Key Technical Points for Drought Resistance in Orchards During the High-Temperature Season

After entering August, temperatures rise further, and people can hardly stand it once they step outside. This is exactly the growing period and fruit-swelling period for many fruit trees, and high temperatures have a major impact on their growth. High temperatures cause rapid water evaporation, and orchards are prone to drought, so how should orchards resist drought during the high-temperature season? Let's take a look together.

1. Mulching with film

Orchard film mulching is generally carried out during the dry and windy 3-4 months of spring. The film can be laid under the tree canopy. On one hand, orchard film mulching can optimize the soil environment and improve soil fertility; on the other hand, it can suppress weed growth around the root system and reduce weeding costs.

2. Mulching with weeds

To effectively resist drought, orchards can be covered with materials such as weeds, wheat straw, leaves and wheat bran. This method can be used all year round, but attention should be paid to the covering method. It is generally concentrated around the tree canopy. In addition, a gap of about 20 cm should be kept around the trunk so that after rainfall, water can seep into the soil as quickly as possible along the trunk and the beds. The recommended mulching thickness is concentrated within 15-20 cm.

3. Water-saving irrigation

Because of drought, the groundwater level drops and irrigation water is scarce, so in order to ensure the water needed for normal growth of fruit trees, water-saving irrigation must be carried out during the spring budbreak and flowering period of fruit trees. The irrigation amount should be appropriate for moistening a soil layer of 60-70 cm. After a long drought, watering should be increased gradually from little to more to prevent mechanical damage to the fruit trees and avoid the opposite effect. Drip irrigation can also be adopted. Compared with traditional irrigation methods, this method can save more than 50% of water, and it is also one of the more commonly used irrigation methods in orchards today.

4. Reasonable pruning

For vigorously growing trees, pruning should be done appropriately. When pruning, heading back should be minimized as much as possible, with the aim of moderating tree vigor and reducing the large water consumption caused by vegetative growth. For trees with weakened vigor, appropriate renewal pruning should be carried out so that the tree vigor and branches become stronger. During the growing period of fruit trees, excess sprouts should be removed in time, excess branches should be thinned out, and water sprouts and vigorous branches should be thinned to reduce water evaporation. To minimize the impact of drought on orchards, it is also necessary to start with daily management, improve soil thickness and compactness, and promote the formation of a deep root system in fruit trees so they can absorb water from deeper layers.

The above is an introduction to drought resistance techniques for orchards in the high-temperature season. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.