Several matters needing attention in post-harvest management of apricot trees

    How to manage apricots after harvesting fruit? Apricot trees consume a lot of nutrients after fruit-hanging. After fruit-unloading, they are in the stage of flower bud differentiation and need adequate nutrient supply. Therefore, timely application of fertilizers and timely nutrition supplementation should be carried out. In addition, we should pay attention to the following aspects.

    1. Do a good job of pruning. After harvesting, apricot trees must be pruned in summer to prune dry and dead branches and split branches, and the fruiting branches which are significantly weakened and drooping after harvesting should be retracted properly. For the elongated branches sprouting in the crown, measures such as picking and twisting shoots should be taken to control the vegetative growth, and for those without growth space, timely removal should be made. In order to reduce the nutrient consumption of trees, upright branches, crossed branches, overlapping branches, disease and insect branches and weak branches should be pruned. For trees with small opening angles, they can use ropes to pull branches, or use bricks or stones to drop branches.

   2. Prevention and control of diseases and insects. Apricot trees are often harmed by pests and diseases after fruit harvesting. It is necessary to spray pesticides timely to protect leaves and increase nutrient accumulation according to the actual situation. Aphids can be controlled by spraying 2500 times of the 20% quick-killing Ding solution. Apricot trees are prone to red spiders. When red spiders harm leaves, they will cause early defoliation and affect flower bud differentiation. They will have fewer flowers, fewer fruits and lower yields in the coming year. It can be treated with 15% pyridaben 1000 times solution or 1.8% avermectin 3000 ~ 4000 times solution.

   3. Strengthening soil and fertilizer management. Apricot trees should be plowed and loosened immediately after fruit picking, with a general depth of 5 to 10 cm. It is advisable to combine deep tillage with base fertilizer before defoliation with 30 to 40 centimeters. Secondly, a quick-acting fertilizer should be applied in time after harvesting, 0.5 kg urea per adult apricot tree, and then watered. Before deciduous apricot trees in autumn, basic fertilizer was applied once, mainly high-quality farm manure, mixed with a small amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In addition, because apricot trees are not waterlogged, when the rainy season comes, if there is water in the apricot garden, it should be discharged in time to prevent apricot trees from being susceptible to waterlogging. Combined with topdressing, weeds, fallen leaves, rotten fruits, pests and diseases in orchards should be cleaned up in time and buried deeply to prevent the spread of pests and insect eggs.

   4. Spraying growth regulator. The apricot tree can be sprayed with 500 mg of Paclobutrazol solution 1 to 2 times per kg, and 0.3% urea solution or 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution at the same time. Before soil freezing, water apricots once to ensure that they survive the winter safely.

    In addition, it should be noted that after apricot harvest, the whole orchard should be cultivated, combined with fertilization and deep ploughing. Through deep ploughing, soil structure can be improved, root growth can be promoted, cold resistance can be improved, and the base number of overwintering pests can be reduced.