Toon (Chinese mahogany) planting techniques: water and top-dress fertilizer at the right times, harvest once shoots reach 15 to 20 cm

SummarySeed selection and sprouting: choose plump seeds from the current year, soak them in warm water for 5-8 minutes, then soak them in clean water for one day, spread them evenly on a bamboo mat, cover with a towel, and place them in a 20-25°C environment to sprout; sow once 1/3 of the seeds have sprouted. Sowing and raising seedlings: apply fertilizer and deep-plow, open furrows and scatter the seeds evenly on the seedbed, cover with fine soil, and they will germinate and emerge within a week. Planting out: once the plants have been dwarfed, they can be planted out. Routine management: water, top-dress fertilizer, shade, and drain promptly.

1. Seed selection and sprouting

Select plump seeds from the current year with a red-yellow color, put them in warm water at about 40°C and soak for 5-8 minutes while stirring constantly, then remove them and soak them in room-temperature water for one day.

After the seeds have absorbed enough water, remove them and spread them on a bamboo mat, with a thickness of about 3 cm being suitable; after spreading, cover them with a towel, then place them in a 20-25°C environment to sprout. Turn the seeds regularly and rinse them with clean water at the same temperature as the sprouting environment; after draining the water, continue sprouting. When 1/3 of the seeds begin to sprout, they can be sown.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

Choose sandy soil with plenty of sunlight, flat terrain, convenient irrigation and drainage, and fertile, loose soil as the seedbed. Rake the soil fine and level it, apply an appropriate amount of fertilizer, and deep-plow. Open furrows for sowing, with the furrow width controlled at 5-6 cm, the furrow depth controlled at about 5 cm, and the row spacing between furrows controlled at about 1 m.

Scatter the sprouted seeds evenly on the seedbed, cover with a layer of fine soil, keep the temperature at about 20-23°C, weed and water regularly, and ensure the soil stays moist; generally they will germinate and emerge within 7 days.

During the seedling stage, manage fertilizer and water well to promote seedling growth. When the seedlings emerge and grow 4-6 true leaves, thin and set the seedlings promptly. When the plants grow to about 50 cm, carry out dwarfing.

3. Planting out

After the plants have been dwarfed, they can be planted out. Generally, greenhouse cultivation is chosen, and a greenhouse environment can be created through plastic-tunnel technology. Before planting out, prepare the land and apply fertilizer first, applying 5000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, spreading it evenly and deep-plowing, then making beds and planting the seedlings, with the bed width controlled at about 1 m.

When planting out, keep the roots with soil to avoid damaging the root system. The planting density should preferably be 30000 plants/mu, with plant and row spacing controlled at 15×15 cm.

4. Routine management

Do routine management well after planting out. 20-25°C is the most suitable growing temperature for toon. They like sunlight and are not shade-tolerant, but they cannot be exposed to direct strong light, so during cultivation pay attention to the light duration. On cloudy and rainy days, artificial supplemental lighting can be used, and when the light is strong, shading work should be done well.

Toon likes moisture but fears waterlogging. Water promptly during drought, and take drainage and waterlogging-prevention measures during the rainy season.

5. Timely harvesting

Toon grows quickly. When it grows to 15-20 cm, it can be harvested promptly.