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Pruning Maintenance and All aboutfor the preparation lychee tree tree strength I’VE just arrived back on the ByGOOD ADAM BOORMAN gardeners! Time flies, island afterday, a few weeks •away, and Features Reporter • I yes? is subjective also.mainteHad ITribune go Time straight back to the acadet@tribunemedia.net planted lychee (Litchi chinensis nance thata the summer months make Sonn/Nephelium litchihadCambess) necessary. NOW that we have the first from seed 15 or 20 years ago,through, I might Most things are growing like storm of the season pass have a few lychee fruit from that weeds, the weeds growing pruningand is again on my are to-do listtree in by now to enjoy. Untilsuper then, they are a like they’re some powered the garden. We had some small trees demanding shade tree at best. green monster to cover the getNot blown downdesigned in that particularly fast (fortunately) growing, the earth with their offspring. Howand sharp weak tropical system Isaias, it lychee takes its time to mature, and are your clippers machetes? reminds me reason that and tree pruning needs this is the that air layering Most weedItkillers toxic to to continue. is alsoare a so great exists. Commercially, they are time layanything living that I don’t like to to prune hedges, shrubs, perennials, ered for propagation as they grow promote their use and wiseMuch applicaand anything branching. of a strong enough rootstock by that tion is helpful to the living world. the garden should be growing quite method and remain true to type. It is Spraying weeds be the quickly this time can of varieties year. If most your said thatatfor the choicest have efficient management method in garden not growing quickly it may greater isvariation in offspring quality, some situations I always be doing some fertilizing to andworth that the seed but of the lychee isleave only weed to to befive used onlysoas ais last green and boost branching, flowerviablekillers for four days, it not resort. ing and rootthat development. For those something is recommended to The vegetable garden buy unknown sources overgone the of usfrom that are relegated tohas our own kaput while I was away,the so years what internet. Itodohelp not stem have 15and orspread 20 property of do we do have to wait onnow? those fruit,us, if we youstill have got COVID-19, get For your clippers, hedge several weeks maintenance, potkids, well, eventually they may thank shears, saws orofscissors out and get you for someand of them. It ting up, planting fertilizing, pruning trimming! certainly does nottohurt plantbefore them year-round material do It’s important dototo a few things anyway; every tree one we get to thinking aboutevery correctly when it benefits comes toreseedprunof us. ing and regrowing veggies. We are larger trees, and even medium If you are seeking lychee in removing anything left overfruit andfrom nota and small trees will benefit faster time frame though, and if you producing in the veggie beds, except these steps. Primarily, it is all about have spaceand for onions, only a tree or two espefor herbs okra, peppers, the branching angles. Wider angles cially, do not even bother with seeding sweet potato, cassava, pigeon peas, make for stronger branching. Tighter them.cherry Layertomatoes, friend or neighwild andbranching. eggplant. angles make from for aweak bour’s treething or buy from a reputable The one that stands out the for Early corrective pruning when supplier. Now, don’t get upset with me me isisayoung grafted tomato that is going tree is the efficient way to if you’ve just seeded some and you’ve strong and resetting fruit, even now prevent much heavier work in the got the space to plant them and let in thegrow, middle ofthem! summerthe which is future. Try grow to encourage crotch them both impressive and surprising to angles on branches to be at least Lychee trees are not very salt tolme. 45 degrees from the upright, main erant or wind tolerant and they are It isplanted aup perfect time of year to prune trunk, toin90 degrees. This is best a protected location bougainvillea, and for those especially to preferably create plants wind with full tobeneficial part shade, in already established, prune them tolerance (hurricane alley….!), and a relatively deep soilwe base. They are hard during by medium cutting particularly with that a strong treethe withsummer afruit slow trees to them back wood so that the size bear more weight than the average growth rateto and they have a relatively remains controllable where that to is non-fruiting tree. Allowing wind thick foliage to make a medium to desired. They regrowshade, so easily through atheir tree foliage isbut always heavy move low hanging they quickly that itsusceptible iscleaning almost impossible to are work highly to the nutrient less that up mess cut them much. Most anymoved shrub deficiencies, OK? The history of the left from atoo tree that the wind distribution of back the through. lychee is complex can be than pruned quite hard at this rather moved and quite fascinating if you are up for time, Hibiscus, island ficus, Always removegreen dead wood from a follow up read, cite the first referetcetera, control their size. trees andto shrubs. Dead wood adds ence notedplants below. Garden arewind usingresistance up a lot unnecessary weight, The soils in ourpests archipelago are of the available nutrients in the and it can harbour and disease. (generally and variably) alkaline soils during this, their peakas growTermites enjoy dead wood well! and lychee’s range is is anasacidic ing season. If going Where to cutnative is asanything important how pale or For yellowing, takefinal a piece of a to cut. trees, the cut after branch or stem with leaves your removal should be into made at favorite garden center for tree recomthe branch collar so that the can mendations for nutrients to ensure
An example of a weak branch angle susceptible to splitting. This type of branch should be removed.
