How to cultivate Chinese toon sprouts? Sharing a few practical tips

Chinese toon sprouts are emerald green in color, fresh and tender, delicious, richly aromatic, and nutritious, and are praised as plant protein, making them highly popular with consumers.

1. Production site and facilities The suitable temperature for Chinese toon seed germination is 20°C-23°C; growth stops above 35°C, and below 12°C growth is slow. In spring and autumn, it is suitable to produce them in greenhouses or other idle buildings; in winter, it is suitable to produce them in heated greenhouses and basements as well as other idle buildings. In the middle and later stages of growth, conditions with scattered light are needed. Using the method of three-dimensional substrate seedling tray cultivation, the cultivation rack can be made of angle iron, steel bars, bamboo or wood and other materials, with a rack height of 1.6-2 m, divided into 4-5 layers, with 40-50 cm between each layer. It is best to use flat-bottomed perforated plastic seedling trays 60 cm long, 24 cm wide, and 4-5 cm high. In addition, it is also necessary to prepare tools such as a hose and nozzle for watering, and a pool or plastic basin for soaking seeds. 2. Selecting good varieties It is advisable to choose varieties with a rich aroma, crisp and tender texture, and few fibers. At present, the good-quality ones include Hongyou toon and Hongxiang toon. Stored in burlap sacks or cloth bags, and kept under ventilated, dry, dark, and low-temperature conditions, the service life can be extended. Fresh seeds are bright red, with dull seed coats and a fragrance. For sprouts, it is advisable to use seeds with a germination rate of 90% and a 1000-grain weight of more than 10 g, using about 50 g of seeds per tray. 3. Cultivation techniques 1. Seed soaking and germination. Remove impurities and shriveled grains from the seeds, rub off the seed wings, soak the seeds in warm water at 55°C, and stir constantly until the water temperature drops to about 30°C. After soaking for 12 hours, remove them, rinse them, drain the surface moisture from the seeds, and place them at a constant temperature of 23°C to germinate, wrapped in cheesecloth with a thickness of 5-6 cm, washing them with warm water 1-2 times a day. When the sprouts grow to 1-2 mm, they can be sown. 2. Sowing. Disinfect the seedling trays or containers in advance and rinse them clean, lay a layer of paper on the bottom, then evenly spread a 2.5 cm thick layer of moistened perlite (with 50% water added), and evenly broadcast the germinated seeds on the substrate, about 50 g per tray. If the germination rate is low, increase the amount of seed used. After sowing, cover with 1.5 cm thick perlite, and spray water immediately after covering. It is also possible to spread two layers of cotton cloth at the bottom of the tray and sow directly, but the trays should be stacked for about 5 days, and then placed on the cultivation rack when the sprouts grow to 0.5-1 cm. 3. Management. About 5 days after sowing, the sprouts extend out of the substrate, and water should be sprayed at the proper time to maintain the relative air humidity at about 80%. A soft water hose fitted with a nozzle can be used for watering, or a watering can may be used for spraying. It should be even and appropriate, with the standard being that it does not batter the sprouts and that no water accumulates in the tray. The temperature is best controlled at 20°C-23°C, sunlight should be blocked, and the tray positions should be adjusted once every 1-2 days to promote even growth. When the sprouts are 2-3 cm long, carry out light-exposed growth, and insist on ventilation every day. 4. Harvesting Under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, they can be harvested about 18 days after sowing. Qualified product standards: the hypocotyl below the sprout is more than 10 cm long, the cotyledons are fully expanded, no new leaves have emerged, fresh and tender and clean, with no root rot or disease, and a rich aroma. Pull them up with the roots, clean them, and package them for market.