Detailed Explanation of Spring Seed Propagation Methods for Honeysuckle

Pick the black fruits in January. After picking, pile them at a thickness of 30 cm and let them after-ripen for 5-7 days, then put them in clean water and rub and wash them to remove the peel and pulp, and dry them in a shady place. Avoid direct sun exposure, then winnow away the shriveled seeds and store them for later use.

Seed treatment: before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at 35-40°C for 24 hours, remove them and mix with 2-3 times their volume of wet sand, cover with plastic film, and place in a warm place to promote germination. When the seed cracking rate reaches 50%, they can be sown. Sowing time: spring sowing can be done in early March. Seedbed preparation before sowing: drought-resistant plowing of the seedbed is generally done to a depth of 50 cm, with sufficient base fertilizer applied, 6000-7500 kg of base fertilizer per 667 sq m, 40-50 kg of ammonium bicarbonate, raked fine and leveled, and residual weeds removed. To prevent underground pests, 1.5-2 kg of jiadi powder or 0.15-0.25 kg of phoxim emulsion can be broadcast per 667 sq m. Some zinc sulfate or ferrous sulfate may be applied appropriately to prevent seedling-stage diseases. Beds can be made 1 m wide, 20 cm high, and 10-15 m long. Sowing: use full-bed broadcasting, with a seeding rate of 1.0-1.2 kg per 667 sq m. First level the bed surface, water thoroughly, and after the water infiltrates, add 1 more portion of sand to the soaked or stored sand seeds, spread them evenly into the bed, cover with fine sandy soil 0.5-0.7 cm deep, then cover with straw curtains or plastic film. Management after sowing: water management after sowing is very important and directly affects the emergence rate. Because honeysuckle seeds are very small, before the seedlings emerge, strict precautions must be taken against soil crusting and cracking. Check daily; for beds covered with straw curtains, spray water once in the morning or evening with a watering can; for beds covered with film, spot-spray, that is, spray water on dry patches. When about 30% of the seedlings have emerged, remove the covering, and after the seedlings are fully emerged, water frequently to keep the bed surface moist. During the seedling growth period, weed, loosen the soil, and water frequently. Depending on seedling condition, topdress with nitrogen fertilizer, 7-10 kg per 667 sq m. When the seedlings are 15-20 cm tall, pinch off the growing tips, wait for new branches to grow, and then repeat this 2-3 times continuously; by July each plant can have 4-8 branches, and in autumn they can be lifted from the nursery for planting.