What are the key points of plum tree cultivation techniques?

The plum tree is a common fruit tree in southern regions, and different varieties have different requirements for the growing environment. Besides its edible fruit, the plum tree also has a certain ornamental value and is suitable as a landscaping tree. Let's take a look below at the key points of plum tree cultivation techniques.

I. Planting time for plum trees

Plum trees are generally planted in autumn or spring. Autumn planting is carried out after leaf fall and before the soil freezes. The advantage is that the wound can heal in the same year and fibrous roots can emerge, so that roots can form in time the following spring, meaning a short transplant recovery period, a high survival rate, and good growth. In areas with abundant autumn rain and dry springs, autumn planting is preferable, but cold protection work before the arrival of severe winter should be noted to avoid winter dieback and frost damage. Spring planting is done after the soil thaws and before the seedlings bud; in areas with irrigation conditions, spring planting is best. In addition, in regions such as Northeast China, Northwest China, northern North China and Inner Mongolia, due to the short frost-free period and severe winter cold, spring planting is best. A method of digging planting holes in summer and autumn to collect rain and snow and then planting in spring can be adopted; this not only gives a high survival rate for plum trees but also saves the work of cold protection for newly planted young trees.

II. Key points of plum tree cultivation techniques

1. Key points of fertilization

Base fertilizer: Base fertilizer is the basic fertilizer that can supply the plum tree with various nutrients over a relatively long period, generally mainly slow-release farmyard manure, such as compost, stable manure, crop straw, green manure, fallen leaves, etc. Base fertilizer is best applied in autumn; for adult plum trees, apply 50—100 kg of farmyard manure per tree.

Topdressing: Topdressing before flowering. About 10 days before the plum tree buds (early April), apply 0.5—1 kg of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer per tree, or 252, 2, 2. Key points of watering

The plum tree needs a certain amount of water at each phenological stage throughout the year. Irrigation should be carried out before budding, during the young fruit swelling stage, and during the new shoot growth stage. Before winter, one irrigation of freezing water is needed. In addition, plum trees are afraid of waterlogging, so the plum orchard should be equipped with a drainage system to avoid suffering from waterlogging damage.

3. Pruning techniques

Summer pruning refers to pruning during the growing season, generally carried out from mid-June to early July, and the following methods can be used.

Twisting shoots. Twist and injure the tip of a new shoot, but do not break it off; generally, any water sprout with useful value can be treated this way to inhibit growth. Twisting shoots should be done when the new shoot has grown sufficiently long, and the injured part should be at the semi-lignified area.

Pinching. Remove the growing point of a branch during the growth period; the specific time should be determined according to variety, cultivation conditions and purpose.

Girdling. Carry out when new shoots are close to stopping growth; make a ring-shaped peel on the trunk or large branches of vigorous trees, with the peeling width about 1/10 of the diameter of the peeled shoot, giving an obvious effect in promoting flowering.

4. Pest and disease control methods

In winter, deeply plow the orchard to bury the larvae of the pear fruit sawfly deep in the soil. During the plum tree flower bud stage, use 20% Mieshabi 4000-fold solution under the tree canopy on the soil surface to kill adult pear fruit sawflies that have emerged;

After petal fall, spray 50% fenitrothion emulsion 1 000-fold solution to control peach weevils and pear fruit borers;

In late May, when white peach scale insects are found dispersing and migrating, spray 80% dichlorvos emulsion 1 000-fold solution, which also controls aphids.