Is the Ruby crabapple easy to grow?
A small knowledge of life, introducing whether the Ruby crabapple is easy to grow and the key techniques of Ruby crabapple cultivation in the field of flowers. Next, the editor will introduce it to the netizens.
Malus microcarpa cv. "Ruby", is an excellent species for green leafy coloring. In the spring blooming season, the branches are full of bright flowers, deep red leaves, blazing and vivid, with profound meanings. The fruits in full fruiting period are bright red, hanging all over the branches. The red flowers, colorful leaves, and red fruits are a beautiful landscape in parks, government offices, gardens, and roadsides. Ruby crabapple is cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and has strong alkali resistance. It is an excellent colored leaf species for landscape appreciation in the Northeast, with broad planting prospects.
Malus microcarpa cv. "Ruby" belongs to a deciduous small tree, with a straight trunk, developed lateral branches, and stretched young branches. The new leaves are bright red, the leaf surface is smooth and delicate, moist and bright, with red and green alternating in early spring. The flowers are umbrella-shaped racemes, the petals are bright red, with more than 5 petals, and the flowering period is April to May. The fruit is bright red, round, and matures in August to September. Ruby crabapple is very adaptable, drought-resistant, grows well in barren mountainous soil, salt-tolerant, and thrives normally under a pH of 8.0. It can withstand cold temperatures down to -38°C. It is耐修剪 and can be shaped as needed. It is the best urban excellent colored green species.
1. Seedling Propagation
Malus microcarpa cv. "Ruby" seedlings are produced using seed propagation methods.
1.1 Site Selection and Preparation
Select a sandy loam plot near water sources, with convenient transportation and fertile soil. After selecting the plot, clear stones, tree roots, branches, and other debris. Apply 1000 kg of decomposed animal manure per mu, evenly distributed, then rake and deeply plow 45 cm, and make wide ridges 50 cm wide, oriented south to north, with ridge length depending on the plot size.
1.2 Seed Treatment
Malus microcarpa cv. "Ruby" seeds have dormancy, and seed treatment is necessary before sowing to ensure germination rates. The general method of seed treatment is stratified alternating temperature treatment, commonly using sand mixing, snow burial, and alternating temperature methods, depending on production conditions.
1.2.1 Sand Mixing Treatment. Before winter in the Northeast, around the end of November, select a plot of land with a higher elevation and good drainage near the seedling field. Dig a pit 80-100 cm deep and 75-95 cm wide, with the length depending on the number of seeds. After digging, lay a 6-8 cm thick layer of wet sand at the bottom of the pit. Mix seeds and sand at a ratio of 1:3, stir well, put them in bags with good ventilation, one bag per 2 kg, stack them in the pit, then fill with 20 cm of wet sand, cover with soil to form a soil bag, insert a bundle of straw in the middle for ventilation. In early spring of the following year, if the weather is dry, water can be sprinkled to adjust. After the soil thaws, check the temperature and humidity in the pit at least once a week, keeping the temperature between 0-6°C. Depending on the climate and soil moisture, seeds are taken out at the end of March or early April and placed in a greenhouse with a temperature of 22-24.5°C for germination. When 35% of the seeds have whitened, they can be sown.
1.2.2 Snow Burial Treatment. When snow does not melt in winter, mix seeds and snow at a ratio of 1:3, place them in a pre-dug pit, with a 10 cm layer of snow at the bottom and 50 cm of snow on top, covered with a straw mat. Eight to twelve days before spring sowing, remove the seeds and place them in a room with a temperature of 23-25.5°C for germination, maintaining indoor humidity between 70%-80%. When more than 35% of the seeds have germinated, they can be sown.
1.2.3 Alternating Temperature Treatment. Before spring sowing, seeds are treated with alternating temperatures. The method is as follows: after removing impurities, select seeds with salt water, remove immature and diseased seeds, then wash with clean water, soak in 40-42°C warm water for 12 hours, drain the water, mix seeds and sand at a ratio of 1:3, put them in cloth bags, place the bags in a wooden box, and put them in a shed outdoors for 28-35 days, then move them indoors, maintain the room temperature at 20-22°C for high-temperature germination. When 40% of the seeds have germinated, they can be sown.
1.3 Sowing
Use drill sowing, with a spacing of 25 cm x 35 cm on the wide ridges, with an average sowing rate of about 1.2 kg per mu. After sowing, cover with 3-5 cm of soil, press down, and water thoroughly once, using a sprayer with small holes to prevent seed exposure due to high water pressure.
2. Field Management
2.1 Thinning Seedlings
In spring, when the seedlings have 4-5 true leaves, thin the dense seedlings in time, and fill in the gaps with missing seedlings. Generally, thinning is done in two steps, the first when the seedlings are 4-5 cm tall, and the second when they are 6-8 cm tall, removing the weak and leaving the strong, with 10-16 seedlings per meter, yielding more than 0.8 million seedlings per mu.
2.2 Loosening Soil
It is easy for the soil in the seedbed to become compact, especially after watering. Therefore, check in time and loosen the soil after compaction to ensure that the soil is loose for seedling growth.
2.3 Watering
Water thoroughly after sowing, and then adjust moisture according to soil conditions. In dry weather, increase watering frequency; during the rainy season, drain in time to avoid waterlogging. After the seedlings are fully grown, spray water on the leaves before noon to prevent wilting. Water thoroughly before dormancy and stop watering after dormancy.
2.4 Weeding
During the vigorous growth period of the seedlings, weeds grow rapidly. Weeding should be done early, small, and completely. Combine weeding with soil loosening to avoid damaging the seedlings and roots.
2.5 Fertilizing
When the seedlings enter the rapid growth period, apply compound fertilizer in time, with 200 kg per mu. In dry weather, it is best to apply foliar fertilizer.
The above information on whether Ruby crabapple is easy to grow and the key points of Ruby crabapple cultivation techniques, hope it is helpful to you!