Honeysuckle Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods
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Honeysuckle, also known as silverflower, doubleflower, and erbao flower, is a perennial twining shrub of the honeysuckle family and is a very common medicinal material. Honeysuckle is cold in nature, and its leaves, vines, and flowers can all be used as medicine. It has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, mainly treating symptoms such as fever from warm diseases, wind-heat colds, sore throat, pneumonia, dysentery, carbuncles, and ulcers. It is also an important raw material for toothpaste, beverages, tea, and cosmetics. Its cultivation technique is relatively simple, and if managed well, it can generate significant economic benefits. Today, I will introduce to you the key points of honeysuckle cultivation techniques, hoping to help everyone cultivate honeysuckle better.
I. Characteristics
Honeysuckle loves light and is adaptable, cold-resistant, salt and alkali tolerant, drought-resistant, and flood-resistant. It can be planted in wasteland, slopes, ditches, and around houses.
II. Seedling Raising
Every year from the end of July to the beginning of August, choose healthy, disease-free 1-2-year-old branches, cut them into 30 cm lengths for cutting seedlings, dig trenches with a row spacing of about 35 cm and a depth of 20 cm, place the branches obliquely in the trenches with a spacing of 3-5 cm, leave the buds exposed, water promptly after cutting, and keep the soil moist. Roots and buds will grow in about a month, and field planting can be carried out the following spring.
III. Planting
Field planting generally has a row spacing of 2 meters and a plant spacing of 1.5 meters, with 222 plants per mu. It can also be planted with a row spacing of 1 meter and a plant spacing of 75 cm. After the growth is dense, move every other row and plant.
Honeysuckle Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods
IV. Pruning
1. Seedling Pruning Method
For young trees 1-2 years after planting, the main focus is on shaping. In the spring, when new branches sprout, select a strong, upright branch as the main stem, and when it grows to 25 cm, pinch the top to promote the growth of lateral branches. After the lateral branches sprout, remove the lower suckers promptly, thin out the lower lateral branches, and increase the thickness of the main stem year by year. Select 4-5 strong, upright branches on the main stem as main branches, remove the suckers and weak inner branches, and after the picking period is over, cut the other branches to promote flowering branches. This can shape the tree in 2-3 years, generally about 1.5 meters high, which is convenient for picking.
2. Pruning Method During Full Bloom
Three years after planting, it enters the full bloom period, focusing on flower production, with the cultivation of the main stem, main branches, and expansion of the canopy as secondary. Generally, pruning is done three times a year.
① First pruning: From winter to early spring of the following year is the first pruning period. This pruning should "cut every branch, remove suckers," and it should be light rather than heavy, cutting off 1/3 of the length of the flowering branches, and removing withered branches, diseased branches, and suckers. After spring germination, promptly remove the lower and inner suckers and buds, and pinch the top before Qingming. The first batch of flowers generally accounts for about 40% of the annual output.
② Second pruning: Mid-June is the second pruning period. At this time, the picking of the first batch of flowers is basically over. The pruning should "pinch the top, clear the center, remove the weak, retain the strong, thin out the shade, and keep the sun, ventilate and let in light." Due to less rain before the wheat harvest, the tree's vitality is weak, so pruning should be relatively heavy and more thinning should be done. Cut the old flowering branches by 1/2, thin out the lower, inner weak branches, and overlapping branches to ventilate and let in light.
③ Third pruning: In late July and early August, after the second batch of flowers is picked, it is the most vigorous growth period with high temperature and humidity. Pruning should be detailed, cutting all flowering branches, retaining all new buds, thinning out the shady branches, inner weak branches, and suckers. If the tree is tall, thin out the top and retain the bottom; if the tree is short, retain the top and thin out the bottom. For trees with dense canopies, pruning methods such as reducing or thinning out large branches should be adopted to ventilate and let in light.
V. Fertilization
Every autumn, apply base fertilizer in strip trenches or pits. When applying in strip trenches, dig on one side of the tree each year, with a trench depth of 30-50 cm and a width of 30 cm. Mix the base fertilizer and surface soil and apply to the bottom layer. Depending on the size of the tree, apply 20-30 jin of organic fertilizer and an appropriate amount of superphosphate and sulfate potassium per plant. This can mature the soil, increase the organic matter content, guide the roots to grow downward, and improve their cold resistance. Apply nitrogen fertilizer once early in the spring and after the flowers are picked, and water promptly after fertilization.
VI. Disease and Pest Control
The main pests and diseases of honeysuckle are aphids, bollworms, bean pod borers, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. Aphid pests are serious in spring, and bollworms and bean pod borers are serious in autumn. Mainly use low-toxic pesticides for control, such as abamectin, spraying once every 7-10 days for 2-3 times, and stop using pesticides half a month before picking. Anthracnose and powdery mildew mostly occur during the rainy season and can be controlled with carbendazim or thiotepa, spraying once every seven days for 3 times.
VII. Picking and Processing
1. Picking
The timely picking of honeysuckle is an important part of increasing yield and quality. Picking too early results in a low yield, and the quality is poor after the flowers open. It is most suitable to pick when the upper part of the flower is swollen and white but not yet open.
2. Processing
① Drying: After picking the flowers, spread them on a drying tray to dry. When the temperature is too high and there is no wind at noon, stack the drying trays, and continue drying after 3 pm. Stack them up and cover them at night to prevent moisture absorption.
② Drying in an oven: After picking the flowers, spread them on a drying tray and put them in the drying room. Keep the room temperature at 40°C on the first day and gradually raise it to about 60°C until dry. The drying room should be ventilated frequently to remove moisture. During drying and sunning, do not move the flowers until they are 70-80% dry, otherwise, they will turn black and affect the quality.
The above is an introduction to honeysuckle cultivation techniques, management methods, and a brief description of honeysuckle care tips, hoping to bring a little help to your life!