How much is a jin of bayberry seeds? Detailed planting methods and timing

Bayberry, also known as tree berry, Sheng Sheng Mei, Bai Di Mei, etc., is a common fruit in Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, East China and Guangdong in our country. Because of its high medicinal and edible value, it is widely planted. So how much is a jin of bayberry seeds? Can they be planted? How are they planted? When is the best time to plant?

Seed price:

The price of bayberry seeds is about 15 to 30 yuan per jin, but it varies with seed quality, variety, place of origin and market.

Can the seeds be planted?

Yes. The best sowing time for bayberry seeds is February to April and September to October each year. Seeds sown during these two periods have the highest germination rate and grow best.

Seed planting techniques:

Sowing method:

Seeds of both wild and cultivated bayberry can be sown to raise seedlings. Fresh seeds have the highest germination rate when sown, but autumn sowing is often used in production. The specific steps are:

1. Nursery site selection: The bayberry nursery site should be chosen in a location with convenient transportation and flat terrain. If it is sloping land, the slope should generally not exceed 5°. The slope aspect should be north- or northeast-facing as much as possible. The soil should preferably be fertile, loose in texture and deep sandy loam.

2. Seed collection: Bayberry seeds should be collected from mature fruits on robust adult trees. The fruits are spread out and piled up in a place not directly exposed to sunlight. After piling for 4 to 5 days, the flesh rots, then wash and remove the floating shriveled seeds, and dry the surface before use.

3. Land preparation and fertilization: Before sowing bayberry, the land should be prepared by deep plowing, and after plowing it should be dried until white. Apply 3000 to 5000 kg of pig or cattle pen manure or compost, 15 to 20 kg of superphosphate, and some plant ash per mu. For paddy fields, dig deep drainage ditches around the perimeter. In mountainous areas, pay attention to drought prevention and flood control.

4. Sowing method: Before sowing bayberry, soak the seeds in 0.1% potassium permanganate solution or 40% thiophanate-methyl 800-fold solution for 10 minutes, then evenly scatter the seeds on the seedbed surface. After sowing, gently press the seeds into the soil with a wooden board, cover with a layer of fine soil, and then cover with a thin layer of grass.

5. Seedling management: Bayberry is generally sown in mid-to-late October. The seeds begin to germinate in January of the second year and emerge from the soil in mid-February. After emergence, pay attention to controlling temperature and humidity, and also prevent sunscald or damping-off disease. They can usually be transplanted by late July.

Seedling-raising methods:

Bayberry seedling-raising methods differ from place to place. Grafting propagation is mainly used, and layering and division propagation are also used. The rootstock for bayberry is its own rootstock. Seeds should be collected from robust and superior mother trees. The seed germination rate of seedling trees is higher than that of cultivated varieties. Generally, the germination rate of wild bayberry seeds is 30-60%, while that of cultivated varieties is mostly around 10-30%, but some are relatively high, such as Chi Da Zhong and Zao Da Zhong in Cixi County, Zhejiang, whose seed emergence rate can reach about 70%. The fruits used for seed collection must be fully mature. After harvesting, the fruits are piled for 3-5 days. After the flesh rots, wash and dry them or store them in moist sand. Because dried storage of bayberry seeds easily causes loss of germination ability, sand storage is mainly used. About 20 kg of seeds can be obtained from every 100 kg of fruit. Bayberry is mainly sown in spring, and the sowing rate for broadcast sowing in seedbeds is 250-300 kg per mu. They germinate and emerge one month after sowing, are transplanted in May-June, and can be grafted 1-2 years after transplanting.

Bayberry grafting is mainly done by scion grafting. The scions are generally selected from 1-2 year old branches on the upper or outer part of the canopy of robust, high-yielding trees that have entered full fruiting stage. For thicker rootstocks, 2-3 year old branches are better for scions. If male bayberry is grafted with female scions, it can be changed into a female plant. The grafting period is generally from mid-March to early April. Because bayberry sap flows vigorously, early grafting before spring bud break is advantageous. Grafting should be done on a windless sunny day, preferably with no rain for 3-4 days after grafting. The grafting methods generally used include cleft grafting, improved cut grafting and bark grafting.

The vigorous sap flow of bayberry often affects the survival rate of grafting. In order to suppress tree vigor and reduce the rise of sap from the roots, the following methods can be adopted:

1. Cut the root system: For 2-3 year old rootstock, after grafting, use a shovel to cut deeply on both sides of the seedling to cut off some main and lateral roots.

2. Grafting after moving: Before grafting, first dig out the rootstock seedlings, cut off some main and lateral roots, then replant them in another place and graft.

3. Digging and grafting: Dig up the rootstock and graft indoors. This is used for 2-3 year old rootstock. After grafting, heel them in or plant them directly at the final planting site.

4. Leave a branch to slow vigor: This is used more for large rootstocks, that is, graft on the main branch while leaving another branch as a “water-guiding branch”.

to attract water flow toward this branch and slow the growth vigor of the grafted part.

Grafted seedlings in the nursery produce many branches, so weak branches should be thinned at any time from June to July to promote robust growth of the retained shoots. In summer, if the temperature is relatively high, shade frames should be built to maintain a certain temperature and humidity in the nursery and prevent the seedlings from dying. The sprouts on the rootstock should be removed in batches to reduce nutrient consumption, but removing sprouts too early can sometimes also affect the survival rate of grafting.