How to Manage Apricot Trees After Harvest? A Detailed Guide to Practical Methods
The apricot tree is a deciduous tree in the Rosaceae family, and apricot fruit has high nutritional value. Its kernel can also be made into almonds, making it very popular in China. Although the early growth cycle is relatively long, once it enters the full fruiting stage, it can be harvested almost once every year. After each harvest, good management work must be done to ensure the flowering and fruiting rate for the coming year. So the editor has brought you the management methods for apricot trees after harvest. Let's take a look together!
1. Timely Orchard Cleaning
After the apricot fruit ripens, orchard cleaning work should be done well. First, carry out intertillage and weeding, with the tillage depth kept at about 11-14 cm, remove weeds in the orchard, and destroy overwintering sites for pests and disease pathogens. Then, before the apricot tree sheds its leaves, apply sufficient base fertilizer and carry out a deep tillage of about 35 cm. Also, because most pests and disease pathogens overwinter in fallen branches, fallen leaves, and weeds, weeding should also be done well when cleaning the orchard. Concentrate the fallen leaves and dead branches inside and outside the orchard, remove them from the orchard, and burn them. This prevents damage from pests and disease pathogens in the second year and avoids affecting the growth of the apricot tree.
2. Fertilizer and Water Management
After harvest, water and fertilize as early as possible, because most of the tree's nutrients have already left the tree with the fruit. After harvest, the apricot tree is in a relatively weak state, so a certain amount of fertilizer and water is needed to restore its growth vigor. When fertilizing, pay special attention to apricot trees with weak growth and high fruit load, and supplement nutrients in time. For fertilizer, control the ratio of organic to inorganic materials well, and control the fertilizer amount according to tree age and fruit load. Also, water in time to keep the soil moist and promote flower bud differentiation and branch maturity in the apricot tree. Do not use too much water, and pay attention to drainage on rainy days.
3. Whitewashing and Bark Scraping
After harvest, overwintering management work is basically needed. First, whitewash the trunk of the apricot tree, which can effectively prevent sunscald caused by direct sunlight and also has a good preventive effect on freeze damage. The whitewash agent is mainly composed of lime, lime sulfur mixture, soil, and other materials, and an appropriate amount of insecticide can also be added to prevent damage from pests such as termites. Then, for some apricot trees with rough bark and many large cracks, do bark scraping work. Because bark is an overwintering site for many pests, proper bark scraping can destroy the overwintering production of pests and reduce pest damage in the second year.
4. Pest and Disease Control
After harvest, due to the large loss of nutrients, the tree vigor of the apricot tree becomes worse, and its immunity also declines, so the harm from pests and diseases is relatively serious. Therefore, after harvest, according to the actual condition of the apricot tree, we should do a good job in pest and disease control, disinfect regularly, spray foliar fertilizer, improve the nutrient accumulation of the fruit tree, and restore the growth vigor of the apricot tree as early as possible. Then observe the growth of the apricot tree frequently, and when abnormal conditions are found, take corresponding measures in time. After checking the specific cause, use the corresponding agent in time for treatment to prevent the disease from spreading and expanding the affected area.
The above is a brief introduction to management methods for apricot trees after harvest. After harvest, we should do good management work. Because the period after harvest is a time when the apricot tree is very weak in growth, management should be strengthened with the goal of restoring the tree's growth vigor to prevent some unnecessary losses. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting.