What are the key considerations for lychee cultivation? Essential points for novice fruit growers
Lychee is suitable for growing in regions with a mild climate throughout the year, and the main lychee-producing areas in China are Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan, China, Hainan, and other places. To achieve high yields in lychee cultivation, there are many things we need to pay attention to during the growing process. Now let's follow along and learn about the key considerations for lychee cultivation.
1. Orchard site
Lychee has certain requirements for the orchard site. Generally speaking, we all know that a lychee orchard should have a very open field of view, and the planting site should have a certain slope, about 15 to 25 degrees. Next, the soil of the orchard should be fertile, with a loose texture and sufficient water supply, and it is best to have a sunny slope.
2. Timing
Lychee cultivation also has timing requirements. Generally, we sow when the temperature rises each April, continuing through June. This period is suitable for sowing, and the seedling emergence rate of lychee sown during this time is very high. Of course, we can also choose to sow in August and September. Although the seedling emergence rate is also high, the winter temperature is relatively low, so protective measures need to be taken, otherwise the seedling mortality rate will be very high.
3. Density
When planting, we need to pay attention to adjusting the density. The planting density should not be too dense, but the land resources should also be fully utilized, so generally 50 to 60 lychee trees are planted per mu. That is, the row spacing between each lychee tree is 3.5 to 4 m, and the plant spacing is 3 to 3.5 m. We should also appropriately adjust the height of the lychee trees, preferably controlling it at around 1.5 to 2 m.
4. Temperature
The growth of lychee trees is very sensitive to temperature. Once the temperature changes, the lychee tree will also show an obvious response. The temperature suitable for lychee tree growth is around 18 to 35°C, and the optimal temperature for lychee growth is 25 to 30°C. When the temperature is below 15°C, we need to carry out heat preservation measures, or use greenhouses and other techniques to raise the temperature. If the temperature is above 38°C, we need to lower the temperature by increasing ventilation, watering, and other methods.
5. Water and fertilizer
Lychee fertilization mainly consists of pre-flowering fertilizer and fruit-setting fertilizer. The pre-flowering fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer, used together with about 4 jin of compound fertilizer and at least 2 jin of potassium fertilizer. The fruit-setting fertilizer is generally 2 to 4 jin of compound fertilizer and 1 to 3 jin of urea applied as a top dressing, along with appropriate spraying of foliar fertilizer to maintain tree vigor. Lychee is also relatively sensitive to water. During the heading stage of lychee, the soil should be kept moist, and drought must not occur; during the fruit growth and development stage, moisture should remain balanced, otherwise it will affect the quality of the lychee fruit, causing problems such as fruit cracking or fruit that is bland and not sweet.
6. Light
During the branch and leaf growth stage and the flower bud differentiation stage of lychee, its light requirements are not very high either, but it still needs light. In other words, it avoids strong light during this period. If the light is too strong, problems such as withered filaments, difficult pollination, and dehydration are likely to occur, so we should build shade sheds and appropriately adjust the light intensity. However, during the fruit ripening stage, the light intensity needs to be increased. If the light intensity is insufficient, it will affect the quality of the lychee.
The above are the several issues that need attention when planting lychee. Of course, we also need to pay attention to scientific use of pesticides. Although some pesticides are very commonly used in lychee cultivation, we should also pay attention to the dosage and timing of use on blank spaces and tender branches, and must not abuse them randomly.