Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods of Oldenlandia diffusa

To cultivate Oldenlandia diffusa, choose a low-lying, flat site with ample sunlight, prepare the soil and apply fertilizer, then arrange sowing. Sowing can be done in spring or autumn; after sowing, cover the seeds with fine soil. Once the true leaves emerge, field management is needed, mainly watering and fertilizing. Let the plants grow in a good environment, and finally arrange harvesting.

Cultivation Techniques for Oldenlandia diffusa

1. Site selection and soil preparation

Oldenlandia diffusa is suitable for planting on low-lying, fertile and loose soil. After selecting the planting site, apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer. Spread the fertilizer evenly over the soil, rake it fine and mix it evenly, then open furrows and make beds, with a bed width of 1 m and a furrow depth of 25 cm.

2. Sowing

Sowing can be divided into spring sowing or autumn sowing. Spring sowing is best from March to May, and autumn sowing is done in mid-to-late August. Because the seeds of Oldenlandia diffusa are relatively small, in order to increase the germination rate, they must be treated before sowing by removing the waxy layer on the fruit peel and seed shell, then mixing the seeds with several times their volume of fine soil before sowing.

3. Field management

After the seedlings emerge, thinning should be carried out together with intertillage and weeding. When thinning, remove weak seedlings and keep strong, uniformly growing seedlings. When the seedlings grow to 8-10 cm, carry out final thinning at a plant spacing of 10 cm. From sowing to emergence, the soil should be kept moist to favor emergence, but waterlogging should be avoided. Drain promptly after rain. In hot seasons, water can be poured into the furrows to lower the temperature and prevent sunscald.

4. Pest and disease control

Oldenlandia diffusa has strong disease resistance, and few diseases occur throughout its growth period; control can be carried out through topdressing and weeding. The main insect pests are cutworms and tobacco cutworms. Among them, tobacco cutworms can be trapped and killed with insect traps, while cutworms can be controlled by spraying fipronil.