When irrigating greenhouse fruit trees, it’s crucial to have a precise plan for water usage due to their large size and water requirements. Therefore, it’s essential to understand how to water greenhouse fruit trees correctly. Here are four key techniques:
- Switch to Subsurface Irrigation: Use the method of irrigating beneath the surface by covering the ground with a thin film. Covering the soil prevents water evaporation and reduces humidity inside the greenhouse.
- Adjust Water Amounts for Different Areas: In areas with significant temperature variations, such as the southern part of the greenhouse (or areas near heat sources like stove flues), where soil moisture evaporation is high, increase the frequency and volume of watering. Conversely, in the cooler eastern, western, and northern parts with shorter sunlight exposure, reduce both the frequency and volume of watering accordingly.
- Shift from Flood Irrigation to Drip Irrigation: Avoid flood irrigation inside the greenhouse as it significantly reduces soil temperature and increases humidity, potentially affecting the growth and development of trees and fruits. Instead, opt for drip irrigation, ensuring smaller but more frequent water applications, adjusting them based on weather conditions.
- Prioritize Ventilation and Moisture Control: After watering, prioritize ventilation and moisture control within the greenhouse to reduce the risk of disease. Sprinkling dry straw or wood ash throughout the greenhouse floor can help absorb moisture and prevent fungal growth.
- Ventilation timing and frequency should be adjusted based on the growth characteristics of tree species and varieties, along with greenhouse temperature regulation. Relative humidity levels should be maintained around 70%-80% during canopy closure to flowering, 50%-60% during flowering, 40%-50% during fruit expansion, and around 50% during fruit coloring.