Detailed Explanation of Key Citrus Management Techniques for April
Citrus is distributed across a very wide area in China and is also a very popular fruit. There are many citrus varieties, such as Shatang mandarin and Chouzhi (ugly mandarin), and their markets are all very large. Now April is also an important period for citrus growth. So how should we manage it? Below, the editor brings you the key citrus management techniques for April. Let's take a look!
1. Flowering period management
April is the flowering period of citrus trees, and during this period we need to do a good job of pruning. When citrus flower buds are growing, if there is a lack of nutrients, it will reduce the tree vigor of the citrus tree. Excessive flowering leads to insufficient nutrients, and the temperature in April is unstable. If affected by low temperatures, it will seriously affect flowering and reduce the fruit-setting rate and fruit quality. Therefore, when the flowering amount reaches about 75%, pruning should be done well according to the flowering amount, quality, and so on. For vigorous citrus trees, remove flower branches without leaves and flower buds at the top and bottom. Then, for trees with few flowers, keep all branches and thin out an appropriate amount of vegetative branches to increase the flowering amount.
2. Supplementing nutrients
When citrus is flowering, it is necessary to ensure sufficient nutrients to meet the needs of flowering. If a large number of deformed flowers appear, it indicates that the citrus tree is malnourished, and it will also consume too many nutrients, causing citrus flower and fruit drop and reducing yield. Therefore, at the early stage of citrus flowering, we should reasonably spray regulators to prevent the formation of deformed flowers. Then, when the flowering rate reaches about 1/3, use agents such as flower and fruit energy to take measures to protect flowers and fruits. Finally, after the flowers fall, reasonably spray foliar fertilizer to enhance the growth capacity of the leaves.
3. Spraying fruit-preserving agents
Citrus trees will have a period of physiological fruit drop, but in order to ensure yield, within one week after flower shedding, we should appropriately spray fruit-preserving agents. The timing should be reasonably adjusted according to tree vigor, flowering amount, and so on. For some trees with moderate vigor, it can be done when the flower shedding amount reaches about 80% and the new shoots gradually turn green. For trees with a large number of flowers and weak vigor, it can be done after all the flowers have fallen. To prevent fruits from competing with each other for nutrients, it should also be noted that fruit-preserving agents should be prepared and used immediately, and the spraying target should mainly be leaves and fruits. If it rains after spraying, then spray once more, and pay attention to the dosage to prevent excessive spraying and causing phytotoxicity.
4. Ring-cutting branches
Ring cutting is mainly a management task carried out for trees with few flowers, insufficient fruit setting, and strong vigor. The main purpose of ring cutting is to retain nutrients and concentrate them in the aboveground part. It is generally carried out after the leaves turn green, so as to ensure that nutrients go to the fruits and increase yield. The ring-cutting position must not be the same each year, and it is generally carried out at a position about 20cm from the ground. Before ring cutting, attention should be paid to disinfection work, and it must not be carried out on cloudy and rainy days to prevent infection and cause pests and diseases. Then cut through the cortex to the xylem, and then disinfect the wound.
The above is a brief introduction to the key citrus management techniques for April. The management of citrus trees is very important, especially during the flowering and fruiting period. If management is poor, the impact on yield is very great. So everyone must pay close attention. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!