A Complete Guide to Schisandra Cultivation Techniques in the Courtyard
Growing Schisandra in courtyards and on vacant land in front of and behind houses can not only increase economic income and solve the problem of insufficient land, but also relieve summer heat, provide shade and coolness, green the courtyard, and beautify the environment. Whether in urban or rural homes, factories, schools, offices, and other institutions, Schisandra can be grown in courtyards. This is a very promising and creative project.
1 Cultivation Characteristics
1.1 Rational Use of Space, Convenient Management
Schisandra is a vine fruit tree that can extend its fruiting with the help of trellises, making full use of space. In courtyards, it is very suitable for planting. Because it is planted in the yard, family members of all ages can use their leisure time to timely carry out management tasks such as tying vines, pinching tips, disease prevention, pest control, fertilizing, and watering.
1.2 Early Fruiting, High Yield, Excellent Quality
In courtyards, the presence of people and poultry creates a heat effect, making the temperature higher than in open fields and forming a microclimate that benefits the growth of Schisandra. At the same time, with sufficient fertilizer and water and careful management, Schisandra sprouts early, grows quickly, has deep roots and lush leaves, strong photosynthesis, fruits early, yields high, matures early, and has excellent quality.
1.3 Increasing Income, Beautifying the Environment,
Planting Schisandra in courtyards not only provides considerable income, but also offers people a wonderful place to escape the summer heat, cool off, and rest during hot summers, especially when the fruit matures, with clusters of red fruit making people feel relaxed and refreshed.
2 Cultivation Trellis Styles
Planting Schisandra in front of and behind houses in courtyards is a leisure cultivation that enriches spiritual life. You can choose Schisandra trellis styles and potted plant shapes according to your own preferences and expertise. Given the poor ventilation conditions in courtyards, the trellis surface of courtyard Schisandra should be higher than the courtyard wall, and appropriately fewer branches and vines should be retained to prevent pests and diseases from breeding and affecting fruit set due to poor ventilation.
2.1 Slanted Large Shed Trellis
In open areas of the courtyard and in front of and behind houses, trellis cultivation can be used. Guide the vines toward the roof space, which neither affects Schisandra's requirements for wind and light conditions nor the free movement of people under the trellis, while also providing summer shade. For the slanted large shed trellis, the trellis length is generally 8-20 m, and the trellis height varies greatly. For trellises leading above buildings, the trellis root height is 1.5-2 m and the trellis tip height is 3-4.5 m. Support posts are mostly cement posts or bamboo poles, etc., with wire or other substitutes laid on top.
2.2 Small Shed Trellis
Suitable for smaller courtyards. Schisandra easily covers the trellis surface, which is beneficial for early high yield. Generally, the trellis length is 4-6 m, the trellis root height is 1.3-1.5 m, the trellis tip height is above 1.8-2.2 m, and the plant spacing is about 0.5-2 m.
2.3 Single-Plant Tall-Trunk Arbor Trellis Style
Build a 2 m high square or circular flat-topped arbor trellis in a quiet part of the courtyard, plant 1 Schisandra plant in the middle, and adopt a tall trunk, multi-main-vine training method. Its vines are evenly distributed on the trellis surface, forming a flat-topped green-leaf-covered arbor. Place a stone table and small stools underneath, where people can play chess and cool off, giving a distinctive flavor.
2.4 Pot Cultivation
If it is inconvenient to obtain soil in the courtyard or the ground is entirely concrete, pot cultivation can be used. That is, place potted Schisandra neatly along both sides of walkways and other places, and it can still serve the role of courtyard Schisandra.
3 Key Cultivation Points
3.1 Selecting Varieties
The varieties planted for courtyard Schisandra must have strong stress resistance, early fruiting, easy high yield, large berries, excellent quality, easy management, and suitability for trellis cultivation. Excellent varieties are best.
3.2 Planting Strong Seedlings
The quality of Schisandra seedlings directly affects the survival and growth and development of seedlings after courtyard Schisandra planting, so seedlings with well-developed roots, thick and strong vines, plump buds, and no pests or diseases must be selected for planting. When planting, in addition to disinfecting the seedlings with 3° lime sulfur mixture, the roots also need to be trimmed, that is, cutting off overly long roots and moldy, rotten roots. This is beneficial for the growth and development of new roots after planting and helps prevent diseases.
