Detailed Explanation of Cowpea Planting Techniques and Management Key Points
Cowpea, also known as yardlong bean, is one of the vegetables commonly seen in our daily life. It can be divided into two types: long cowpea and rice cowpea. In China, there are quite a few farmers who grow cowpea. So how should cowpea be planted? Let's take a look at the detailed introduction.
1. Land selection
Cowpea itself is relatively tolerant of poor soil, so it does not have high requirements for soil, and ordinary soil is enough for planting. However, for the sake of yield and quality, soil that is flat in terrain, has sufficient sunlight, good drainage, and good air permeability should be selected. To promote cowpea growth, the land should be prepared before planting and the soil should be loosened, which is beneficial to cowpea growth. If the soil fertility is insufficient, base fertilizer can be applied to supplement fertility. Generally, 2000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer is applied per mu.
2. Sowing time
Cowpea likes a warm climate and can be planted from spring to autumn. It can also be grown year-round through greenhouse technology. Generally, when planted in open fields, it is planted from February to August. The temperature at this stage is suitable for cowpea growth, but March to July is the best. However, the climate environment varies from place to place, so sowing should be carried out according to local climate conditions, avoiding low-temperature seasons.
3. Sowing
For sowing, first select varieties with excellent quality. When sowing, the spot sowing method is generally used. Dig holes at a plant-row spacing of 40×50 cm, place 2 seeds in each hole, and after sowing cover with soil 1-2 cm deep. After covering with soil, water thoroughly, then cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist to facilitate emergence. However, when direct sowing in summer, note that plastic film covering is not suitable, so as to avoid failure of seed germination caused by high temperature under the film. On the contrary, also note that high temperature is unfavorable to seed germination, so water frequently and keep the soil moist to facilitate emergence.
4. Field management
At the initial stage of sowing and transplanting, pay attention to water management to ensure emergence or survival rate. For direct sowing, note timely thinning of seedlings. When 3-4 true leaves have grown, final thinning should be carried out. Generally, two strong seedlings are kept per mu. If missing seedlings are found during final thinning, replant promptly to ensure full stands. Before vine growth, set up trellises in time to ensure good field ventilation and light penetration. At the same time, note removing old leaves and yellow leaves to improve field ventilation and air permeability. After final thinning, topdressing should be carried out in time. The vine growth stage and the flowering and fruiting stage both require large amounts of nutrients, so fertilizer should be applied in time to ensure sufficient nutrients.