Methods for Artificial Planting of Water Bamboo and Removal of Male and Grey Water Bamboo

Water bamboo, also known as gaogua, gusun, gushou, jiaosun, gaosun. It is a relatively common aquatic vegetable. Let us take a look at the cultivation techniques of water bamboo.

Artificial Planting of Water Bamboo

Time

In southern regions, double-cropping water bamboo is generally planted before the end of November to April, or planted from June to August, but only the autumn water bamboo can be harvested then; planting should be completed by the end of April or in August at the latest.

Single-cropping water bamboo is generally cultivated in spring, forms its swollen culm under short-day conditions in autumn, and is harvested in the 8th lunar month.

Seed Plants

Water bamboo is propagated by division, and the quality of the seed plants directly affects the setting rate, yield and quality of the water bamboo. Due to differences in the timing and amount of smut fungus infection and in the level of cultivation management, varietal degeneration is often caused, leading to the appearance of male water bamboo and grey water bamboo, so seed plants should be strictly selected every year.

Requirements for selecting excellent mother plants: retain for seed those clumps that in the current year have a neat plant shape, early swelling, many swollen culms, plump and well-shaped flesh; low swelling position with uniform maturity; and no male water bamboo, grey water bamboo, green-inside-shell or deformed water bamboo. Water bamboo seedlings

Each year, double-cropping water bamboo seedlings should be strictly selected 3 times: the 1st selection is carried out at the time of harvesting the summer water bamboo planted that year, selecting excellent individual plants as seed according to the selection criteria and marking them well; the 2nd is a reselection of the previously selected seed plants at the time of spring water bamboo harvest, removing those that do not meet the standards; the 3rd is carried out in conjunction with winter field management, promptly digging out male plants, mixed plants, grey plants, green-inside-shell and deformed water bamboo clumps. Generally, about 250 seed clumps are needed to plant 1 mu of field.

Before planting, leave 10cm, cut off the withered leaves above ground from the selected excellent seed clumps, dig out the seed clumps, and split off robust old stem seedlings, using one rooted old stem as one seedling. Planting density: wide rows 1m, narrow rows 0.8m, plant spacing 0.6m, planting about 1400 clumps per mu. The planting depth should be such that the white part of the old stem is set into the mud (that is, the original depth).

Water Bamboo Field

In southern regions, the early or late swelling of double-cropping water bamboo is related to soil layer, water depth and water temperature control. Generally, paddies at higher altitude swell earlier than those at lower altitude, windward mountain-back fields swell earlier than wind-sheltered low-lying fields, and fields with a shallow soil layer (preferably 20-27cm) swell earlier than those with a deep soil layer. Therefore, when planting water bamboo in southern regions, one should strive to choose paddies with sufficient water sources, convenient drainage and irrigation, good ventilation and a shallow soil layer.

For planting in rice paddies, generally plow promptly after the rice harvest; for old water bamboo fields, generally plow promptly after the autumn water bamboo harvest is finished, fully sun-dry the field, and build up the field ridges well to ensure the field can hold 15-20cm of water. When preparing the field, apply per mu 100 loads of decomposed pig and cattle pen manure or 1000kg of chicken manure and 50kg of phosphate fertilizer as base fertilizer, harrow level, and irrigate 2-3cm, achieving a level field, rotten mud and sufficient fertilizer.

Irrigation

Water bamboo must not be cut off from water throughout the entire growth period, and the water level should be adjusted according to the different growth stages.

Topdressing

In southern regions, topdressing of double-cropping water bamboo should be early rather than late, so as to promote early seedling growth and early swelling. Combined with water layer management, promote effective tillering in the early stage, control ineffective tillering in the late stage, promote swelling, and improve yield and quality. Water bamboo has a long growth period and tall plants, and its fertilizer requirement is also large; in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, timely topdressing is necessary.

Weeding and Cultivation

For cultivation of water bamboo, one can turn the soil between the rows and plants with an iron rake or by hand, achieving the purposes of intertillage, loosening the soil and weeding, and can also raise the soil temperature and accelerate the decomposition of fertilizer. Generally, cultivation is carried out 2-3 times, the first when the plants begin to turn green, and thereafter once every 15 days.

Removal of Male and Grey Water Bamboo

Male water bamboo and grey water bamboo cannot form swollen culms and should be removed at any time. The empty spots left after removal can be filled with seedlings from normal water bamboo clumps that have many tillers.

Stripping Withered Leaves

Strip withered leaves and pull off yellow leaves to remove withered old leaves and improve ventilation and light penetration between plants. Generally, this starts in the late stage of spring water bamboo harvest; according to plant growth conditions, strip and pull off the withered old leaves completely, with the requirement of pulling them off cleanly without injuring the plants, and tread the pulled-off yellow leaves into the field as fertilizer.

Thinning and Replanting Seedlings

When the stems and tillers of double-cropping water bamboo planted in southern regions reach more than 15 per clump, thinning should be carried out, removing overly dense small tillers, leaving about 15-20 effective tillers per clump; after thinning, press a piece of mud into the middle of the clump so that the plants are evenly distributed and ventilated and light-penetrated.