How to Plant Loquat Seeds? A Step-by-Step Guide to the Planting Method

Loquat is a popular fruit, with plenty of flesh, a sweet taste, and very high nutritional value. The loquat seeds left over after eating can still be planted and make excellent ornamental plants. So how should loquat seeds be planted?

1. How to Plant Loquat Seeds?

1. Seed selection: the loquat seeds chosen for planting must be free of insect eggs, and the plumper the seed, the easier it will be to germinate after planting. Any pulp remaining on the seed must be washed clean, otherwise it will rot very easily once planted in the soil and will also attract insects that harm the soil.

2. Germination: once the loquat seeds have been cleaned, prepare a basin of clean water and simply put the seeds in it. However, the water needs to be changed frequently, roughly once a day, and once the sprouts appear they can be sown into the soil.

3. Pot and soil: the preparation before planting is to get the pot and soil ready. It is recommended to use a flower pot with small holes, and to place a mesh mat at the bottom of the pot. Fill it with fine soil, and this soil should be in a sterile and odorless state.

4. Planting: the planting method is also very simple. Place the seeds on the potting soil, keeping a certain spacing between them, and then cover them well with soil. After that, water them a little and place them in a ventilated spot without sunlight.

2. The Growing Environment of Loquat

Loquat likes light and tolerates slight shade. It prefers a warm climate and soil that is rich in fertilizer and moisture and drains well. It tolerates cold slightly but not severe cold, and it grows slowly. In areas with an average temperature above 12-15, a winter low no lower than -5°C, and no lower than 0°C during the flowering and young fruit stages, it can all grow well.

3. Temperature Control for Loquat

Loquat originates from the subtropics and requires relatively high temperatures. It can grow normally with an annual average temperature above 12°C, but for commercial cultivation the annual average temperature should be 15-17°C, with no severe cold weather. The loquat flowering period is in late winter and early spring, and low temperatures in winter and spring will affect its flowering and fruiting. At -6°C, frost damage occurs to flowering, and at -3°C to young fruit; pollen begins to germinate above 10°C, and pollen germination is most suitable at around 20°C. However, when the air temperature or ground temperature reaches above 30°C, the growth of branches, leaves and roots slows and becomes poor, and if the fruit encounters high temperatures of 35°C within 7-15 days before harvest, it is very prone to sunscald damage and may even lose its edible value.

Planting loquat seeds is relatively simple, and they grow very quickly, so be sure to wait patiently for them to grow up.