How to plant camphor trees
The editor answers for everyone how to plant camphor trees and related contents about the cultivation and maintenance techniques of green plants, followed by sharing detailed information.
There are two methods of propagation for camphor trees:播种繁殖 (播种 propagation) and cutting propagation. They are adaptable to altitudes below 1800m, with the absolute minimum temperature of -0.00°C. Camphor trees prefer sunlight and can tolerate some shade; they thrive in warm and humid climates but are not very cold-resistant. They are not strict about soil requirements, preferably fertile and permeable sandy soil. They are somewhat tolerant to moisture but not to drought, barren soil, and saline-alkali soil. They have a well-developed main root, deep roots, and are wind-resistant. They have strong germination ability and are tolerant to pruning. Their growth rate is moderate, with a large umbrella-like canopy that provides shade and coolness. They have a long lifespan, growing into towering ancient trees of hundreds or even thousands of years, with strong abilities to absorb smoke and dust, conserve water sources, stabilize soil and prevent sand, and beautify the environment! Additionally, they are resistant to sea breeze, smoke, and toxic gases, and can absorb various toxic gases, making them adaptable to urban environments.
In order to ensure the survival rate of planting, the following issues should be noted and corresponding technical measures should be taken during the planting process.
I. Planting Cultivation
1. Planting Time
Generally, from mid-March to mid-April, before the spring buds are about to sprout. Supplemental planting can be done during the plum rain season. September is suitable for autumn planting. In areas with fewer frosts or more rainfall in winter, winter planting is also possible. Planting should be timely, that is, the pruned camphor seedlings should be planted immediately. If the transportation distance is far, the rootstock should be wrapped with wet grass and plastic film to keep it moist. The best planting time is before 11 am or after 4 pm, and in winter, just avoid the coldest days.
2. Planting
The planting holes should be dug according to the general technical procedures, with the depth, length, and width reaching 50-60 cm. The bottom of the hole should be fertilized and layered with fine soil, and the planting soil should be loose and fertile. Remove the wrapping material from the camphor seedlings, and the planting depth should be level with the ground and the root collar of the camphor seedlings. When planting, the protective root soil should be tightly connected with the hole soil, and loose or unconsolidated backfilling will cause hollowing. After placing the seedlings upright in the planting hole, compact the soil and continue filling the soil to the top of the hole. Finally, make a water-retaining barrier around the seedlings.
3. Watering
After the camphor seedlings are planted, they should be watered immediately. For camphor seedlings with soil balls, stir the soil around the planting hole with iron or wooden rods while watering to fill the soil around the hole with water. When watering, be careful not to damage the soil barrier, and fill the soil barrier with water to let it slowly seep into the planting hole. To further improve the survival rate of planting, growth regulators can be added to the water, to stimulate the growth of new roots. NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid) is commonly used as a growth regulator, which should be dissolved in a small amount of alcohol first and then mixed with water to make a 200PPm solution for the first watering as the root-forming water. Whether it's sunny or cloudy, it's important to water thoroughly after planting camphor trees. In dry and sunny weather, water every 7 days. Continuous watering for 3-4 times is sufficient.
4. Special Technical Treatment
During the transplanting process, to keep the moisture of the trunk of large camphor trees and reduce the transpiration of water from the bark, the trunk should be wrapped with wet grass rope all the way to the top of the main trunk, and larger branches should also be wrapped. Then, thick mud is applied to the trunk wrapped with the grass rope. Later, a spray bottle can be used to spray water on the trunk to keep it moist. After digging up the large camphor trees, the cut, broken, and withered roots should be pruned and then soaked in mud; if 0.03% NAA growth regulator is added to the mud, it can promote the growth of new roots after transplanting the large camphor trees.
5. Management and Maintenance
Since camphor trees are planted in an unsuitable off-season, it is even more important to strengthen maintenance management after planting. Normally, watering should follow the principle of "no watering when not dry, and watering thoroughly when watering"; also, regularly spray clean water on the ground and camphor leaves to increase air humidity and reduce plant transpiration.
II. Transplanting Methods
1. Root Cutting to Promote Root Growth
For seedlings with a diameter of less than 10 cm, only the conventional method of digging soil balls for transplanting is required, usually with the diameter of the soil ball being about 5-6 times the diameter of the main stem. For large tree seedlings with a diameter of more than 10 cm, root cutting and root promotion treatments should be performed first. The specific method is: dig a slot on both sides of the main stem, 2-2.5 times the diameter of the tree trunk away from the tree trunk, and cut off the thick lateral roots with a saw or a sharp ax, with the cut surface must be flat. Smaller lateral roots can be cut with pruning shears, then covered with fine soil to encourage the growth of fine roots near the cut ends in the same year, and the operation is repeated on the uncut sides in the second year, with the seedlings lifted in the spring of the third year.
