off the weak, pest-damaged, excessively long, excessively dense, overlapping and injured branches of adult trees. Improve the permeability within the plantation, enhance the growth of cinnamon, and about 3 years after planting, shaping and pruning need to begin. After that, prune once every other year, and control the pruning intensity according to tree age; for example, for those under 4 years old, retain a crown of about half the tree height.
4. Proper Intercropping
Because the planting spacing of cinnamon at the seedling stage is relatively large, in order to improve the utilization rate of land resources, proper intercropping can be carried out in the early stage of planting. Intercropping crops should be chosen from tall crops such as pigeon pea. Attention should be paid to the nature of the crops, and it should be ensured that the intercropping crops have small water and fertilizer requirements and will not snatch the growth nutrients of cinnamon. In this way, not only can land waste be reduced, but the soil structure can also be improved, promoting the growth of cinnamon. Moreover, after the crops mature, they can be turned into the soil as green manure. If the yield is high, they can also be harvested and sold, adding another share of planting benefit. However, once the forest becomes closed, intercropping should be stopped and nutrients concentrated on the cinnamon.
The above is a brief introduction to the field management methods for cinnamon cultivation. Cinnamon has a long growth period, so management work during the cultivation process is very important. In addition, pest and disease control must also be done well, and overall it is relatively troublesome. Therefore, for friends without management techniques and sufficient patience, large-scale planting is still not recommended. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting.