How to prune Schisandra chinensis? A detailed explanation of the key methods
If you want stable and high yields from cultivated Schisandra chinensis, pruning is the key. The author has been engaged in the artificial cultivation of Schisandra chinensis since 1997 and has summarized pruning methods through practice. They are written out here for fellow farmers' reference.
1. Row orientation: For Schisandra chinensis cultivation, the best row orientation is north-south, which provides good light exposure and good ventilation, laying the foundation for stable and high yields.
2. Trunk establishment: Schisandra chinensis seedlings grow relatively vigorously in the summer of the year they are transplanted. For each plant, select and retain 3-4 strong lateral vine branches and train them onto the poles. One seedling gets two poles, and each pole has two main vines climbing it. Cut off the main stem of the original seedling. When each main vine branch grows to 50 cm long, pinch off the growing tip to establish the trunk, prompting the buds below the cut to grow young branches (that is, short fruit branches, also called secondary shoots). When the young branches grow to 30 cm long, select one strong branch and do not pinch off its tip, using it as an extended main vine branch. Pinch the remaining secondary shoots at 20 cm. In that year, only pinch the secondary shoots; do not pinch the extended branch until the Beginning of Autumn.
3. Trellising: Liaoning Schisandra is a monoecious plant, and the number of female flowers is the key to yield. In cultivation management, pruning improves ventilation and light penetration on the trellis surface, which can increase leaf photosynthetic efficiency, increase the number of female flowers, and ensure stable and high yields. Pruning builds a good framework for stable and high yields. In early spring before sap flow, cut back each extended main vine branch from the previous year to 30 cm long, and shorten each secondary shoot to 20 cm. If there are no secondary shoots, also cut the extended main vine branch at 50 cm from the ground to establish the trunk. When each new secondary shoot below the cut grows to 20 cm long, select and retain one secondary shoot without pinching its tip as the extended branch, and pinch all the rest at 20 cm to promote thickness of the main vine branch and plump flower buds on the secondary shoots. When the extended main vine branch grows to 50 cm tall (including the original 30 cm), pinch it again, and pinch the remaining secondary shoots again at 30 cm, so that nutrients are concentrated in the main vine branch and each secondary shoot. This can increase the number of female flowers and make the flower buds fully mature and plump. The third time, around the Beginning of Autumn, pinch every growing tip, prompting the branches to lignify early to prevent frost damage and the appearance of dried-out branches.
4. Cyclic renewal: During heavy fruiting, in early spring before sap flow, shorten all secondary shoots (that is, short fruiting branches) to 10-15 cm. During flowering and fruiting, new short fruit branches can emerge at the base and at the junction with the main vine branch. Select and retain strong ones in good positions as next year's fruiting branches, and promptly remove the rest. When pruning the following year, cut off the old fruiting branches and use new fruiting branches for cyclic renewal. After that, this pruning method is basically used throughout. In addition, when a main vine branch climbs over the upright pole but is not tall enough, the branch will droop down. Promptly cut it at 10 cm from the top of the upright pole to prevent "wearing a straw hat," which is unfavorable for light penetration.
During the vigorous summer growth period, seedlings that emerge from the ground from underground stems should be promptly removed to prevent them from competing with the mother branches for nutrients. A large number of basal vigorous shoots will also emerge from the base of the Schisandra chinensis plant, and these should also be removed while small. If there is a gap in the plants nearby, one strong one can be selected and retained, trained onto the trellis.
The main vine branches should not tangle with each other indiscriminately. Secondary shoots should always remain secondary shoots and should not become main vine branches on the trellis. If this occurs, it should be corrected promptly.
Schisandra chinensis can be pruned in spring, summer, and autumn, and timely summer pruning is the key among the three seasons. Without summer pruning, not only are stable and high yields out of the question, but you may even see flowers without fruit. If summer pruning is not done, the branches on the trellis surface compete in growth, become messy, tangle with each other, and grow too luxuriantly, which is unfavorable for flowering and pollination, and the yield decreases year by year.