Walnut tree is also called walnut tree. We often eat it in our life, which has the function of nourishing the brain. The maintenance of walnut trees requires patience. Generally, it takes nearly 10 years for walnut trees to bear fruit, so the maintenance will be very long. But don't worry, as long as you master some key points of time, it is still relatively simple. The following are the maintenance skills of walnut trees, totaling 8 o'clock, so that you can better care for it.
Eight key points of walnut tree maintenance;
1, select seedlings (if not growing from nuts). Where the roots touch the trunk, measure the diameter of the seedlings above the roots 1 inch (2.5 cm). Select seedlings with a minimum diameter of 1/4 inches (0.64 cm), preferably larger. This is the most important index of forecasting quality.
Soilless bare-rooted seedlings should be planted in early spring and before germination, and planted immediately after they are obtained.
Container seedlings can deal with late sowing date and soil drying, but they are usually much more expensive.
2. Sow in spring. Choose well-drained and fertile soil and avoid steep slopes and hilltops. Put the seedlings in a hole twice the diameter of the roots of the seedlings, and the depth of the hole is enough to bury the roots. In order to achieve the best effect, one compost should be backfilled for every three ordinary soils. Thoroughly tamp the soil and water.
Plant seedlings of 12- 17 feet (3.7-5.2 meters) to get the most nuts from the trees. Spacing the seedlings10–12 feet (3.0-3.7m) is most suitable for wood production.
3, reduce the number of watering. Whether planted from nuts or seeds, walnut trees need to be watered at least for the first two years after planting, especially in dry or warm weather. Watering every week is most suitable for newly planted trees, but as the trees grow, you can reduce watering. Water the plants thoroughly, but wait until the soil is basically dry before watering. Frequent watering will harm plants.
After two or three years, you only need to water the trees at the hottest time of the year or during the drought, about once or three times a month.
4. Treat weeds. Keep the seedlings free of turf and weeds in order to compete with the seedlings and protect them. Remove turf and weeds by hand, or lay a fabric weed barrier. Larger seedlings can be treated with mulch, leaving weeds about 2 or 3 inches from the roots.
Don't use mulch for plants that don't sprout from the soil, because mulch will prevent new buds from growing. Wait until the seedlings grow vigorously and grow roots.
5. Learn about pruning walnuts. If you want to plant walnuts as wood, it is very important to prune them as early as possible to ensure that the trunk is straight, and leave a "faucet" branch at the top of the tree to guide them to stand upright in the next one or two growing seasons. You can keep the saplings as nuts until they become thinner, but it is wise to prune the black walnut trees afterwards, because they are usually sold as timber or even nuts.
If you haven't pruned trees before, especially saplings, I suggest you find an experienced pruning machine to help you identify leaders and important branches.
If the top of the tree is forked, bend the best guide rod at right angles and tie it to other branches as support, and then cut off the top of the supporting branch to prevent growth.
6. Sparse the location of trees to choose the best example. Most orchards began to grow plants that were beyond the local capacity. When the trees are big enough to make the branches collide with each other, please choose the healthiest tree to show the characteristics you value, usually the trunk is straight and grows rapidly. Remove the rest, but avoid clearing too much space to prevent weeds and even compete with the growth of trees.
7. Fertilize the trees immediately after they are covered by saplings. At least for black walnut, fertilization is still controversial, because if the soil is already rich in nutrients, fertilization can promote the competition of weeds more than trees. Wait until the suitcase is rod-shaped or at least 4 inches (10cm) in diameter and 4.5 feet (1.4m) above the ground. Ideally, soil or leaves are sent to the laboratory to determine the exact nutritional deficiency. Top dressing can fertilize leaves with water. After fertilization, test the pH value of the soil to see if it needs to be restored to normal level.
8. Control pests. Squirrels are common in walnut forests. If left unchecked, squirrels can eat a whole nut. Cover the trunk with plastic tree cover to prevent them from climbing. If possible, prune branches less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) from the ground, and do not cause knots that will reduce the value of wood. Other pests, such as caterpillars, aphids and flies, vary from region to region. If they are active in the late growing season, they may not harm your tree. Ask a forester or an experienced walnut grower nearby for information about your area.