Large flat apricot is an excellent tree species for village and township greening

Large flat apricot is a plant of the genus Prunus in the Rosaceae family and is an economic tree species unique to our country, originating from the Zhangjiakou area of Hebei Province and the suburbs of Beijing. In 2002, Liaozhong County of Shenyang City introduced nearly ten thousand large flat apricot seedlings for trial planting, and since 2006 has carried out large-scale promotion and cultivation; at present, the whole county has planted nearly 2000 mu of large flat apricot, and the growth is good. The excellent characteristics of large flat apricot: strong adaptability: cold-resistant and drought-resistant, tolerant of barren soil. It can grow normally whether in plains, mountains, hills, or sandy, barren, saline-alkali land. Early fruiting and high yield. Long fruiting period: it can bear fruit two to three years after planting, enters the full fruiting period from the fourth to the fifth year, and the full fruiting period can last as long as 50 to 60 years, with the apricot fruit yield per mu reaching 1500 kg during the full fruiting period. Early market availability of the fruit: it can be harvested and marketed by the end of May each year, when the fruit market is in the off-season, playing a very important role in regulating the supply of fresh fruit in the early summer market. Its price can reach about 8 yuan per kg. Wide uses of the fruit: besides being eaten fresh, apricot fruit can also be processed into preserved apricot, dried apricot, apricot juice, canned apricot, etc., and has a broad market at home and abroad. Apricot kernels can not only be processed into apricot kernel cream, apricot kernel drink, and various pastries, candies, etc., but also have medicinal value, can promote fluid production and quench thirst, moisten the lungs and resolve phlegm, clear heat and detoxify, and are mainly used to treat wind-cold lung diseases, etc. In addition, apricot kernel oil extracted from apricot kernels is also a high-grade industrial lubricating oil and an important raw material for many high-quality cosmetics. High nutritional value: the carotene content in apricot fruit is 2.2 times that of hawthorn, 22.4 times that of apple, 30 times that of peach, 179 times that of pear, and nearly 400 times that of citrus. The fatty acids contained in apricot kernels are also very beneficial to human health. Apricot also contains various trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and sodium, as well as various vitamins and multiple nutrients such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Planting method. Planting density: for large flat apricot orchards with good site conditions, it is suitable to plant 55 trees per mu. In places with poor site conditions, 83 trees per mu can also be planted. For village and township greening with large flat apricot, the plant spacing is preferably 3 m to 5 m, and for greening of streets, roads, and paths it should preferably be more than 6 m. Planting method: with the planting point as the center, dig a planting pit 50 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep. If farmyard manure is applied, the pit depth and diameter should be even larger. The soil manure applied should be mixed evenly with mature soil. On the evening before planting, trim the roots of the seedlings, untie the grafting plastic strips, place them in a previously dug small pit, and soak the roots in clean water so that the seedlings fully absorb water. When planting, first pour water into the pit, add a little soil, mix into a muddy slurry, place the seedling into the pit, fill with soil, lift the seedling, then fill with soil again and tread firm. Finally, according to the size of the planting pit, build a mound of soil about 20 cm high at the base of the seedling to prevent soil moisture evaporation. When planting seedlings, strictly control the planting depth, and it is advisable for the root crown of the seedling to be slightly below the ground surface. Management after planting. Trunk heading: the trunk heading height is 70 cm to 80 cm. Use pruning shears to cut off the excess upper part, and there must be plump buds below the cut. Timely trunk heading can reduce seedling moisture evaporation, prevent wind shaking, maintain the balance between the underground part and the aboveground part, and help survival and growth. Irrigation: about 15 days after planting, if the soil is dry, remove the soil mound and irrigate once with water to help the seedlings recover; the amount of irrigation should not be too much, with soil moisture as the standard, and after irrigation seal it well again and build a small soil mound. Remove the soil mound and wipe off buds: when the seedlings produce leaves, remove the soil mound at the base of the seedlings to help increase soil temperature and air circulation, and promote root development and aboveground growth. At the same time, wipe off the sprouts within 40 cm above the ground on the seedlings. Whitewashing: before freezing, build a soil mound at the root crown, and at the same time paint white lime on the trunk to help prevent disease and cold damage in young trees. Developing large flat apricot can conserve soil and water, green the "four sides," increase green coverage, and improve the ecological environment. Moreover, large flat apricot is drought-resistant and tolerant of barren soil, highly adaptable, easy to manage, and its products are storage- and transport-resistant and of high economic value; it is called an "iron-clad crop" and is the preferred tree species for the broad masses of farmers to escape poverty, become well-off, and beautify their homesteads.