Adam Boorman proper growth and in base where they can appearance thrive. At the heal properly without allowing for some or of disease the more nutrient demandRedlands in South Florida there are pests to intrude. Here are lychee groves that palms, are proing plants (lady hibiscus, some helpful pointers forhighly pruning: ductive inetcetera). the good (theytwigs are gardenia, • Dead, dying or years unsightly apparently quite cyclical), and when Some slower growing materials and branches. I(lady was palms, roaming the areaarea difficult gardenia) • Sprouts growing near the base of few weeks ago once the trees to green up again they get defithe trunk. were loaded, but the fruitSLOW to grow and a decient, and regular maintenance • Crossed and branchesis a reputaing season inbranches that location manding tree, you than will have recommended in the form of nutripruning,bleit is still a growing toward the current centre of earned the theOther supplier, is finished now. The fruits of your sucent applications before the problem very active season for garden pests. tree. or to air issue now for lychee in the cess if you shows itself. crotches. If it is possible If cultivate you’re lychee. practicing alayer gooda IPM • Narrow new region (other than too much For allwithout the lawn lovers out there, (integrated pest management) proto doand so ruining the appeartree from heat humidity) is a mite how sharp are the blades on your gramme, hopefully all of your garden ance of the tree, remove one of the an existing that is affecting groves. The lawn mower? To thick fruiting is not negatively bybe them at tree. Theaffected fruits can quite members forming the the weak crotch. mite at issue is keep called thelawn Erinose and lush, regular mowing needed this point. Continue to monitor for in size and texture, as well mite. It creates galls onfuture theisleaf and variable This helps to prevent storm weed infested, a post-emergent herand the blades getdifficult dull over time. as crawling and flying insects and in the time of year theypests. fruit is supposedly quite to eradidamage. bicide and fertilizer isthat recommended So• rather thanleaders. cutting and blades of in. per the initial reference As As earlier mentioned, it may benoted time cate. It is microscopic too small Multiple Ifthemore than to apply in the next few weeks. Buy grass, theeye, lawn end many varietiesdown that to see by butmower gallsononablades the leaf of below, to get there someare plant nutrients one leader develops tree that or rent a spreader for best results. been prized in its native ranges lychee will confirm presence of have up tearing them, andthe this cancut create to support stronger pest resistance, normally has a single stem, out Hand application inconsistent and China, but they is are limited as to them. of my knowledge a bit a the raggedy looking lawn. wind resistance, branching, rootall butofTo one to best encourage the tree An to in not uniform, and byfruiting using aexcept spreader what is available commercially even and research, we do not yet have annual blade sharpening will help to ing, flowering, and if develop its normal shape. (rotary ortree drop spreader, they are grown Asia, the present the though keep a tidy andmite healthy lawn. your fruit has fruitthrough on it dependnow. If • Erionose Remove branches thatinThere may Africa, the Ameriing upon the fruit sizeand and design of your Bahamas. are machine andhazards lawn mower your tree has left in on it after the develop into shops potential such Southern and have been transported Lychee are businesses grown successfully to cas lawn area), morebeing productive and maintenance that get wind blew through, wait until a few as low-hanging branches thatwill interhundreds ofcan years. The lychee our north andright, south, and don’t therewant are for uniform results be achieved. So, the job done if you after history, the fruiting has finished fere with traffic and weakened or weeks a grand that again I suglarge fruiting trees here in New has it seems that there is a lot to do out to break out the fileright yourself. to begin adding nutrients. Fruiting dead branches that may break. taking minutes to read Providence. It is possible to grow a gest there. Keepaatfew it,a even through the will showother greatthan results up different fertiliz•Lawns Single branches onneed if youquite are interested. To confruiting lychee tree, but as usual, itthe is trees heat! if they are fertilized in August. I ing routine than non-fruiting trees. leader sometimes develop faster recommended to either source from clude, plant lychee in a protected The veggie growing season be always a fertilizer with Native trees typically do not will need than therecommend rest of the tree. They need upon us in a blink of an eye. Itwhen may a be pre-emergent be fertilized, except maybe to cut back to herbicide allow the to treepreto to even be beneficial to start vent weeds beforeshape. they take hold. young develop its normal to promote stronger andamendfaster Conversely, if your lawn is already ing your veggie garden area in
establishment. If there are no native location away from wind and salt trees Choose in your an yard, consider spray. areaplease with deep soils orgive more, if you havesupthe ifplanting possibleone and them ample space. If you do not have space for plemental nutrients throughout the a native tree or more, in native shrubs year. As with anything our region NOW is the perfect time will encourage balance in the garden there willtobe pest problems, but I prune your bougainvillea. just as well as native trees. to attack have not noticed anything I lychee wish you all seeding of the where best during the to for the point draspreparation or planting these difficult isand trying Keep times.anI tic remediation necessary. in another several weeks. Collect and eye on your young andgarden, try to encourage you to gettrees into the turn in some seaweed green into your veg keep leaf a medium get tothe pruning and trimming,colour, get to garden soils. It will benefitvariation the soils even though some colour fertilizing where necessary, and get and by the time get to exists between theyou named varieties. to composting. Please, plant areplantnative ing or in shrub. September or October, the Happy gardening, and as to always, tree Pay attention trees seaweed will have had a chance good luck! when they are young to avoid prob-to breakdown and inwill started lems with them thehave future. As the always, nursery I giving• Adam back thehappy soils.is gardening! As always, I wishtoBoorman you manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You wish you happy gardening! can contact him with any questions • Adam Boorman is the nursery you have, or topics •may Adam Boorman isyou the would nursery manager at the like FoxtoHill Nursery. You see discussed, at manager at the Fox Hillany Nursery. You can contact him with questions gardening242@gmail.com. can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would you may have, you would like or to topics see discussed, at like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com. gardening242@gmail.com.