3.3 Improving Soil and Applying Sufficient Base Fertilizer
Generally speaking, because many bricks, stones, and other construction materials remain in courtyards when houses are built, soil improvement is needed before planting. Before planting, dig planting holes at least 1 m wide and deep, and remove construction debris from the soil. If the soil quality is poor, soil replacement cultivation should be carried out. Schisandra is suitable for sandy loam soil, and the soil layer should be deep. The soil in many courtyards is mixed with broken bricks, tiles, lime residue, and other debris. These debris should all be removed thoroughly while turning the soil and digging planting holes. If the soil quality is poor, soil replacement cultivation should also be carried out. Before planting, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, mainly organic fertilizer, such as chicken manure, sheep manure, pigpen manure, and human feces and urine. About 50 kg per plant. When fertilizing, mix the fertilizer with topsoil evenly, and first fill the bottom layer of the planting hole to facilitate downward root growth. During the growth and fruiting period of Schisandra, in order not to affect the environmental sanitation of the courtyard, it is best to apply chicken manure or fully decomposed cake fertilizer. The fertilization method and timing are basically the same as in open fields.
3.4 Rational Watering
When cultivating Schisandra in courtyards, avoid watering whenever water is available, and also eliminate the practice of splashing face-washing water under the trees. This is unscientific. It not only causes high soil moisture and breeding of diseases, but the soap contained in face-washing water also affects root growth and is extremely unfavorable to Schisandra. Watering courtyard Schisandra should be flexibly controlled by observing the sky, the soil, and the growth performance of the Schisandra plant, but at least 3 waterings must be guaranteed throughout the year, namely before sprouting, during the young fruit expansion growth period, and before overwintering.
3.5 Trellis Training
3.5.1 Trellis Training In the year of planting, select 1-2 thick and strong new shoots as main vines, and select and retain fruit-bearing branches according to different trellis styles. During winter pruning, keep the main vines as long as possible. After sprouting the following spring, use the 1 terminal new shoot as the extension vine of the main vine, and still tie it in a parallel direction. For the new shoots behind it, according to the needs of the trellis surface, select and retain one fruit-bearing branch group every 30 cm until the branches cover the trellis surface.
3.5.2 Hedge Training Hedge cultivation generally uses double main vine training, cultivating 2 main vines. During winter pruning, the main vines are pruned with extra-long tip pruning, and 8-10 fruit-bearing branches are retained per tree, training a double-main-vine fan-shaped tree form, and later cultivating between the 2 main vines. Cultivate 1 small main vine, forming an improved fan shape with 2 large and 1 small. Four wires are evenly distributed. The 1st is 65 cm from the ground, with 45 cm spacing between each wire, and the trellis surface height is 1.8-2.0 m.
3.5.3 Pot Training According to the growth and development characteristics and intentions of Schisandra, train it into a certain shape so that the vines are reasonably distributed in the pot with a graceful posture and increased ornamental value. The pruning measures are specifically as follows:
① Fan shape: cultivate 3-4 main vines, insert small bamboo poles on both sides and in the middle of the pot, set horizontal rods on them at certain distances, and evenly tie the new shoots to the trellis surface to form a fan shape.
② Funnel shape: generally retain 3-4 main vines, each tied to 1 small bamboo pole, with the bamboo poles inserted in the pot and a ring set on top for fixation, forming a funnel shape that is large at the top and small at the bottom. Pruning is the same as for the fan shape.
③ Loose-hair shape, also called umbrella shape: cultivate 1 single trunk to create an upright framework. The height of the main vine is generally 0.6-1 m, with 3-4 fruit-bearing mother branches left at the top developing in all directions, and 6-8 new shoots retained, allowing them to droop naturally.
3.6 Pest and Disease Control
Because courtyard Schisandra has a small area and few plants, once individual plants suffer from pests or diseases, it is easy to detect, and manual control methods such as removing diseased leaves and diseased fruit and catching pests can be adopted in time. When pests and diseases occur severely, pesticide spraying should be carried out promptly for control. Highly toxic and high-residue pesticides are strictly prohibited to ensure the quality of Schisandra.