How to plant Chinese chive seeds so they sprout quickly? Chinese chive seed planting methods

SummaryFirst, choose sandy loam soil and a dry plot as the seedbed, select high-quality seeds. Generally, when the temperature is low in early spring, dry seeds can be sown. To catch soil moisture and ensure emergence, the seeds can be soaked to promote sprouting. When the soil temperature stabilizes above 12°C and the daily average temperature is 15-18°C, sowing can be carried out. After sowing, plastic film needs to be added, and the film should be removed when 70% of the seedlings push through the soil.

I. Growing environment of Chinese chives

1. Chinese chives prefer a cool climate. The suitable temperature for germination is 15-18°C, and the lower temperature limit is 2-3°C; the suitable temperature for growth at the seedling stage is 12-18°C, and growth slows when the temperature exceeds 25°C; the suitable temperature for leaf growth is 15-25°C, and they can generally also grow at 10-15°C.

2. Chinese chives are not tolerant of high temperatures. When the temperature exceeds 25°C, the plants grow slowly. When the temperature is above 30°C, the leaves turn yellow and may even wither; in a low-temperature environment of -6 to -7°C, the leaves begin to die; the underground rhizomes can still safely overwinter at -40°C, but for varieties from southern regions, the aboveground parts are more tolerant of low temperatures, while the underground parts have relatively weak low-temperature tolerance.

II. Pre-sowing preparation for Chinese chive seeds

Choose sandy loam soil and a dry plot as the seedbed. Before sowing, plow deeply and sun-dry the soil clods. Sunlight can be used for high-temperature disinfection, or low temperatures can kill insect eggs and pathogens. Then break the soil up finely and rake it level, making flat beds of 1.5m×8m. In each square meter of bed, broadcast 5-7kg of decomposed chicken manure or pig manure, or 8kg of humic acid ecological fertilizer, 0.1kg of urea, 0.05kg of abamectin soil nematode control agent, and 0.02kg of 50% carbendazim wettable powder. The soil and fertilizer must be mixed evenly, then leveled.

III. Treatment of Chinese chive seeds

Select high-quality seeds. Generally, when the temperature is low in early spring, dry seeds can be sown. To catch soil moisture and ensure emergence, the seeds can be soaked to promote sprouting. First, sun-dry the seeds for 1-2 days before seed treatment. 1-2 days before sowing, place the selected seeds in warm water at 40°C, stir evenly, remove them and rub them clean, then change to warm water at 30°C and soak the seeds for 8-10 hours, then place them in an environment of 18-20°C to promote sprouting, rinsing with clean water twice a day. When 60% of the radicles have emerged, sowing can be carried out.

IV. Sowing methods for Chinese chive seeds

In the Huang-Huai River basin, the spring sowing time for Chinese chives is early April to mid-April, in southern regions it is December to February, and in northern regions it is May to June. When the soil temperature stabilizes above 12°C and the daily average temperature is 15-18°C, sowing can be carried out. Generally, drilling can be used. Each mu of seedbed is sown with 6-8kg of dry seeds, which can plant 6000 square meters of vegetable plot. After sowing, plastic film needs to be added, which helps preserve and raise temperature. The film should be removed when 70% of the seedlings push through the soil.

V. Seedbed management of Chinese chives    

After full emergence until the seedlings are 16cm tall, water can be applied once every 7-10 days according to soil moisture. Combined with watering, apply 50kg per mu of decomposed human manure or humic acid ecological fertilizer by flushing, then spray 33% pendimethalin 250-fold solution on the soil surface. After emergence, manually pull weeds 2-3 times. After germination, the Chinese chive seedlings need to be transplanted and established in the field.