What are the key points of summer management in a peach orchard? This article is all fruit growers need to read

Summer is an important period for peach shoot growth and fruit enlargement. Strengthening peach orchard management is the key to increasing production this year and achieving a bumper harvest next year.

1. Fertilize according to the tree: In late May, apply a topdressing to peach trees that have borne a lot of fruit this year and are relatively weak in vigor. Conversely, do not fertilize peach trees that have borne little fruit and are relatively vigorous. When fertilizing, dig a ring-shaped fertilization trench about 1 m long and 0.25 m deep and 0.25 m wide at the drip line of the canopy. For mature fruiting trees, apply 40-50 kg of decomposed human, livestock, and poultry manure water per tree, plus 0.3-0.4 kg of ammonium phosphate (or 0.25 kg of urea, 0.5-0.8 kg of superphosphate). After fertilizing, backfill soil to cover the pit. For young trees, apply half the amount. At the same time, carry out foliar topdressing on the peach trees by spraying 0.1% Greenfenwei No. 1 foliar fertilizer (or a mixed fertilizer solution of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate and 0.3% urea) every 15-20 days, for 4-5 consecutive times.

2. Drainage and waterlogging prevention: Peach trees are afraid of waterlogging. June-July is the rainy season, so the main ditches, back ditches, and sand-settling pits should be frequently dredged and cleared. Do a good job of drainage in the peach orchard, especially in low-lying peach orchards. Dig the main ditches and back ditches to a depth and width of 0.5 m and 0.3 m respectively, so as to lower the groundwater level and benefit peach tree growth.

3. Summer pruning: Carry out summer pruning of peach trees in May-June. (1) Bud removal and pinching: Remove vigorous shoots inside the canopy and competitive buds, twin buds, etc. below the pruning cut. When new shoots grow to 50-60 cm, pinch them. (2) Branch bending and twisting: For relatively vigorous upright peach trees, use branch pulling, hanging, and propping to increase the main branch angle and moderate tree vigor. At the same time, twist upright vigorous shoots and other excessively vigorous shoots 180 degrees, but do not break them, so that they change from upward growth to horizontal growth, prompting vigorous shoots to become fruiting shoots. (3) Spraying hormones: When the secondary shoots of peach trees grow to about 60 cm, spray once with a 500-fold solution of 15% paclobutrazol wettable powder, which can effectively control their growth and promote flower bud differentiation.

4. Pest and disease control: In May-June, use 80% thiophanate-methyl or 75% chlorothalonil at 800-fold, or carbendazim at 800-1000-fold, and spray the canopy 3 consecutive times to control gummosis, anthracnose, etc. For trees that already have gummosis, first scrape off the diseased spots, then apply thiophanate-methyl wettable powder mixed with edible vinegar liquid or 402 fungicide at 100-fold to the affected areas. At the same time, spray the canopy 2-3 times with mixed solutions such as 50% decamethrin at 1500-fold, 20% pirimicarb or buprofezin at 1200-fold, etc., to control peach fruit borer, aphids, peach fruit moth (or lesser peach fruit moth), etc.

5. Cultivation and weeding: On sunny days in summer, for peach orchards without intercropped crops, use manual weeding, and bury the weeds in pits at the drip line of the canopy, or cover the peach trees with the weeds. You can also spray a mixed herbicide solution of glyphosate (Roundup) and paraquat in the peach orchard. After the weeds die, they serve as mulch, which helps retain moisture and resist drought. In autumn, turn them into the soil to increase soil organic matter.