Growing Lychees

Not everyone becomes successful in growing lychees. The lychee trees need full sun and yet they can easily get damaged by the wind. Planting the trees out in the open will make them susceptible to wind damage.

It is important that you provide enough protection. Know the growth requirements and soon you will harvest many lychees.

The Growth Requirements

Are you interested in starting your own lychee farm business? If you are, there is a need to know the growth requirements of this fruit. There are some things that you need to consider like location, soil, mounding, fertilizer, pruning, and the pests. You’re lucky if the farm gets a lot of full sun. The area should also provide for wind protection because the trees are very delicate. The development of the tree can be impaired when there is too much wind. The farm should be designed properly to ensure healthy lychee trees all year round.

Check the soil in your farm. Lychee trees prefer soil that is moist, with good drainage, thriving in organic matter, and without vermiculite/perlite or other artificial components. The tree itself can provide some of the organic matter through fallen leaves or branches but you still need to supplement the root zone with organic composts and mulch. It wouldn’t be a great idea to mound the soil around the lychee. Keep in mind that you’re not growing vegetables or row crops. The roots of the trees are spreading and shallow; exposure of the root zone’s cross section can lead to pathogen invasion that can easily damage the roots.

Lychee Farming Business

Once you decide to get involved in the lychee farming business, you will need to supply the trees with adequate organic fertilizer. Don’t use artificial ones because they ca kill the soil ecosystem’s essential organisms. When planting trees, you will need to mulch the area with organic material. You can also add compost from yard waste, leaf litter, and deteriorated food items. Take note of the period after dormancy because this is the time when you need to feed the lychees with cellular phosphorus. Apply foliar phosphorous during this stage.

When you see squirrels on your farm, there is a need to worry. You see, these cute animals love to eat the fruits. It is important that you find a way to get rid of the squirrels, or you’ll end up with a yard full of lychees. The annoying part is that these creatures take around 1-2 bites of the fruit and throw it away! Plant the lychees during late spring. Your farm should ideally have irrigation but if not, you can always rely on natural rainfall. Excess foliage should be removed since this will also encourage the development of the root system. With proper pruning, you can ensure healthy and fruit-bearing lychees. When the fruits are ready to harvest, you can now sell them.

1 Comment

  • Emilia said on February 3, 2016
    Good afternoon, I am Emilia. A Nigerian who reside in Kenya. Interested in snail farming. Would like to know if there is a breed that takes 6month to marture, where to get, and to be connected to a snail farmer here in Kenya where I can b trained. Tanks.

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