A Detailed Guide to Lychee Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Lychee (scientific name: Litchi chinensis Sonn.), of the Sapindaceae family and the genus Litchi, is an evergreen tree about 10 m tall. The fruit skin has scaly protrusions and is bright red to purplish red. When ripe, it turns bright red; the seed is entirely wrapped in a fleshy aril. The flowering period is in spring, and the fruiting period is in summer. When fresh, the flesh is translucent and curd-like, with a fragrant and delicious taste, but it does not keep well.

Planting Methods

1. Orchard planting
A lychee orchard can be set on a sloping site, with the size depending on the situation, generally 3-4 mu. The best time to cultivate lychee is in early spring and at the start of autumn, that is, mid-March and early October, at about 19 plants per mu. Because lychee trees reach a height of 1-2 m when grown, the row spacing between plants should be as wide as possible, 5*5 m or 6*6 m. Plant the lychee seedlings so that about 15 cm is exposed in the middle. When planting, do not tread on them with your feet or strike them with anything; water them thoroughly, about 50 jin per plant.

2. Fertilization measures
Lychee needs to be fertilized 3-4 times a year, with one fertilization at each seasonal change. The base fertilizer per mu requires about 1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and about 45 kg of Sannong. After the leaves turn green each time, foliar fertilizers such as phosphate fertilizer and superphosphate can be sprayed. About half a month before flower bud differentiation begins, 10 jin of high-phosphorus water-soluble fertilizer can be applied per mu; before physiological fruit drop, high-potassium water-soluble fertilizer can be applied; and after harvest, to replenish the tree's nutrients, a balanced water-soluble fertilizer can be applied. When topdressing, the amount should be controlled well, and fertilizer should not be applied at will.

3. Shoot control and pruning
Before fertilizing, prune away injured branches and branches damaged by pests and diseases. The height of each plant should be kept below two meters to maintain the tree's nutrient transport and height. However, when pruning, note that because lychee varieties differ, pruning has little effect on Yuhebao, and the flowering rate the following year remains high. But other varieties may have their flowering rate affected; products such as Sanyuehong are affected more strongly, and the flowering rate the following year will decrease. Therefore, thinning pruning and only a small amount of heading back should be done.

4. Pest and disease control
The main pests of lychee are scarab beetles and others. Pests have a great impact on the quality and yield of lychee, so preventive preparations should be made according to the condition of the lychee. Generally, the first insecticide is sprayed around April, once about every 6 days, using 1000-times liquid of Lichongjing, 1000-2000-times liquid of Anlubao and others alternately. When picking lychee, pay attention to the pesticide safety interval on the trees. Pests and diseases have a very large impact on the growth of lychee, so everyone must observe this aspect carefully. If such a situation is found, it must be dealt with promptly!