Precautions for Deep Plowing and Soil Maturation in Plum and Apricot Orchards

The issues to note during deep plowing are: after deep plowing, water must be applied immediately so that the soil and roots are closely integrated, otherwise drought damage is likely to occur. In orchards on river beach land, if there is a clay pan layer formed by yellow silt soil or gumbo in the lower layer, this layer must be broken through during deep plowing, otherwise a false high water table is likely to form during the rainy season, and it is also unfavorable for root expansion. The depth of deep plowing should vary according to soil texture. Heavy clay soil should be plowed deeply, and sand and organic fertilizer should be mixed in when backfilling; sandy soil should be plowed shallowly, but if the lower layer is semi-weathered rock (crisp stone), then it should be plowed deeply to thicken the soil layer; in mountain orchards where the deep layer is sand gravel or gravel, deeper plowing is appropriate, and large gravel should be picked out; soil with a relatively high water table should be plowed shallowly to prevent connection with the water table and resulting harm. During deep plowing, root damage should be minimized as much as possible, especially to large roots. If a large root is encountered, the soil beneath the root should be dug out first, and after the root is exposed, it should immediately be covered with moist soil to prevent the root system from losing water. If disease is found on the roots, the diseased part should be cut off or scraped away, then disinfected with 5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture.