A Detailed Guide to Chinese Toon Planting Methods and Technical Key Points
Chinese toon is an edible ingredient that resembles a tree branch, and it is generally only seen on the spring tree in early spring. Chinese toon actually tastes quite good, and people generally use it to make fried eggs, as it has high nutritional value. Nowadays many people grow this Chinese toon to increase their income, since the price of Chinese toon is still relatively high.
Chinese Toon Planting Techniques Video
1. Seed selection: Choose new seeds from the current year; the seeds should be plump, fresh in color, reddish-yellow, with yellow-white kernels, a purity of over 98%, and a germination rate of over 40%.
2. Insulation and germination acceleration: To achieve uniform emergence, germination acceleration treatment is needed. 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 to a thickness of 3 cm, then cover with a clean cloth, and keep them at 20°C-25°C for moisture retention and germination acceleration. During germination acceleration, turn the seeds 1-2 times a day, rinse them 2-3 times with clean water at about 25°C, and drain off excess water. When 30% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.
3. Timely sowing: Choose flat terrain, sufficient sunlight, well-drained sandy soil and fertile fields as the seedling bed. Combine with land preparation and fertilization, spread evenly, and turn through 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. Evenly sow the germinated seeds and cover with 2 cm of soil.
4. Land preparation and fertilization: When cultivating Chinese toon in a solar greenhouse, 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 deeply turned, then prepare beds and plant seedlings. Generally, the bed width is 80-100 cm
5. 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.
Conditions for Chinese Toon Survival
Chinese toon is a temperate plant. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 20-25°C. The suitable temperature during the seedling growth period is 15°C-25°C during the day and 10-15°C at night. Normal growth in protected areas requires 20-24°C, and normal growth is possible at 8-20°C. Seedlings are highly tolerant of low temperatures; robustly growing seedlings can still safely overwinter in the open field under short-term low temperatures of -20°C in winter. After mid-October, when the temperature drops below 10°C, the seedlings begin to shed leaves and generally enter dormancy for about 4 months, but in a solar greenhouse the dormancy period is only 30-60 days, though there is considerable variation among different varieties.
Pruning Techniques for Chinese Toon
Each year after the spring harvest of toon sprouts ends, from mid-to-late June to early July, prune the main trunk at a height of 20 cm above the ground (heading back) to promote the sprouting of lateral buds into new branches. From late July to early August, pinch the tops according to the vigor of the new branches. Strong-growing ones can be topped earlier; conversely, topping can be delayed, and combined with fertilizer and water management, this promotes the formation of plump terminal buds. The growth period of Chinese toon sprouts is short, so they should be eaten early, fresh, and tender. There is a saying: "Toon sprouts before the rain are as tender as silk, toon sprouts after the rain are like wood." The harvest standard is preferably purple-red buds with a length of 10-15 cm. When harvesting, pick the terminal buds first and then the lateral buds; if the terminal buds are not harvested, the lower lateral buds are difficult to grow or grow poorly. When picking sprouts, gently twist them off by hand at the base of the leaf stalk, tie them into small bundles of 100-200 g, put them in plastic bags and seal them to prevent water loss and wilting, and improve market quality. Each year, toon sprouts can be harvested 3-4 times, with a yield of 400-500 kg.
Pest and Disease Control for Chinese Toon
1. Chinese toon powdery mildew. Control methods: Promptly remove diseased branches and leaves and burn them. Strengthen tending and management, fertilize reasonably, and enhance the tree's growth vigor and disease resistance. Before Chinese toon sprouts, spray 1 time with 5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture; during the growing season, spray 2-3 times with 0.3-0.5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture. You can also spray the branches and leaves with 2.5% triadimefon 1500-2000 times dilution, or 25% sulfur suspension 200 times dilution, 70% thiophanate-methyl, or 50% carbendazim 600-800 times dilution. Spray 2-3 times with Baume lime sulfur mixture. You can also spray the branches and leaves with 2.5% triadimefon 1500-2000 times dilution, or 25% sulfur suspension 200 times dilution, 70% thiophanate-methyl, or 50% carbendazim 600-800 times dilution.
2. Chinese toon dieback disease. Control methods: Promptly remove infected branches and trunks and burn them to reduce sources of infection. Whitewash the trunks in winter and spring. Chemical control: Make small holes on the initial disease spots deep enough to reach the xylem, then spray with 70% thiophanate 200 times dilution and so on for control. Reasonable pruning: Apply Bordeaux mixture or lime sulfur mixture to wounds. Strengthen fertilizer and water management and tending management, enhance tree vigor, improve disease resistance, and prevent infection.
When planting Chinese toon, we should choose good-quality seeds, as this will lead to a high survival rate. Before planting Chinese toon, base fertilizer must be applied well, and it should be understood that Chinese toon likes to grow in fertile soil areas. Pest and disease control in the later stage is also very important, and both chemical control and physical control must be done properly.