Jujube professionals
The tall Su strolls through a grove of low fruit trees, undaunted by their thorns. As he prunes, he explains: “This is the third round of fruit thinning.” Small jujubes culled from the branches cover the ground, indicating that diligent fruit thinning is the key to an abundant harvest.
Su reveals that the main factor enabling jujubes to grow with thin skins and tender flesh is the proportion of nitrogen to potassium in the fertilizer. He uses sources of animal protein such as out-of-date milk and liquid eggs, seaweed extract to provide trace elements, and plant protein sources such as rice bran, to make a liquid organic fertilizer that he spreads on the roots.
The variety that won Su the championship was Kaohsiung No. 12 ‘Cherish.’ He says: “‘Cherish’ is low-yielding, but each fruit can weigh 190–220 grams. They’re as large as apples, with a beautiful shape and green color, and they make ideal Lunar New Year gifts.”
In contrast to the extensive cultivation techniques practiced by his father’s generation, Su has reduced the area of his orchards but increased the harvest. This success is thanks mainly to the espalier cultivation method he developed himself. For example, each of his trees growing the Kaohsiung No. 11 ‘Honey’ variety can produce over 400 kilograms of fruit, for an average yield of 3600 kg per 1000 square meters of land—double that of other farmers.
Fruit thinning is done to achieve the optimum leaf to fruit ratio. (photo by Jimmy Lin)
