Detailed Explanation of Key Macadamia Nut Cultivation Techniques
The scientific name of the macadamia nut is macadamia, and as the name suggests, macadamia nuts originated in Australia. However, after many years of cultivation, they are now grown to some extent in tropical regions around the world. The main cultivation areas in China are also in tropical provinces such as Guangdong and Yunnan, and the macadamia nut planting industry is currently developing continuously. So how should macadamia nuts be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for macadamia nuts. Let's take a look!
1. Site Selection
The macadamia nut is a tropical economic crop with strong adaptability, and it is relatively suitable for planting on flat land. Although it is a tropical plant, the temperature should not exceed 34 degrees, and the winter temperature only needs to remain above zero. Then choose soil that is relatively deep and soft, rich in humus, with a soil pH controlled at around 5, strong permeability, and the ability to ensure a normal water supply during summer droughts. Finally, because macadamia trees have poor wind resistance, the planting plots should be in areas with little strong wind; in areas with strong and frequent winds, windbreak forests should be established.
2. Seed Selection and Field Planting
The selection of varieties is very important. When choosing varieties, we should pay attention to various aspects such as their growth ability, wind resistance, yield and tree shape. Usually, macadamia nut planting mainly uses clonal bud-grafted seedlings, which are bud-grafted after about two years of cultivation, and then planted at the right time after preparations are made. When planting, attention should be paid to avoiding high-temperature rainy weather and drought weather; it is best to plant after rain, because this can promote the young trees to recover their growth as quickly as possible. Control the planting density well, keeping the number of plants per mu within 35. In addition, because macadamia trees have a very high probability of self-incompatibility, at least two or more varieties should be kept within each mu.
3. Young Tree Management
After successful planting, the management of young trees should be done well, watering frequently to prevent soil drought and increase the soil's water content. Then, about two months after planting, apply appropriate topdressing according to the actual growth of the young trees, maintaining the principle of frequent applications in small amounts. Once the new shoots of the young trees mature, topdressing can begin. The first three years of planting are basically considered the young tree stage of macadamia trees. During this time, if the terminal buds grow too vigorously, appropriate topping should be done to remove some ineffective low-hanging branches; in other cases, no pruning is needed.
4. Management of Trees in Production
After the third year has passed, macadamia trees will basically begin to bear fruit. At this time, the nutrient consumption of macadamia trees is high, so each winter when clearing the orchard, reasonable green manuring should be done, and then an appropriate amount of farmyard manure and compound fertilizer should be applied under each fruit tree. The amount of fertilizer should be determined according to the age of the fruit tree; the older the tree, the greater the amount of fertilizer should be increased accordingly. Pruning at this stage is mainly renewal pruning, and low-hanging branches, excessively long and dense branches, and diseased and pest-infested branches should be cut off in time. This can avoid excessive nutrient consumption and also improve the permeability of the tree body.
Macadamia nuts have a very large demand for water. During the flowering and fruiting period, the soil should be kept moist at all times. If there is a lack of water during the oil accumulation period of the fruit, it will have a very large impact on the quality and yield of macadamia nuts. When the leaves are found to be wilted and weak, dull and lusterless, water should be given in time. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.