A Detailed Guide to the Key Techniques for Growing Chinese Mahogany (Toona sinensis) in Greenhouses

Toona sinensis buds are not only uniquely flavored but also highly nutritious, rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, and among the top vegetables for B-vitamin content, and market demand is also growing. Next, here is an introduction to the techniques for growing Chinese mahogany in greenhouses.

1. Building the shed and selecting seeds

Choose a field with flat terrain, ample sunlight and good drainage, with sandy soil and fertile texture, as the seedling bed. Be sure to apply sufficient base fertilizer: per mu, apply 5000kg of quality farmyard manure, 100kg of superphosphate and 30kg of urea, spread evenly and plow deeply, then make beds and plant the seedlings, with beds generally 60-100cm wide. Choose new seeds of the current year that are suitable for dwarfed cultivation, easy to control in tree shape, with a high germination rate and good quality. The seeds should be plump, with a bright red-yellow color. The seeding rate is 3-4kg per mu.

2. Soaking seeds and promoting germination

Soak the seeds in 40% warm water for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, then soak them in 20°C-30°C warm water for 24 hours, remove and rinse, drain off the water, wrap in 3-4 layers of wet gauze, and place at 20°C-25°C to promote germination. During germination, turn the seeds 1-2 times a day and rinse them 2-3 times with clean water at about 25°C, draining off excess water. When 40% of the seeds have sprouted, they can be sown.

3. Seedling-stage management

Seedlings emerge about 7 days after sowing. The stems and leaves of newly emerged seedlings are tender, so appropriate shading should be provided. When the seedlings have 1-2 true leaves, carry out the first thinning in combination with intertillage and weeding. At 4-6 true leaves, the plastic film can be removed, and thinning and final spacing can then be done. Water before final spacing, and set the plants at a spacing of 20cm. By late August, when the plants are about 50cm tall, carry out dwarfing treatment of the seedlings. Spray with 15% paclobutrazol at 200-400 times dilution once every 10-15 days, for 2-3 consecutive times, which can control excessive growth, promote earlier topping, encourage dwarfing and increase dry matter accumulation. Combining paclobutrazol treatment with pinching can increase the number of branches.

4. Harvesting

After the greenhouse has been covered with straw mats for 40-50 days, harvest when the Toona sinensis buds have grown to about 20cm long and are well colored. When harvesting, cut them off with scissors, or slice off the bud tips with a sharp blade; try not to snap them off by hand, to avoid damaging the buds and the tree. At the first harvest, leave 1-2 compound leaves at the base of the Toona sinensis shoot; at the second, leave 2-3. When starting to harvest the side buds, leave some side buds unharvested so that after sprouting they form auxiliary nurturing branches, helping the tree regain its vigor. Harvest once every 7-10 days, for a total of 4-5 harvests.

In recent years, market demand for Chinese mahogany has also gradually increased, and the harvested Toona sinensis seedlings can also be sold as young trees, so growing Chinese mahogany in greenhouses can still bring good economic returns.