How to protect flowers and fruits in navel oranges? Introduction to practical methods
Navel orange is a seedless variety. It produces a large number of flowers, but it also drops many flowers and fruits, so flower and fruit protection measures must be done well when growing navel oranges. Protecting flowers and fruits in navel oranges is the key to achieving a high yield in navel orange production. Below, follow the editor to take a look at flower and fruit protection measures for navel oranges.
1. Timely pruning and bud removal
After the plants bud in spring, thin and prune them in time. Remove the winter shoots at the top, water sprouts, diseased and pest-damaged branches, and aged branches, and also prune off deformed flowers and leafless spherical flowers. If autumn shoots grow too long, control their length, keep only 3-6 flowers, and remove the rest. Completely remove spring shoots that grow too densely on the top and outer part of the canopy or spring shoots that are short and weak. Cut back or pinch off overly long spring shoots, and completely prune off late spring shoots, summer shoots, and early autumn shoots.
2. Reasonable fertilization
Spring is the flowering and fruiting period of navel oranges, and also the growth period of spring shoots. At this time, nutrient consumption is excessive. To avoid poor growth caused by insufficient nutrients in the plants, topdressing should be done in time to supplement nutrients. Topdressing should be based on tree age, tree vigor, soil, and the amount of flowers and fruits to determine the number and amount of applications. It should effectively protect flowers and fruits, promote fruit expansion, and increase yield. Generally, fertilization is needed 2 times. One is in February, applying flower-strengthening fertilizer. Each plant can be given 400-500 grams of urea, 300-400 grams of compound fertilizer, and 50-100 kg of thin manure water. The second is in March, applying fruit-stabilizing fertilizer. Each plant gets 400-500 grams of compound fertilizer. For trees with weaker vigor and a larger amount of flowers, some urea can be added.
3. Spraying hormones
During planting and production, many fruit growers use spraying agents and hormones to prevent flower and fruit drop, with good results. During the flowering period, a mixed solution of borax, urea, and monopotassium phosphate can be sprayed. After the flowers fade and until the young fruit stage, a solution of fruit-setting agent plus urea and monopotassium phosphate can be sprayed, 2 times in a row, once every 10-12 days. After spring shoots turn green, urea and compound fertilizer solutions can be sprayed multiple times along with pest control, which can quickly supplement nutrients and improve the fruit-setting rate.
4. Girdling
If none of the above methods can suppress excessive vegetative growth, the girdling method can be used. This can prevent nutrients from being transported downward, retain nutrients, and improve the fruit-setting rate. The targets for girdling are mainly orchards with strong tree vigor, fewer flowers, and little light. During full bloom, use a tool to make a ring cut around the smooth part of the trunk, cutting through the phloem of the plant, but not damaging the xylem. After girdling, wound care should be done well to prevent pathogens from invading and causing the plant to become diseased.
The above is an introduction to methods for protecting flowers and fruits in navel oranges. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.