How to Grow Chinese Toon (Xiangchun)? A Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods and Techniques
Chinese toon (Toona sinensis) is a very easy plant to grow and does not involve any particularly complicated procedures. As long as you master the scientific techniques, you are fine. Chinese toon is delicious and nutritious, and it is very good for the human body. There are also many ways to prepare Chinese toon, and some people choose to grow it themselves in their yard. So, let the editor chat with you about how to grow Chinese toon.
How to Grow Chinese Toon
1. Ordinary cultivation.
The propagation of Chinese toon is divided into two types: sowing and raising seedlings, and division propagation (also called root sucker propagation). Because the germination rate of Chinese toon seeds is relatively low, before sowing, the seeds should be soaked with added Xin Gao Zhi Mo (new high lipid film) in warm water at 30-35°C for 24 hours, then removed and placed at 25°C for germination. Sow when the radicle protrudes to the size of a grain of rice (the minimum ground temperature at sowing is about 5°C). In the Shanghai area, this is generally in early to mid-March. After emergence, thin the seedlings when 2-3 true leaves appear, and finalize the seedlings when 4-5 true leaves appear, with a row spacing of 25x15 cm. For division propagation, you can dig up root seedlings from mature plants in early spring and plant them in a seedling bed; when the seedlings grow to about 2 m the following year, transplant them into place. You can also use the root-cutting tillering method: in late winter and early spring, dig a circular trench 60 cm deep around a mature tree, cut off some lateral roots, and then fill the trench back in. Because Chinese toon roots easily produce adventitious roots, new shoots sprout from the cut root ends and can be transplanted the following year. After transplanting, spray Xin Gao Zhi Mo, which can effectively prevent above-ground moisture from evaporating, prevent seedling moisture from transpiring, isolate pests and diseases, and shorten the seedling recovery period. After Chinese toon seedlings are raised, they are all planted before germination in early spring. For large-scale Chinese toon groves, the row spacing is 7x5 m. For those planted along canals and behind houses, they are all in single rows, with a plant spacing of about 5 m. After planting, water 2-3 times to increase the survival rate.
2. Dwarfing and close planting cultivation.
This is a cultivation method developed in recent years. Its seedling-raising method is the same as ordinary cultivation; only the planting density and tree-form pruning are different. Generally, about 6000 plants are planted per 666.7 sq m. Tree forms can be divided into two types: multi-layer type and clustered type. For the multi-layer type, when the seedling is 2 m tall, remove the terminal shoot to promote the sprouting of lateral buds, forming 3 layers of scaffold branches: the 1st layer is 70 cm from the ground, the 2nd layer is 60 cm from the 1st layer, and the 3rd layer is 40 cm from the 2nd layer. This multi-layer type has a relatively tall trunk, full lignification, and relatively stable yield. For the clustered type, remove the terminal shoot when the seedling is about 1 m tall, keep only the newly grown branches and harvest only the tender leaves without removing the terminal buds, and when the branches grow to 20-30 cm, pinch off the tips again. Its characteristics are a relatively short trunk and more main branches.
3. Protected cultivation. This can also be divided into two types: one is to cover dwarfed, closely planted Chinese toon grown in a greenhouse (or pipe shed) with film in mid-November (referring to southern North China). The other is to temporarily plant 2-3 year old seedlings that have already passed dormancy inside a greenhouse (or pipe shed). Keep the indoor (shed) temperature at 18-24°C during the day and not lower than 12°C at night; after 40-45 days, the tender leaves can be harvested for eating.
Seedling-Raising Techniques for Chinese Toon
1. Select high-quality seeds: choose new seeds from the current year. The seeds should be plump, fresh in color, red-yellow, with yellow-white kernels, a purity of more than 98%, and a germination rate of more than 40%.
2. Keep warm and promote germination: to achieve uniform emergence, germination treatment is needed. The germination method is: use warm water at 40°C, soak the seeds for about 5 minutes while stirring constantly, then place them in water at 20°C-30°C and soak for 24 hours. After the seeds have absorbed enough water, remove them, drain off excess water, place them on a clean reed mat, spread them 3 cm thick, cover with a clean cloth, and keep them at 20°C-25°C with moisture to promote germination. During germination, turn the seeds 1-2 times a day, and rinse them 2-3 times with clean water at about 25°C, draining off excess water. When 30% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.
3. Sow at the right time: choose a flat field with sufficient light, good drainage, sandy soil, and fertile soil as the seedling-raising site, apply fertilizer while preparing the land, spread it evenly, and turn it thoroughly. In a 1 m wide bed, open furrows at a row spacing of 30 cm, with a furrow width of 5-6 cm and a furrow depth of 5 cm. Sow the germinated seeds evenly, then cover with 2 cm of soil.