2. Trunk Cutting and Branch Reduction
Young seedlings, 1-2 years old, do not need to be pruned, while seedlings 3-6 years old should have 1/3 of the branches pruned, usually the lateral branches in the lower 1/3 of the main trunk should be removed, and the upper 2/3 of the branches should be pruned in layers, and larger trees should have comprehensive pruning. Generally, the height of the main trunk of street trees is controlled at 3-3.5 meters, with thick lateral branches retained at 0.3-0.5 meters. After cutting, the cut surfaces should be sealed with wax or wrapped with plastic film to prevent water loss.
3. Ball Lifting and Wrapping
The best time for lifting seedlings and transplanting is in March, with the soil ball being 5-6 times the diameter of the chest (small seedlings can be 30-40 cm), wrapped with grass rope to ensure the soil ball does not disintegrate.
4. Transplanting Planting Hole
The diameter of the planting hole should be 1/3 larger than the camphor soil ball, and the depth should be such that the rootstock is level with the ground. After planting the tree, fill the gaps with fine soil and compact with a thick stick. When there are 10-20 cm left, water to absorb the moisture, then fill the remaining soil until the base of the trunk is dome-shaped.
III. Pest Control
Camphor trees have a majestic posture, colorful spring leaves, and lush foliage, providing abundant shade. They are the most common greenery species in the south, widely used as shade trees, street trees, and for creating scenic and protective forests. Here is a brief introduction to their pest and disease control:
1. Powdery Mildew:
This disease often occurs on seedlings in nursery beds. It is most likely to occur under conditions of high temperature, high humidity, dense seedlings, and poor ventilation. Grey-brown spots appear on the back of the tender leaves near the main veins, which then spread to the entire back of the leaf and appear as a layer of white powder. Severe cases can also have white powder on the tender branches and stems.
(1) The nursery should pay attention to environmental hygiene and properly thin out seedlings, or immediately remove or burn diseased plants if found.
(2) When the disease occurs, use a 0.3-0.5 degree Bordeaux mixture, spray every 10 days, for three to four consecutive times.
2. Black Spot Disease:
This disease occurs when seedlings sprout and grow 1-4 leaves. The leaves turn blackish-brown from the tip to the root, causing death.
Disinfect the seeds, soil, and covering materials during sowing. When the disease occurs, first remove and burn the diseased seedlings, then spray with 0.5% potassium permanganate or formalin two or three times to prevent the spread.
3. Camphor Leaf蜂:
It occurs in multiple generations throughout the year, with a long period of harm. One-year-old seedlings can be severely affected and die, and after afforestation, the top tender leaves of the tree crown are often eaten, severely affecting tree growth.
You can use 0.5 kg of闹羊花 or Tripterygium wilfordii powder mixed with 75-100 kg of clean water to make a solution for spraying the seedlings, or use 90% diazinon or 50% malathion emulsion diluted 2000 times to spray and kill.
4. Camphor Twig Roller Moth:
It occurs in several generations a year, with larvae boring into branches, affecting the height growth of camphor trees and causing crooked stems.
(1) After new shoots of camphor trees emerge in March, spray with 90% diazinon, 50% phosphorus bromide emulsion, or 50% malathion emulsion diluted 10,000 times when the first generation of larvae hatch, every 5 days for two to three times, which can kill the larvae. If the larvae have bored into the new shoots, you can also spray with 40% dimethoate emulsion diluted 200-300 times.
(2) For nurseries or small forest areas, collect and burn dead branches and leaves in winter to destroy overwintering pupae.
5. Camphor Fruit Borer:
It usually harms seedlings and young trees under 20 years old. It occurs in two generations a year. The first generation of larvae causes harm from late May to mid-July. The second generation of larvae causes harm from August to September. The larvae gather in groups on new shoots, eating leaf buds and吐丝 wrapping the residual leaves into balls, wrapping the terminal buds, causing the new shoots to wither and even the whole plant to die.
(1) When the larvae first start to move and have not yet formed net nests, spray with 90% diazinon diluted 4000-5000 times to kill them.
(2) If the larvae have formed net nests, it is best to cut and burn them.
6. Camphor Longicorn:
(1) During the egg-laying period (early May to early June), use a wire brush to scrape the egg scars and刺卵 or newly hatched larvae.
(2) Cut the affected branches manually, then inject insecticides such as dichlorvos into the excretion holes to kill the larvae inside.
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