Peach Tree Planting Methods and Management
A detailed introduction to the planting methods and management of peach trees and a brief description of the cultivation techniques of green plant maintenance, let's learn about it together.
I. Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Management
1. Soil Management
1.1 Deep Soil Cultivation
Deep plowing of the soil can enhance its aeration and water retention ability, which is beneficial for microbial activity and promotes the transformation of soil organic nutrients. Deep plowing should be done in autumn and winter, with a depth of 50-60 cm, slightly shallower for sandy soil, and deeper for clay soil. It is advisable to combine deep plowing with the application of organic residue fertilizer and green manure to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil.
1.2 Inter-tilling and Weeding
Inter-tilling is generally carried out after heavy rain or when the soil is compacted. By loosening the soil, it increases soil aeration, reduces water evaporation, and is beneficial for root growth.
Weeding should be done during the growing period of the peach trees from June to August. Weeding can reduce the competition between weeds and peach trees for nutrients and water. There are two methods of weeding: manual weeding and chemical weeding. Chemical weeding commonly uses 10% glyphosate 800 times solution, applying 150 kg per mu, which can eliminate many annual weeds, and using 100 times solution can eliminate many perennial weeds. Care should be taken not to spray the medicine on the trees.
1.3 Inter-cropping
In young peach orchards, inter-cropping other crops in the space between rows can increase income in the early stage. Inter-cropping in peach orchards should choose crops with short growing periods, weak fertilizer absorption, small plant size, and those that can improve soil fertility, such as beans, peanuts, strawberries, watermelons, and vegetables. Avoid planting tall-stalked plants.
2. Fertilization
Reasonable fertilization is one of the important measures for peach trees to achieve high yield, stable yield, and good quality. To fertilize peach trees properly, it is necessary to understand the nutritional and physiological characteristics of peach trees: 1) Peach trees have well-developed horizontal root systems, with most roots concentrated in the range of 20-40 cm, which have strong fertilizer absorption capacity, resulting in high nutrient consumption in the surface soil. Insufficient fertilization can easily affect tree vigor and yield. 2) Young peach trees grow vigorously and are sensitive to nitrogen. Excessive nitrogen can cause excessive growth, making it difficult to form flower buds, delay fruiting, and cause severe physiological fruit drop. After the peak fruiting period, the tree vigor tends to weaken, and additional nitrogen fertilizer should be applied to enhance tree vigor, increase yield. 3) Potassium has an important effect on peach fruit development. An adequate supply of potassium results in larger and better-quality fruit. Potassium deficiency causes leaves to wrinkle and curl, the leaf ridge to turn light red or purple, leaf cracking, early defoliation, and severe physiological fruit drop. 4) Peach trees prefer slightly acidic soil and grow well at pH 5-6.5. Fertilization should be carried out based on these nutritional and physiological characteristics.
2.1 Basic Fertilizer
Peach trees can be fertilized from the time of defoliation to the dormant period, with the best results in autumn. The basic fertilizer should be mainly slow-release fertilizer, combined with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium quick-release fertilizers. The fertilization position is below the edge of the tree canopy, both in the root concentration area for easy absorption and use, and in the deep soil to promote root downward growth, generally at a depth of 30-50 cm. Fertilization methods include annular trench fertilization, radial trench fertilization, and strip fertilization. The amount of early maturing varieties accounts for 70%-80% of the annual total, and late maturing varieties account for 60%-70% of the annual total.
2.2 Fruit Boosting Fertilizer
The timing is before the young fruit stops dropping and before the hardening of the core. The purpose of this fertilization is to promote fruit expansion and branch filling. Quick-release potassium fertilizer is mainly used, with early maturing varieties focusing on potassium fertilizer, accounting for 30% of the annual total, and no phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer is needed. Medium and late maturing varieties have potassium fertilizer accounting for 40% of the annual total, nitrogen fertilizer 20%, and phosphorus fertilizer 25%, with vigorous trees not needing nitrogen fertilizer.
2.3 Post-harvest Fertilizer
Early and medium maturing varieties can be fertilized immediately after harvesting, and late maturing varieties should be fertilized 10-20 days before harvesting, mainly using quick-release nitrogen fertilizer. The purpose is to recover tree vigor and increase nutrient accumulation in the tree. The amount of fertilizer accounts for 15%-20% of the annual total.
2.4 Topdressing
Topdressing, also known as foliar spraying, has a quick effect and can meet the urgent nutrient needs of peach trees and correct certain nutrient deficiencies. From germination to harvest, urea 0.4%-0.5% can be sprayed multiple times. From physiological fruit drop to maturity, 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be sprayed in combination with pest and disease control, or a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can be applied. Boric acid or borax 0.2% can be sprayed 1-2 times during the initial and full blooming periods to increase the fruit setting rate.
2.5 Fertilization Amount
The amount of fertilization should be determined based on various factors such as tree age, tree vigor, yield, and soil nutrient status. Chinese data indicate that the annual fertilization amount for adult peach trees is: nitrogen 0.75-1.25 kg (equivalent to urea 1.63-2.72 kg), phosphorus 0.35-0.5 kg (equivalent to superphosphate 2.33-3.33 kg), potassium 0.5-0.75 kg (equivalent to potassium sulfate 1.0-1.5 kg). The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is: 1:0.5:1 in the northern region and 1:0.5:0.5 in the southern region. More fertilizer is applied in thin land, grass-covered gardens, and sandy soil, with slightly lower fertilization for early maturing varieties and slightly higher for late maturing varieties. Young trees receive 10%-50% of the adult tree fertilization amount.
3. Irrigation
During the growing period of peach trees, the water requirement is high during the new shoot growth period, young fruit period, and fruit expansion period. In the Sichuan Basin, spring drought often occurs, which coincides with the fruit growth period of early and medium maturing varieties, so attention should be paid to irrigation 2-3 times. Combining irrigation with the application of pig manure water results in better effects.
