How many years does a potted wax apple generally take to bear fruit?

If a potted wax apple is well managed, with careful tending, it can bear a small amount of fruit in the second year, and with good management afterward, the amount will gradually increase.

1. Pruning of wax apple

Wax apple is best pruned using the natural round-headed shape method. After planting, keep one main trunk, cut off the upper part 60cm above the ground, keep 3-4 new shoots and let them grow naturally to become main branches. Each year after harvesting the fruit, thin out the branches, cutting away diseased and pest-damaged branches, dead branches, overly dense branches and leggy branches. To promote earlier flowering of the wax apple, besides maintaining a good tree shape so the canopy is well ventilated and lets light through, attention should also be paid to pest and disease control and rational fertilization. After pruning, protect the wounds promptly by applying the grease “wound healing and anti-corrosion film” to seal the wounds, preventing cracking and the invasion of pathogens.

2. Fertilizer and water management for wax apple

Wax apple grows fast and has a high fertilizer demand. For 1-4 year old trees, quick-acting fertilizers are generally used, with more nitrogen and potassium fertilizer applied in the early stage, applied in ring-shaped trenches dug along the drip line of the canopy; during the flower bud differentiation stage, do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer. Each year, the fertilizer applied during the March-April flowering and fruiting stage and at the end of fruit harvest in July is 25% of the annual total each, the fertilizer applied in September-October accounts for 50% of the annual total, and after the small fruit stage, heavy applications of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are made. Manage water scientifically: in September-October keep the orchard dry to favor flower bud differentiation, and at other times keep the soil moist to prevent flower and fruit drop.

3. Flower and fruit thinning

The flower quantity is relatively large, and the fruit set is also relatively heavy, so the flower clusters at the tips of the branches should be thinned first. Keep 1-2 pairs of flower clusters on the large branches. Thin out overly dense flower clusters; when the flower clusters are about 2cm, bagging can be carried out, which can improve fruit quality and also prevent damage by fruit flies.

4. Harvesting

Wax apple can be harvested once the fruit navel opens up. The fruit generally can only be stored for 1 week at room temperature, so after sorting and packaging it should be sold immediately.