Planting and Management of Ginseng Fruit Trees

Ginseng fruit is a popular fruit in recent years. It mainly comes in round and oval shapes, and more and more users are growing it. As a highly adaptable crop, ginseng fruit can grow in a variety of soil types, providing planting flexibility for farmers in the north and south. Let’s learn about the planting and management of ginseng fruit trees.

1. Land preparation and fertilization

Apply 8,000 to 10,000 kilograms of fully decomposed farmyard manure per mu. Spread half of the base fertilizer on the surface and deep plow the land to ensure that the fertilizer is evenly mixed with the soil. Dig furrows according to the planting row spacing, mix the remaining organic fertilizer with 30 to 40 kg of diammonium phosphate and apply it. After mixing evenly, water the soil and fill in ridges.

Use a row spacing of 80 to 100 cm, a plant spacing of 40 to 50 cm, a ridge height of 15 cm, and a depth of 15 to 20 cm. An irrigation ditch is opened in the middle of the bed, and ground film is laid on the bed surface to form an under-film concealed irrigation system.

2. Planting

The minimum temperature during transplanting should not be lower than 5℃, and the ground temperature at 10cm should be stable at above 12℃. Water lightly 2 days before planting the seedlings to keep the soil moist to facilitate transplanting and reduce root damage. Select healthy seedlings with thick stems, short nodes and no diseases or insect pests for planting, grade them by size and manage them separately. When cultivating on high ridges, the plant spacing should be maintained at 35 to 45 cm, and 2,500 to 3,000 plants should be planted per mu.

When the weather is warm in autumn and winter, use open water for transplanting, that is, plant the seedlings first and then water them, which is conducive to seedling growth. In the cold season, water the plants after dry planting and then divide them. Cover the soil after the water has seeped in, and then water the plants 1 to 2 times. Cover the ground with plastic film, dig holes and plant seedlings, then cover with soil and water. After the water seeps in, seal the film tightly.

For seedlings that are growing too tall, adopt the lying planting method, remove the lower leaves, bury the stem nodes in the soil, promote the growth of adventitious roots, and facilitate the formation of strong seedlings.

For ornamental cultivation, ginseng fruit can be planted in pots with a diameter of 35 to 40 cm, with one plant per pot. Choose seedlings with 4 main branches or plant two plants together to increase the ornamental value.

3. Temperature Management

Ginseng fruit likes warmth but avoids high temperatures. Temperature management needs to be adjusted accordingly in different seasons and growing periods. As the seasons get colder in autumn and winter, you need to cover the plant with plastic film when the average daily temperature drops to 16°C, and add straw thatch and paper quilts to keep the plant warm at night when the temperature is below 10°C.

Pay attention to ventilation in the early stage of film fastening, control the daytime temperature at 15-25℃, and the maximum temperature not exceeding 28℃; the nighttime temperature at 15-10℃, and not lower than 5℃. When suitable temperature cannot be guaranteed, take heating measures.

In the early stage of winter and spring, focus on heating and keeping warm. When the weather turns warmer, increase ventilation to prevent high temperature damage. When the outside minimum temperature is stable at above 10℃, ventilation can be carried out day and night; when it is above 15℃, the greenhouse film should be gradually removed.

4. Topdressing and watering

When base fertilizer is sufficient, top dressing is generally not required before fruit setting to avoid excessive plant growth. When the first bunch of fruits grows to the size of walnuts, start applying fertilizer and watering to promote fruit enlargement. Apply 20 to 25 kilograms of ammonium nitrate or diammonium phosphate per mu. The frequency of top dressing is once for each ear of fruit.

During the flowering and fruiting period, foliar spraying of fertilizers such as urea, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, boron fertilizer, etc. can be used alone or in combination. During the fruiting period, the frequency of watering needs to be increased to keep the soil moist. Deep well water should be used in winter to avoid lowering the ground temperature.

5. Inserting racks and tying vines

Ginseng fruit is a creeping stem, and after bearing fruit, it is difficult to stand upright due to the increased weight, so it needs to be supported by a frame, which is conducive to management and improves yield and quality.

You can use bamboo poles to build a tripod or quadrilateral frame with a height of 1 to 1.5 meters. The hanging vine method is recommended to reduce costs and shading problems. After setting up the frame, tie the stems and vines to the frame regularly. Usually, one vine is tied for each bunch of fruit. Different tying methods are used depending on the strength of the growth potential.

6. Pruning

Ginseng fruit cuttings can sprout multiple main branches, and side branches can sprout from the main branches. The specific number of branches left depends on the cultivation conditions. Generally, 2 to 4 main branches are left for each plant, 2 for dense planting and 3 to 4 for sparse planting. Generally, no side branches are left in the early stage, but 1 to 2 side branches can be retained in the middle stage to keep the plant ventilated and light-permeable. In North China, it is recommended to prune every 10 to 15 days, remove excess branches, select the best branches for cuttings, and the remaining branches can be used for other purposes.

In summary, only through these management measures can ginseng fruit cultivation achieve high-quality production. In addition, everyone should also pay attention to disease and pest control when planting ginseng fruit.