The planting time for quinoa is generally in late spring.

AbstractThe planting time for quinoa is generally in late spring. The soil of the planting site should have strong permeability, be fertile, and have good drainage and irrigation. When preparing the land, residual matter should be cleared away. When planting, the depth should not exceed 3cm. After quinoa seedlings emerge, replanting and thinning should be carried out in time, and weeds should be appropriately removed during this period.

1. Choosing the planting site

Quinoa has good adaptability, but if you want to improve the quality and yield of quinoa, you should still choose a planting site in a wind-sheltered, sunny area, and the soil environment should have strong permeability, be fertile, and have good drainage and irrigation.

2. Preparing the land

When planting quinoa, continuous cropping is not suitable, otherwise various pests and diseases are likely to occur, and weeds will also grow everywhere. Generally, quinoa grains are relatively small, and the seed's ability to push through the soil is also poor. Therefore, the land should be well prepared. When preparing the land, pay attention to whether there is residual matter from the previous crop in the soil. If there is residual matter, it should be cleared away in time. After preparing the land, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied. Fully decomposed farmyard manure can be used as fertilizer, which can make the soil more fertile and help promote seed germination and seedling emergence.

3. Planting at the right time

When planting quinoa, it should not be too early or too late. Generally, in southern regions, planting should be chosen in late spring. If planted too early, the lower temperature will inhibit seed germination, and the seedlings will also suffer frost damage from late spring cold. If quinoa is planted too late, the harvest time will be delayed, and the seedlings may also be affected in growth because the summer temperature is too high.

When planting, observe the soil moisture condition, and adjust the planting depth according to the moisture condition. Generally, both too deep and too shallow are not conducive to quinoa growth, so the planting depth should not exceed 3cm. Too deep will prevent the seeds from pushing through the soil and emerging, and secondly, planting too shallow will also cause quinoa to lodging.

4. Replanting and thinning

After quinoa seedlings emerge, the work of checking seedlings should be done well so that quinoa can have high yield. Replanting should be carried out in time. When the seedlings grow to about 15cm, thinning should be carried out appropriately to ensure that each quinoa plant has sufficient growing space. During this period, the number of retained seedlings can be appropriately increased.

During the quinoa seedling stage, prevent weeds from growing everywhere, and appropriate weeding can be given to promote faster seedling growth and ensure full absorption of nutrients. Later, depending on the growth of quinoa, timely intertillage and earthing up can be carried out. When quinoa grows to thigh height, weeding should be given again to avoid absorbing nutrient elements for quinoa growth.

5. Harvest time

The harvest time of quinoa can be determined according to the condition of the quinoa plants and grains. After quinoa matures, when all the quinoa panicles turn yellow, the leaves begin to wither and fall, and the quinoa grains are plump and hard, then it can be harvested.

The harvest time of quinoa should not be too early or too late. If harvested too early, when the grains are not all mature, mildew is likely to occur, causing a decline in yield, while if harvested too late, lodging is likely to occur, causing a large number of grains to fall in the quinoa field, making the yield and quality poor. Therefore, during harvest, avoid rainy weather, because such grains are not easy to store when exposed to water and are prone to pests and diseases.