A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods of Oil Camellia
Oil camellia, also known as tea-oil tree and white-flowered camellia, gets its name because its seeds can be pressed for edible oil. The camellia oil is clear in color, fragrant in taste and rich in nutrients, and can also be used as lubricating oil, while the oil cake left after pressing is both a pesticide and an excellent fertilizer. Therefore, oil camellia has extremely high economic value and good planting prospects, so how should oil camellia be planted? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction.
1. Woodland selection
Oil camellia prefers an environment with ample sunlight and a warm climate, prefers acidic soil, and is averse to severe cold, extreme heat and alkaline soil. Therefore, soil with deep soil layers, loose and fertile texture and good drainage should be chosen, with a soil pH value required between 5 and 6.5. The woodland should be open, with a slope of 25 degrees, and at the same time have convenient transportation to avoid mechanical operations, and the woodland should be planned well according to the terrain. Then carry out land preparation, improve the soil structure, make it loose and mellow, clear weeds, shrubs, stones and tree roots, and wait for planting.
2. Selecting good varieties
According to local climate, soil environment and other conditions, select excellent varieties suitable for the local ecological conditions, and at the same time use multi-line combinations. Oil camellia has a high cross-pollination and fertilization rate and the best quality, so during planting, multi-line combinations should also be used, with more than 5-10 clones configured for afforestation. For seedlings, it is best to choose grafted seedlings of excellent clones, requiring the seedlings to be robust in growth, free of pests and diseases, and about 15-30 cm tall.
3. Planting
The survival rate of planting is closely related to its planting time, which should be based on the local climate. Generally, it is chosen in February-March in spring when the soil is moist, as the temperature and humidity at this time are suitable for the growth of oil camellia. If grafted seedlings are planted, tending should be carried out immediately after planting, generally for 3 consecutive years, 2 times a year, mainly for weeding, loosening the soil, earthing up, and expanding the planting holes. The first time is in May-June, and the second time is in August-September. During the growth period, appropriate topdressing should also be applied to promote growth. Young trees generally mainly use nitrogen fertilizer, combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, and the amount of fertilizer applied increases year by year as the plant grows.
The above is an introduction to the cultivation techniques of oil camellia. I hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.