Recently, many fruit growers have raised a lot of questions about the problems related to grass production and intercropping in orange orchards. In order to solve these problems, I have compiled some information, I hope it will be helpful to you. Intercropping and grass growth play an important role in the management of citrus orchards, through scientific and reasonable operations, not only can increase income, achieve short growth and growth, but also improve the ecological environment and improve soil fertility.
Interplanting
Citrus usually takes three years to begin to set fruit, and this period is the input phase. In order to make the most of this period, it is a good choice to properly interplant other crops. This not only increases the economic benefits of farmers, but also covers the ground before the citrus trees mature, conserving soil and water, improving soil fertility and improving the overall ecological environment of the orange grove.
Basic requirements for interbreeding:
Does not hinder citrus growth:
Intercropping crops must be done in a way that does not hinder the growth of citrus.
Good for soil improvement:
Intercropping crops should be conducive to soil improvement, have a short growth period, consume less nutrients and water, and do not share pests and diseases with citrus.
Choosing the right intercropping:
Annual leguminous crops and fruits and vegetables are ideal intercropping crops, such as soybeans, mung beans, peas, watermelons, melons, peppers, garlic, onions, leafy vegetables, and medicinal plants atractylodes, peony, wheat winter, lily, etc.
Notes:
Set aside a tree tray:
Juvenile trees should be set aside with a diameter of 1 m of the tray, as the canopy expands, the intercropping area should be reduced year by year, and the intercropping should be stopped after the canopy is sealed.
Unsuitable crops:
Crops with tall stalks, climbing edges and those that need to be erected, as well as pumpkins, sweet potatoes and cold potatoes with strong water and fertility absorption are not suitable for planting in citrus orchards.
Notes on ground vine intercrops:
For ground vine intercrops, such as watermelons and melons, attention should be paid to the whole vine to prevent entanglement of young trees.
Grass
Orchard grass is a kind of soil management system that implements whole garden or inter-row grass cover for orchards, which has a variety of functions, including preventing soil erosion, increasing soil organic matter content, improving soil fertility, regulating orchard microecological environment, and improving fruit coloring and quality.
Grass Mode:
Natural Grass Cultivation:
Eradicate deep roots, tall stalks and other malignant weeds in the orchard, and choose to leave naturally growing, benign grass seeds, so that they cover the surface and do not carry out artificial sowing.
Artificial grass cultivation:
Grass species suitable for the soil climate are selected in the orchard for artificial sowing to inhibit the growth of weeds while not competing with citrus for water and nutrients. Common grass species are ryegrass, chicory, clover, lemon basil, alfalfa, thistle, etc.
Two questions:
Fertilizer and water competition:
In the early stage, there was a problem of competition between grass and fruit trees for fertilizer, but with the increase of grass years and the increase of soil organic matter content, the competition between fertilizer and water gradually decreased, and the cultivation of orchard grass will gradually embark on a benign track.
Pest and Disease Problems:
However, in the long run, orchard grass increases vegetation diversity, provides food and habitat for natural enemies, and has a positive effect on pest control.
Notes:
Handling of young orchards:
Young orchards should only grow grass between the rows, and mature orchards can grow grass between the rows and between the plants.
Increase fertilizer and water input:
Orchards planting grass for the first time should increase fertilizer and water input to alleviate the fertilizer and water competition between fruits and grasses.
Reduction in the number of tillage:
On the premise of grass growth, reduce the number of tillage times in orange orchards, and only properly cultivate them in combination with grass management every year.
Controlling Grass Growth:
Cut the grass during the growing season and control the height of the grass. Before the arrival of high temperatures and droughts, mowing is used to cover the tree trays.
Handling of fruit ripening:
The growth of grass should be controlled during the fruit ripening period, and it is best to shovel or cut weeds in the ripening season, which is conducive to promoting fruit ripening and improving quality.
Grass and intercropping in orchards is a comprehensive management model, which requires reasonable selection and operation by fruit farmers according to the actual situation to ensure the healthy growth and stable yield of citrus orchards.