What to pay attention to when planting lychee

Planting lychee requires attention to key aspects such as variety selection, soil conditions, water and fertilizer management, pest control, and pruning and shaping. Litchi is a typical tropical and subtropical fruit tree that has specific requirements for temperature, humidity, and soil. Scientific management is necessary to ensure fruit quality and yield.

1. Variety selection

Select varieties with strong stress resistance according to the local climate, such as Feizixiao, which is suitable for warm and humid areas, and Guiwei, which has good cold resistance. Grafted seedlings bear fruit earlier than seedlings, and it is recommended to choose robust grafted seedlings that are 2-3 years old. Avoid selecting weak seedlings with pests and diseases. High quality seedlings have thick and robust trunks, well-developed roots, and no mechanical damage.

2. Soil Improvement

Litchi is suitable for loose sandy loam soil with a pH value of 5.5-6.5. Before planting, it needs to be deeply plowed and mixed with decomposed organic fertilizer. Excessive groundwater level can easily cause root rot disease, and it is necessary to dig drainage ditches to control the water level below 1 meter. Viscous soil should be mixed with river sand to improve its permeability, and organic fertilizer can be applied in a circular ditch every autumn to improve the soil quality.

3. Water and fertilizer management

Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged during the young tree stage, and moderately control water during the flower bud differentiation stage of the tree. Adopting the principle of thin fertilization and frequent application, nitrogen fertilizer is applied during the new shoot period, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are increased during the flowering period, and organic fertilizer is supplemented after fruit harvesting. Avoid excessive use of chemical fertilizers at once, and during the high temperature period in summer, foliar spraying of trace elements can be used to prevent physiological yellowing of leaves.

4. Disease and pest control

focuses on the prevention and control of stem borers, stink bugs, and anthrax. Clearing the garden in winter reduces the source of overwintering insects. Hang insect traps to kill adult insects, and bag the fruits during the development period to prevent insects. Discovering diseases and promptly cutting off diseased branches, alternating the use of biological pesticides and low toxicity chemical agents, and stopping medication 20 days before fruit harvesting.

5. Tree pruning

Cultivate 3-4 main branches of young trees to create an open tree shape, and after fruit harvesting, prune excessively dense and excessively long branches. Control the tree height within 3 meters for easy management, and shorten the inner branches appropriately to promote ventilation and light transmission. If the wound is trimmed more than 2cm, apply protective agent, and avoid re trimming before and after rainstorm.

The cultivation of lychee requires the establishment of a systematic management log to record phenological period, fertilization and medication data. During the fruit color transition period, a bird proof net should be set up, and harvesting should be carried out in the morning at low temperatures. Smoking and anti freezing measures should be taken when the winter temperature is below zero degrees, and artificial pollination is required for continuous rainy weather. Suggest intercropping with citrus and other crops to improve microclimate, but maintain sufficient spacing to avoid nutrient competition. Regularly check the soil EC value and adjust the fertilization plan to achieve a balance between high quality and high yield and ecological protection.