A Detailed Guide to Safflower Planting Time and Cultivation Techniques

AbstractSafflower planting time: early March to early April each year, and mid-October to the end of November. Cultivation techniques: Safflower should be planted in fertile, dry areas where the previous crop was winter melon or soybean, etc. After preparing the soil, apply sufficient fertilizer. Sowing can be done by drilling or dibbling, followed by thinning and filling in seedlings, rational fertilization, and active prevention and control of diseases such as black spot, anthracnose, and root rot, as well as pests such as wireworms, crickets, and cutworms.

I. Safflower Planting Time

1. Safflower is generally sown from early March to early April, and can also be sown from mid-October to the end of November.

2. When planting, select a good site, then apply sufficient base fertilizer. After deep plowing and turning the plot, you can sow. After seedlings emerge, strengthen later management, with timely watering and fertilizing, intertillage and weeding, and pest and disease control, etc.

II. Site Selection and Land Preparation

1. Safflower is a plant that prefers fertile, dry conditions and is suitable for growing in dry land or wasteland. It can also grow normally when planted in poor soil, but it should not be planted in moist, waterlogged, low-lying areas.

2. For planting site selection, it is best if the previous crop was winter melon, taro, soybean, etc. After harvesting, plow the soil, harrow it level and fine to make the soil loose, thereby improving drainage. Then apply about 1000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, together with about 15 kg of superphosphate.

III. Timely Sowing

1. Safflower can be sown at a suitable time according to different regional climates, with options for spring sowing, autumn sowing, and winter sowing. In places such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang, winter sowing is generally used; in Xinjiang and Northeast China, where temperatures are lower, spring sowing is generally used; while in Shandong, autumn sowing is used.

2. When sowing, high and low beds can be made according to the specific terrain. Each bed can have two rows. Sowing can be done by drilling or dibbling. With a certain plant spacing, sow about 6-7 seeds, then cover with soil and water. Seedlings will emerge in about 14 days. The seeding rate is about 1.5-2.5 kg per mu.

IV. Later Management

1. When the seedlings grow to 6-7 cm tall, begin thinning, removing weak seedlings and keeping only strong ones. Generally keep 2-3 strong seedlings per hole. If missing seedlings are found, fill them in promptly.

2. When the seedlings have 4-5 leaves, apply a thin application of farmyard manure once. To prevent seedling lodging, apply the fertilizer beside the plant roots. Topdressing can be done around the time of Awakening of Insects (Jingzhe), with about 500-600 kg of farmyard manure per mu. To prevent flower bud lodging, support it accordingly after application.

V. Pest and Disease Control

During the growth of safflower, the main diseases include black spot, anthracnose, root rot, etc. Common pests include wireworms, crickets, cutworms, white grubs, mole crickets, etc. These pests and diseases can affect plant growth to a certain extent and may even cause death, so prevention must be done in advance, and timely control should be carried out when diseases are found.