How to Plant Job's Tears? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Job's tears have a natural gloss, as if painted, with a natural hole through the middle, perfect for threading. In the past, they were commonly used to make door curtains and prayer beads. Nowadays, they are generally used as decorative items. So do you know how to plant Job's tears?

1. Select seeds, plant reasonably

Choose large, plump seeds. Before sowing, it is best to treat the seeds with a suitable seed dressing agent, or coat them with a coating agent, to promote seed germination and prevent pests and diseases. The sowing rate is 2.5—3.5 kg per mu.

2. Scientific irrigation, appropriate fertilization

According to the moisture-loving habit of Job's tears, field water management follows the principles of moist seedling raising, dry jointing, water present at booting, sufficient water at heading, moist grain filling, and dry field at harvest. Mainly use organic fertilizer, with inorganic fertilizer as a supplement, and advocate the use of farmyard manure, biological fertilizers, etc.

3. Assisted pollination, improve seed set

Job's tears is monoecious with unisexual flowers. In the same inflorescence, the female flowers wither first, and their development is not synchronized with the male flowers, so cross-pollination from other plants is often required. Pollination generally relies on wind. During peak flowering, use tools such as ropes to shake the plants between 10:00—12:00 in the morning to make the pollen fly, thereby increasing the pollination and seed-setting rate.

In southern China, Job's tears is generally sown from April—May and harvested from October—November. In northern China, spring sowing is in mid-to-late April, summer sowing is from late May to early June, no later than late June, and harvest is from September—November.