4. Seedling management: seedlings emerge about 7 days after sowing. Before emergence, strictly control watering to prevent soil crusting from affecting emergence. When the young seedlings emerge and grow 4-6 true leaves, thin and finalize the seedlings. Water before finalizing the seedlings, and finalize them at a plant spacing of 20 cm. When the plant height is about 50 cm, carry out dwarfing treatment of the seedlings. Use a 200-400 times dilution of 15% paclobutrazol, spraying once every 10-15 days for 2-3 consecutive sprays, which can control excessive growth, promote seedling dwarfing, and increase substance accumulation. Combining paclobutrazol treatment with pinching can increase the number of branches.
Cultivation Management of Chinese Toon
Although field management of Chinese toon is relatively extensive, in order to achieve fast growth and high yield, attention should also be paid to fertilizer, water, and pest and disease control. If the weather is dry, water in time; carry out intertillage and loosening of the soil every year, and it is best to interplant green manure between rows, then turn it into the soil in May or apply human and livestock manure and urine. Pests include Chinese toon caterpillars, cloud-banded longhorn beetles, and grass scale insects, which can be controlled with pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis; diseases include leaf rust and powdery mildew, which can be controlled with agents such as Bordeaux mixture and lime sulfur mixture.
Harvesting Techniques for Chinese Toon
Chinese toon under ordinary cultivation and dwarfed close planting cultivation generally sprouts before Qingming, and the terminal buds can be harvested around Guyu. This first harvest is called the first-stubble toon sprout; it is not only plump and tender, but also rich in fragrance and of superior quality. Afterward, according to growth conditions, harvest a second time after 15-20 days. Newly planted Chinese toon can be harvested at most 2 times; after 3 years, it can be harvested 2-3 times each year, and the yield increases accordingly. As for protected cultivation, by adding heat, it can also be harvested in winter; if not heated, tree buds can be supplied early in early spring.
Management After Planting Chinese Toon
1. Land preparation and fertilization: for solar greenhouse cultivation of Chinese toon, sufficient base fertilizer must be applied. Apply no less than 5000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure per mu, no less than 100 kg of superphosphate, and 25 kg of urea, spread evenly and turn deeply. Then prepare beds and plant seedlings; generally the bed width is 80-100 cm.
2. Planting density: the planting density is preferably about 30,000 plants per mu, with a plant spacing of 15 cm and a row spacing of 15 cm.
3. Temperature management: for the first few days, no heating is needed; keep the temperature at 1°C-5°C to help seedling recovery. After 8-10 days of planting, cover the greenhouse with straw mats, uncover them during the day, and cover them well at night. Keep the temperature inside the shed at 18°C-24°C during the day and 12°C-14°C at night. Under these conditions, Chinese toon sprouts can grow after 40-50 days.
4. Hormone regulation: after planting and seedling recovery, use Chou Zhi Bao (branch-drawing treasure) for treatment. Apply Chou Zhi Bao to 4-5 dormant buds on the upper part of the Chinese toon seedlings with targeted application; 1 gram of the agent can be applied to 100-120 buds. Applying the agent can make the buds plump and the tender buds robust, and can increase yield by 10%-20%. Humidity regulation: Chinese toon seedlings newly planted in the greenhouse should maintain relatively high humidity. After planting, water thoroughly, then water lightly as needed afterward; the relative air humidity should be kept at about 85%. During the growth period after sprouting, a relative humidity of about 70% is better.
5. Light regulation: for solar greenhouse Chinese toon production, relatively good light is needed to promote growth. Use drip-free film and keep the greenhouse film clean.
6. Toon sprout harvesting: under suitable temperature conditions (18°C-24°C during the day, 12°C-14°C at night), Chinese toon sprouts grow quickly, turn purplish red, and have a strong fragrance. After the greenhouse is covered with straw mats for 40-50 days, begin harvesting when the Chinese toon sprouts grow to 15-20 cm and have good coloration. For the first stubble of toon sprouts, pick the terminal bud growing in clusters on the sprout stalk; when picking, leave a little of the sprout stalk and remove the terminal bud, so that the base of the remaining sprout stalk continues to produce leaves. Harvesting is best done in the morning and evening. In the greenhouse, Chinese toon sprouts can be harvested once every 7-10 days, for a total of 4-5 harvests; after each harvest, fertilize and water.
After reading the above methods for growing Chinese toon, have you already mastered them? The editor's favorite foods are scrambled eggs with Chinese toon and fried Chinese toon; the fragrant taste makes my mouth water and leaves an endless aftertaste. Friends who like it can grow it themselves, and after it matures, harvest it to make Chinese toon dishes.