Detailed Explanation of Key Citrus Spring Management Techniques

Spring is a critical period for citrus new shoot sprouting, flowering and fruit setting, as well as pest and disease control. At this time, citrus management is extremely important, as a slight negligence can seriously affect the yield and quality of citrus. Let's take a look at the key citrus spring management techniques together.

1. Deep Soil Plowing

For those who did not carry out soil plowing in winter, a comprehensive plowing should be done in spring before the root system begins to sprout, in order to clear weeds, reduce pests and diseases from the source, and also help improve soil structure, making the soil loose and breathable, and promoting new root growth. However, when plowing the soil, attention should also be paid: for young trees, plowing should be shallow to avoid damaging the root system. After deep plowing, cover with soil in time. When the temperature is low, appropriate covering can be done to prevent wind from freezing the roots and damaging the trees.

2. Flower and Fruit Preservation

In March and April, work to strengthen flowers and preserve fruit should be done in advance. During the development of young citrus fruit and the growth period of branches and shoots, reproductive growth and vegetative growth often advance side by side, which can cause the phenomenon of few flowers and few fruits or many flowers and many fruits. Therefore, for this phenomenon, measures to preserve flowers and fruits should be taken in time, which can be done together with fertilization, or by spraying plant growth regulators. For fruit trees with excessive flowers and fruits, appropriately control flowers and thin fruits, prune some overly dense branches and shoots, appropriately shake the tree during the flowering period to thin flowers, and after physiological fruit drop ends, thin excess fruits according to the leaf-to-fruit ratio.

3. Shaping and Pruning

Spring pruning is mainly thinning pruning, with the purpose of maintaining good tree ventilation and light penetration. It can be carried out in February and March, combined with post-harvest pruning or thinning of dense branches and poor-quality flowers, to promote strong flowers and fruits and reduce pests and diseases. Mainly prune diseased and pest-infested branches, weak branches, residual branches, and crossing and dense branches. For plants with dense tree forms, large branches can be thinned and retracted, without leaving stubs, and heavy heading back is not appropriate; for vigorous trees, it is not appropriate to cut back winter shoots, so as to avoid triggering more spring shoots, breaking the tree's balance, and affecting stable fruit setting; for weak trees, short cutting can be used to promote shoots and cultivate the canopy.

4. Pests and Diseases

During the flowering period, special attention should be paid to citrus blossom midge, thrips, aphids, and whiteflies. Thiamethoxam + beta-cyhalothrin can be selected for control, while for citrus leafminer, red spider mites, etc., abamectin and emamectin benzoate + chlorfenapyr can be selected for control. Diseases mainly become prevalent along with high temperature and high humidity, so before the rainy season arrives, prevention work for citrus canker, brown spot disease, gray mold, and scab should be done well, and it is best to promote their early ripening.

The above is an introduction to the key citrus spring management techniques. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.