Key points of peach tree management techniques: what fertilizer to use for topdressing, and how to prevent and control pests and diseases
In spring, as temperatures warm up and rainfall is plentiful, the trees enter the bud break, flowering and fruit-setting stages. Management at this stage affects the later yield and quality and directly influences the grower's income. So how should peach trees be managed in spring? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction below.
1. Topdressing
When March arrives and the temperature rise stabilises, peach trees successively enter the bud break, flowering and new shoot growth stages, and all these stages consume large amounts of nutrients. Therefore, to meet the nutrients needed for the growth and development of peach trees, topdressing must be done in good time. Especially for fruiting trees that grew weakly last year or trees with a high yield, an appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer before bud break can promote plant growth and development as well as fruit setting. For plants growing vigorously, it may be omitted, so as to avoid excessive vegetative growth, which is unfavourable for flowering and fruit setting.
2. Flower thinning and frost prevention
In spring the temperature warms up, but in late spring there can still be a cold spell, with temperatures dropping sharply, which can cause frost damage to peach trees, harm their flowering and affect the fruit-setting rate. Therefore, frost prevention measures should be taken around the flowering period, and sprays can be applied before and after flowering as a preventive measure. In addition, for varieties with a high fruit-setting rate, flowers can be thinned from the bud stage to the early full-bloom stage, removing overly dense flowers and flowers at the base, which saves nutrient consumption, concentrates the nutrients and raises the fruit-setting rate.
3. Weeding and loosening the soil
The warming of temperatures in spring is also the time when all things revive. Besides peach trees budding and flowering, weeds in the orchard also start to grow vigorously; they compete with the peach trees for nutrients and also provide shelter and breeding places for pests and diseases. Therefore, weeds should be removed and the soil loosened in good time; this not only reduces the competition between weeds and the trees for nutrients and reduces pests and diseases, but also increases soil permeability, which helps lower ground humidity, raise the low temperature, and promote the growth and development of the root system.
4. Pest and disease control
Spring is also the time when pests and diseases revive. In March, the focus should be on controlling scale insects. If scale insect damage was severe last year, the whole orchard can be sprayed with Jiemanling to control this pest. To prevent diseases, the whole orchard can also be sprayed once with lime sulfur mixture. In April, the focus should be on controlling aphids and shot hole disease, especially before and after peach bud break. Once aphids are found, spray imidacloprid promptly for control, and also pay attention to gummosis caused by other diseases. After the peach flowers fade, diseased leaves can be removed by hand, and overwintering larvae of other pests can be caught and killed.
The above is an introduction to the key points of spring management for peach trees. We hope it helps you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.