How to Plant a Sophora japonica Tree? Detailed Planting Methods and Techniques

Sophora japonica trees are relatively common in our country; they can serve as street trees or as honey-source plants. Their flowers are milky white, clustered in strings on the tree, very beautiful. How to plant Sophora japonica trees relatively well?

How to plant Sophora japonica trees

1. To plant Sophora japonica trees, first choose loose, fertile soil with good drainage and aeration.

2. For seed propagation, choose mature, plump seeds, soak them in warm water at 70-80°C for about 24 hours. Then remove them and place them in fine sand, wait for germination, and then sow.

3. Generally sow in spring or autumn, using drilling or dibbling. For drilling, use a sowing width of 10-15 cm, cover with soil 2-3 cm, and press down after sowing; the seeding rate is 10-15 kg per mu; for dibbling, sow at a hole spacing of 10-15 cm, using 4-5 kg of seed per mu.

4. For heel-in and transplanting, wait until late autumn when the soil freezes, then transplant the seedlings into trenches 60 to 70 cm deep to overwinter. The following spring, plant them out and water.

5. For root-sucker propagation, dig up root-sucker seedlings from mature trees, open holes at a plant-to-row spacing of 1.8 m × 1.3 m, with 1 plant per hole; generally they can become established in 4-5 years.

6. After the seedlings emerge completely, thin them 2-3 times; in the sowing year, thin to a spacing of 10-15 cm, and in May-June apply ammonium sulfate or diluted human manure; in July-August, pay attention to weeding and loosening the soil.

When Sophora japonica is in full bloom, its fragrance spreads all around, with bees buzzing and butterflies dancing, full of vitality. To plant Sophora japonica trees well, you also need a certain amount of patience.