Detailed Explanation of the Key Cultivation Techniques for the Chinese Ash
The Chinese ash, also known as Qinglangmu or Baijing tree, is a type of arbor and is widely planted in China. This means that the environmental conditions in most regions of China basically meet the growing requirements of the Chinese ash, and the techniques for planting it are also basically mature. So today, the editor will give you a brief introduction to the planting process and cultivation methods of the Chinese ash.
1. Cultivation Environment
The Chinese ash prefers warmth, sunlight, is tolerant of saline-alkali soil, and likes moisture and fertility, with few requirements for soil. However, it grows better in neutral, fertile, sandy loam soil. After selecting the planting site, deeply plow the soil, clear away impurities, pests, tree roots, weeds, etc. from the soil, break up the clods of earth finely, level the ground, and then you can plant. Of course, for better management, you also need to dig drainage ditches properly.
2. Seedling Cultivation
The Chinese ash is generally sown from late March to early April. Before sowing, we need to pre-sprout the Chinese ash seeds, and there are two methods: low-temperature pre-sprouting and high-temperature pre-sprouting. After the seeds have sprouted, open furrows at a row spacing of 10 to 20 cm for drilling, spread the seeds evenly in the furrows, and then cover with soil to bury the seeds. During seed germination, keep the soil moist; generally, water once every two to three days, and clear the weeds from the field.
3. Water and Fertilizer Management
After planting the Chinese ash, we must note that watering should be thorough, then water again after about four or five days, and then water scientifically according to the growth of the Chinese ash and the rainfall in the later period. To help the Chinese ash quickly restore its tree vigor, we should keep the soil moist, and wait until the spring of the second year before watering to promote green-up. Secondly, to promote the growth of the Chinese ash, we should carry out scientific topdressing; in the early stage of the Chinese ash's growth, mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used, while in the later stage, farmyard manure or organic fertilizer should be applied together. Finally, note that when applying chemical fertilizers as topdressing, it is best to water once after topdressing, as this can avoid fertilizer damage.
4. Pruning and Shaping
Pruning branches and leaves and shaping the tree form are important steps in the process of planting nursery stock. Before planting, we need to prune the nursery stock in a series of ways, for example, pruning away weak-growing roots and excess branches and leaves. After the plants have survived planting, in order to promote the growth of the main trunk of the Chinese ash, we will appropriately prune the Chinese ash and gradually cultivate secondary branches; after the secondary branches have been cultivated, continue to cultivate lower-level branches until a complete tree form is formed. After the Chinese ash has formed a complete tree form, we still need to keep pruning in the later period, but only to maintain tree vigor and promote the growth of the Chinese ash.
5. Pest and Disease Control
The main insect pests of the Chinese ash are the Chinese ash buprestid beetle, aphids and longhorn beetles, which cause relatively great harm to the growth of the Chinese ash. When no pests have been found, we can spray lime-sulfur mixture for prevention, and after pests occur, we need to use thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim combined with insecticides to kill the pests. The most common diseases are brown spot disease and sooty mold, which can be controlled with Bordeaux mixture and insecticides.
That is the end of today's content from the editor. I believe that after reading the above, everyone has a general understanding of Chinese ash planting. I hope it can help all friends who plant Chinese ash.