II. Pruning and Shaping
(I) Shaping
Peach trees prefer sunlight and have a good trunk character, so the open-center shape is suitable. Depending on the planting density, the natural open-center shape and the two-major-brain open-center shape are generally used.
1. Natural Open-Center Shape
The natural open-center shape is suitable for square and rectangular planting peach orchards and is currently the most commonly used shaping method. The method is as follows: After planting peach seedlings, leave a height of 40-60 cm for the trunk, and select 3-4 strong new shoots within 15-20 cm below the cut for growth and training as main branches, removing the rest of the new shoots. In May to July, before the branches become lignified, pull the branches to open the angle, preferably 45-60 degrees. In winter shaping, the extension branches of the main branches are pruned by 1/3 or 1/2 depending on the growth condition, leaving an outer bud at the cut. On the main branch, select a strong branch 80-100 cm away from the base for training as a secondary main branch, and in the third year, train the second secondary main branch depending on the situation, with a distance of about 50 cm from the first secondary main branch and in the opposite direction. When shaped, there are 3 main branches and 3-6 secondary main branches.
2. Two-Major-Branch Natural Open-Center Shape
Also known as the "Y" shape, it is suitable for dense planting in wide rows (5-6 meters) or mountainous peach orchards, especially suitable for regions with high rainfall, less sunlight, and in the south. The characteristics of this shape are easy shaping, consistent growth between main branches, an open canopy, and good ventilation and light transmission. There are a total of two major branches, at a 45-degree angle to the centerline, with 1-2 lateral branches on each main branch. The first lateral branch is behind the branch, 80-100 cm away from the main stem, maintaining a 70-80-degree angle, and the second lateral branch is spaced 60 cm apart from the first lateral branch, in the opposite direction to the main branch, and at a 60-degree angle to the main branch. There are two methods of shaping: one is to manually pull the central stem斜45 degrees to become the first main branch, and in the summer, select a strong summer shoot in the lower part as the second main branch. The other method is to select two staggered, evenly growing, and horizontally extending new shoots within 15-30 cm below the cut after the seedlings are cut, and train them into main branches while adjusting the angle between the two main branches.
Peach Tree Planting Methods and Management
(II) Pruning
Pruning periods are divided into dormant period pruning and growing period pruning.
1. Dormant Period Pruning
It is carried out from after defoliation to before germination, mainly including shortening pruning and thinning pruning.
(1) Shortening Pruning: Long branches are pruned short to promote the growth of buds below the cut. Fruit branches pruned short can increase the fruit setting rate. Heavy shortening pruning is performed on new shoots near the main branches to promote new shoot growth, commonly used for updating branches.
(2) Thinning Pruning: Dense branches and weak branches are pruned from the base, leaving the remaining branches evenly distributed. Long branches of young vigorous trees are thinned to allow them to bear fruit while promoting the growth of outer fruit branches and calming the tree vigor.
2. Growing Period Pruning, also known as Summer Pruning
Main pruning periods and methods include:
(1) Re-pruning and芽 removal: After germination and before the new shoot growth period, mainly remove competitive buds or new shoots at the cut, and weak branches, water sprouts, and diseased branches in the inner canopy.
(2) Pinching and Twisting: During the rapid growth period of new shoots, pinch the vertical growing water sprouts and other strong branches near the main branches. Pinching is done when the new shoot is 10-30 cm long, after which the branches that year can grow weaker branches to form fruit branches. Twisting the strong branches 90-120 degrees can make the branches grow stronger and promote flower bud differentiation.
(3) Cutting and Pulling: In May, when most branches have stopped growing, cut the 1-2 secondary shoots at the base of the water sprouts, and cut the strong shoots on the extension branches of the main branches to the outer secondary shoots, controlling the upper growth势. Thin dense branches to improve ventilation and light transmission. Pulling is done in June and July to open the angle of young trees and calm the growth of strong branches.
(III) Different Tree Age Shaping and Pruning
1. Young Trees Shaping and Pruning
The main task is to shape the tree, quickly expand the canopy, calm the tree vigor, and rapidly form various fruiting branches. Promote early fruiting and early high yield. The pruning principle is "shape according to the tree, first chaotic then tidy, light pruning and long release, expand the canopy." Mainly long release and light pruning, combined with adjusting the angle of the main branches, balanced pruning, and appropriately leaving more supporting branches and fruiting branches. For large branches that do not affect the growth of the main branches, thin out strong branches, lightly prune and long release, temporarily using them for fruiting.
2. Adult Trees Pruning
Follow the principle of "few main branches but refined, clear subordination, long release and shortening, delay aging and increase fruiting." Pruning should be gradually intensified with the increase in fruit yield, timely updating the main branches, avoiding the withering of the lower branches. Fruit branch groups are mainly pruned by shortening, combined with thinning, generally leaving long fruit branches 10-20 cm, medium and short fruit branches about 10 cm for shortening. Reserve branches are selected based on tree vigor, with fewer branches left on vigorous trees, fewer branches on the outer part of the canopy, and more branches on the lower part.
3. Aging Trees Pruning
After peach trees enter the aging period, the lower part is empty, and a large number of medium and short fruit branches dry up, yield decreases, and quality is poor. The task of pruning is to severely cut back and update the main branches. Generally, pruning is done at the 3-6-year-old position of the main branches, with branching positions and inner sprouts. Use the outer sprouts to gradually train into main branches and re-expand the canopy. For the inner sprouts, do not cut them easily and use them to fill the empty spaces as much as possible.
Peach tree updating, if combined with root soil improvement and fertilizer and water management, will have better results.