In May, we will welcome two traditional solar terms: Lixia (Beginning of Summer) and Xiaoman (Grain Full). The temperature begins to approach the peak of summer, the climate warms up, thunderstorms increase, and apple trees enter a period of nutrient conversion, young fruit development, and vigorous spring shoots. Let's learn and understand the key management points for apple trees in May.
Cultivation Tips for Apple Trees in May
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Thinning and Fruit Setting: When about 80% of the flowers have fallen, thin out excess upward-facing fruits, axillary flower buds, lateral fruits, fruit without secondary shoots, and lotus leaf fruits with less than 5 leaves. Retain tall, white-stemmed, thick-stalked fruits with deep calyx closure and broad shoulder tops on lotus-leaf fruits with more than 5 leaves. Remove large fruits and thin out small ones. Promptly remove frost-damaged, diseased, wilted, contaminated, or mechanically damaged young fruits.
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Nutrient Supplement: After Lixia, apple trees enter a period of nutrient conversion, young fruit development, and vigorous spring shoots. Organic nutrients stored in the roots from the previous year are depleted. Nutrient supply shifts to the nutrients produced by the photosynthesis of new leaves.
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Pruning: Late May to early June is the critical period for apple tree flower bud differentiation and artificial flowering induction. For trees with overall vigorous growth, besides methods like girdling, continue to thin out excessive shoots and branches from below the incision and on the back of the main branches.
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Disease and Pest Control: Common diseases include powdery mildew, rust, apple scab, anthracnose, Alternaria leaf spot, and leaf spot diseases. Common pests include leaf rollers, leaf miners, aphids, apple aphids, and red spider mites. Starting from mid-May, spray to prevent the initial infection of ascospores, ensuring that the disease leaf rate is controlled to within 0.5% by the end of June.
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Fruit Bagging: Pay attention to the specifications of paper bags; neither too large nor too small is suitable. Ensure the legitimacy of the manufacturers.
These are the key points for managing apple trees in May. Timely and proper nutrient supplementation, thinning and fruit setting, as well as disease and pest control, are all crucial tasks.
