How much does a jin of mimosa (Fabaceae) seeds cost, and when and how to plant and germinate them
Mimosa is also called sensitive plant, zhixiu grass, huhe grass, pa chou grass, jianxiao grass, husband-and-wife grass, and shy grass; its flowers, leaves and pods all have good ornamental value.So how much does a jin of mimosa seeds cost approximately? How long until they germinate? When to plant them? What planting methods are there? According to the Suqian Seed Company, mimosa seeds cost approximately 150 yuan--250 yuan/jin, with a sowing rate of 4--5 jin per mu. Mimosa blooms from March to September, the seed maturity period is 40 days, and mimosa flowers come in white, yellow and pink; flowering times differ by region.
How long do mimosa seeds take to germinate?
Whether mimosa seeds germinate depends on how you treat them. If you soak them in water for 1-2 days before sowing, the seeds sprout more easily, in about 7-14 days. If untreated, they take longer.
Also, after the seeds are sown they need plenty of water; if it rains, leaving them out in the rain can make the seeds germinate earlier.
What planting methods are there for mimosa?
1. Nursery site selection
The mimosa is native to the Americas and is now found in every corner of the world; in China it is cultivated in Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places. Mimosa plants are sturdy and highly adaptable to the environment, with no strict soil requirements; they grow best in sunny, fertile loess, black soil, clay soil and sandy soil rich in organic matter. Fields suitable for planting mimosa include wheat stubble, potato stubble and soybean stubble; generally, any land that can grow crops is good land for planting it.
2. Land preparation
1. Deep ploughing: Mimosa grows best and yields highest in loose, fertile fields. Clear the land of weeds once, then apply base fertilizer, plough once and harrow once to ensure the soil is soft and fine with no large clods. For fertilization, use 4 tons of farmyard manure per mu, with cow dung and pig manure being best.
2. Making beds: To achieve high and stable yields, not one prerequisite can be missing, no matter what crop is planted. Mimosa is drought-tolerant but not waterlogging-tolerant; its plants are short, and soaking in water causes large numbers of seedlings to die, so before preparing the land and making beds you must dig the drainage ditches around the nursery site, then make the land into beds of a fixed 1.5 m width and rake the soil level, waiting to sow.
3. Sowing
Sowing is the simplest task; mimosa spreads widely and has an extremely high germination rate, and mimosa seeds can still achieve a high sprouting rate even without pre-sprouting treatment. Generally, the drill sowing method is used, with a row spacing of 40 cm and a sowing depth of 3 cm; after sowing, flood-irrigate once, then cover with straw, plastic film or similar materials to retain moisture, and seedlings emerge in 7-10 days.
4. Seedling stage management
During emergence, pay attention to watering to keep the soil sufficiently moist and ensure smooth germination. When the seedlings reach 10 cm, thin them for the first time, keeping the sturdy, strong seedlings and pulling out the weak ones and those that sprouted late; after that, the work is regular watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing, weeding, pest control, etc. If they are to be sold as flowers, they need to be grown in seedling trays, then transplanted into container flower pots.
When is mimosa planted?
Mimosa is generally suitable for direct sowing in greenhouses in early spring. The sowing time can be late March--early April. When sowing, scatter the seeds evenly on fine soil, cover with about 1.5 cm of soil, and at a temperature of about 18°C, seedlings can emerge in about 10 days. Seedlings grow slowly; at 7--8 cm they can be planted out or potted.
For home pot cultivation, small pots can also be used for direct sowing. For the sowing soil, mix 2 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil and 5 parts fine yellow sand after sieving. When sowing, first fill the pot with an appropriate amount of potting soil, spread it level and press it firm, sprinkle thoroughly with a watering can, and sow immediately once the water has fully seeped in. Sow 1--2 seeds per pot. If using a shallow tray for raising seedlings, sow by dibbling at a spacing of 2 cm×2 cm. After sowing, cover with 3--5 cm of soil, just enough to cover the seeds. Cover the pot with glass or plastic film to retain moisture, and place the pot in a spot with diffused light at about 20°C. When the potting soil is dry, water by the immersion method. After about 7--10 days, the seeds germinate and emerge.