Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Techniques for Greenhouse Chinese Toon Trees
SummaryAfter planting Chinese toon trees in a greenhouse, water the soil thoroughly, then cover with paper quilts or straw mats for insulation. During the day, the temperature inside the greenhouse should be kept at around 25-30°C, and at night it should be kept at around 13-17°C. During the growing period, fertilization should mainly be potassium fertilizer. In the later stage, according to the tree's growth, promptly pinch off the tops and remove side branches. After Grain Rain, when the ground temperature stabilizes above 18°C, the greenhouse film can be removed to let them grow naturally.
1. Temperature regulation
1. Generally, the greenhouse temperature is around 25°C, and within 1 day the tender buds can grow 3-4 cm taller, while at temperatures below 15°C, they can only grow 1 cm taller. When the greenhouse temperature exceeds 35°C, it affects the coloring and quality of Chinese toon buds. About 15 days after covering with film is the seedling recovery period.
2. During the day, the greenhouse temperature needs to be kept at around 30°C. After about 30 days of natural light and temperature accumulation, after the young buds sprout, the daytime temperature should be kept at 25-30°C, and at night it should be kept at 13-17°C. When harvesting buds, the temperature is suitable at 18-25°C, and straw mats or paper quilts can be added as needed for insulation.
2. Humidity regulation
1. Seedlings planted in greenhouses have relatively poor root water absorption capacity, so in the early stage, relatively high air humidity and soil humidity should be maintained. After planting, water the soil thoroughly, and in the later stage, water lightly according to soil dryness and moisture. Air humidity should be kept above 85%.
2. On sunny days, spray water on the seedlings to avoid dehydration and drying out. After sprouting, the air humidity should be about 70%. Too high humidity not only causes delayed germination, but also makes the fragrance less rich, so ventilation and dehumidification should be carried out in time.
3. Light regulation
Chinese toon trees like light. When planting, try to use drip-free film. During the day, uncover the straw mats and paper quilts, and frequently clean debris on the film, which helps increase light. If the light is too strong, appropriately cover with grass for shading.
4. Pinching tops to promote branching
When picking the 2nd crop of Chinese toon buds, remove the top at the same time to set the trunk. You can pinch the top at 40 cm from the ground. After setting the trunk, spray 15% paclobutrazol solution, with a suitable concentration of 200-500 ppm, which helps promote rapid branch growth and achieve dwarfed planting. In the later stage, according to the tree's growth, promptly pinch tops and remove side branches, encouraging the crown to branch more and produce more Chinese toon buds, achieving high quality and high yield.
5. Water and fertilizer management
Chinese toon is a fast-growing woody vegetable type. During the growing period, the water requirement is not large, and fertilization is mainly potassium fertilizer. For every 300 sq m of greenhouse, the base fertilizer can be about 5000 jin of fully decomposed high-quality farmyard manure, 150-300 jin of plant ash, or 6-12 jin of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 6-12 jin of diammonium carbonate. After each harvest, according to soil fertility, Chinese toon growth, and leaf color, water and topdress appropriately.
6. Putting on light-blocking film bags
1. After Grain Rain, when the ground temperature is above 18°C, the greenhouse film can be removed to let the Chinese toon seedlings grow naturally. In the later stage, although the Chinese toon seedlings develop relatively quickly, they are prone to aging, so black-red 2-layer 2-color polyethylene film bags need to be prepared in advance.
2. When the Chinese toon buds grow to 5 cm, the light-blocking film bags can be put on. This can both increase yield and ensure the Chinese toon buds do not age. When the Chinese toon buds grow to 15 cm, harvest them together with the bags, then remove the bags for sale. This kind of film bag can be used multiple times.
7. Bud harvesting and packaging
40-60 days after covering with film, when the toon buds grow to 15 cm, if the coloring is good, they can be harvested in the morning or evening. Generally, the first crop of buds has relatively good quality and color, and can be harvested when they grow to 12-15 cm. The 2nd crop of buds can be harvested when they grow to 20 cm, which helps sprout side buds and latent buds and increase yield.
During this period, harvest once every 10 days. After harvesting, according to growth conditions, water and topdress, which helps promote the growth of toon buds. Chinese toon buds marketed around the Spring Festival should be sorted and tied into bundles after harvesting, generally 1 bundle is 50-100 grams, then put into plastic bags and sealed to avoid moisture loss.