Detailed Explanation of Loquat Planting Technical Points and Management Methods
The loquat is a precious fruit of southern China. It not only tastes good and is rich in nutrients, but can also be made into an effective medicine for eliminating phlegm and relieving cough, promoting fluid production and moistening the lungs, and clearing heat and strengthening the stomach. The loquat tree is a tree species used in landscaping. It likes sunlight and is drought-tolerant, with low requirements for soil, though fertile soil is best. It is often used for garden ornamentation.
Planting methods for the loquat tree:
I. Collection and treatment of seeds
The large-flowered loquat generally requires 15 years before it flowers and sets fruit, and the fruiting of the mother tree shows obvious on-year and off-year differences. The seed ripening period is from late October to mid-November. During this period, collection should be carried out promptly; if collected too late, the fruit is easily eaten by animals and cannot be gathered.
After the fruit is collected, it should be piled and composted for 3 to 5 days, and treated after the peel softens. The fruit is mixed with sand and rubbed to remove the flesh, then the seeds are washed clean with water and dried. The seeds and sand are mixed evenly at a ratio of 1:3 and stored in stratification. The thousand-seed weight is about 800 grams, and the seeding rate per mu is 30 to 35 kilograms.
II. Land preparation and sowing
The nursery land should preferably be selected as sunny, well-drained sandy loam soil. Before sowing, the nursery land needs to be deeply dug and disinfected with 3% quicklime. The seedbed is 1.2 m wide and 20 cm high. The bed surface should be fine and level, with stones and weeds removed. The side ditches and walkways should be opened straight, and the ditch bottom should be level so that water does not accumulate.
Sow in early March. Sowing can be done by dibbling or by drilling. The spacing for dibbling is 10 x 25 cm, and the row spacing for drilling is 30 cm, with a sowing ditch depth of 8 to 10 cm. First place fully decomposed cake fertilizer at the bottom of the ditch, then place a 5 cm thick layer of loess to cover the base fertilizer before sowing. After sowing, cover the seeds with another 2 cm thick layer of loess. This helps reduce weeds between the seedlings and promote the growth of the seedling root system. Finally, cover with a layer of rice straw to retain moisture. The germination rate of large-flowered loquat seeds is relatively high, generally above 80%. About 40 days after sowing, they sprout and emerge. When 30% of the seedlings have emerged, the rice straw should be uncovered promptly.
III. Field management
The large-flowered loquat grows rapidly and has strong adaptability, and management during the seedling stage is relatively easy. After the seedlings emerge, weeds between the seedlings should be pulled out promptly. After weeding, 0.1% urea can be applied to benefit seedling growth.
From May to June, loosen the soil and apply fertilizer once about every 10 days, with nitrogen fertilizer as the main fertilizer. From July to August, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be added to the fertilizer water, and nitrogen fertilizer applied less. At this time, the concentration of the fertilizer water should be moderately increased. If there is a long clear spell without rain or the soil is dry due to high temperatures, field irrigation should be carried out in the morning and evening to lower the soil temperature and ensure normal growth of the seedlings. After entering September, stop fertilizing to prevent excessive lush growth of the seedlings and to avoid affecting their lignification. In addition, before each fertilization, clear the weeds in the nursery to reduce the consumption of soil nutrients by weeds.
During the seedling stage, the large-flowered loquat has relatively few pests. During the seedling stage, there is damage from cutworms. Fresh weeds 50 kg can be sprayed with 5 to 10 times 90% trichlorfon technical material, and scattered on the seedbed in the evening to trap and kill them.
IV. Seedling transplanting
Large-flowered loquat seedlings grow relatively quickly. One-year-old seedlings average 80 cm in height, with the tallest reaching more than 1 m, an average ground diameter of 0.6 cm, and the thickest 1 cm. One-year-old seedlings can be shipped out for transplanting or used for afforestation. Because the large-flowered loquat has a well-developed main root and few lateral roots and fibrous roots, seedling transplanting should be carried out in February to March in spring before the seedlings sprout. To improve the transplant survival rate of seedlings, most lateral branches and leaves should be cut off during transplanting, and sufficient settling water should be watered after planting. To cultivate large seedlings, planting can be carried out at a spacing of 30 x 50 cm (first year) and 60 x 100 cm (second year).