How to Grow Foxtail Millet? Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Foxtail millet is also known as millet, and it is one of the main grain crops in our country, especially in the north. The nutritional value of the grain is very high, containing rich nutrients such as protein and vitamins. It can not only be eaten, but also has effects such as clearing heat and quenching thirst, and tonifying the spleen and promoting stomach function. It can also be used as feed for poultry. So how should foxtail millet be planted? Below, the editor brings you the planting techniques for foxtail millet. Let's take a look together!
1. Land selection and seed selection
The planting plot for foxtail millet should be selected on soft, flat soil with deep black soil, normal drainage and irrigation, and high organic matter content. Avoid continuous cropping, and the previous crop should not be foxtail millet either. After selecting the land, prepare the land in time, carefully level and harrow it, and promote seed germination and emergence. Then select good varieties, and choose superior varieties with strong stress resistance, high yield, high commercial value, and high nutrition. Then carry out inferior seed removal and soaking work on the seeds, soak the seeds in salt water, select inferior seeds such as shriveled and lightweight ones, and improve seed quality. Then air-dry the normal seeds and treat them with chemicals to enhance the seeds' disease resistance.
2. Timely sowing
Observe the soil temperature. When the average soil temperature rises to about 8 degrees, sowing can begin. The main thing is to ensure the soil moisture content. After fine leveling, dig the planting holes well and cover with soil evenly after sowing. If rainy weather occurs after sowing, promptly crush the hardened soil to promote seed germination and emergence, and ensure full and strong seedlings. Foxtail millet can be appropriately densely planted. When planting, we should establish a reasonable structure and control the planting density according to the terrain and soil fertility. For example, for flat land and plots with sufficient fertility, expand the density; on the contrary, reduce the density.
3. Reasonable fertilization
First, we should apply sufficient base fertilizer. The base fertilizer is mainly fully decomposed farmyard manure, supplemented by superphosphate, and it is turned into the soil together with land preparation. After sowing, do a good job of topdressing, mainly with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer as seed fertilizer, to promote seed germination, improve seedling growth speed, and meet the nutritional needs of foxtail millet during the growth period. When the seedlings grow to about 40 cm, at a distance of about 5 cm from the seedlings, dig the topdressing furrows well, evenly sprinkle nitrogen fertilizer, then cover with soil to improve the conversion rate of nitrogen fertilizer. When topdressing, strictly control the amount to prevent excessive fertilizer. If the effect is too strong, it will burn the seedlings and instead affect the growth of foxtail millet.
4. Field management
When the seedlings grow to 3-4 true leaves, press the seedlings in time to promote seedling development and help strengthen the roots. Then when the seedlings grow to 3 cm high, do a good job of thinning, and start final thinning at 6 cm, retaining seedlings that grow normally, have strong growth, and have no pests or diseases. During the growth period of foxtail millet, it is also necessary to do a good job of weeding and loosening the soil to improve root development. It should be noted that although foxtail millet is a drought-tolerant crop, it needs a certain amount of water during the jointing stage and filling stage. If drought occurs, irrigate and topdress in time to promote the development of flower spikes and improve the number of grains and seed-setting rate.
The above is a brief introduction to foxtail millet planting techniques. We should also focus on pest and disease prevention and control. Foxtail millet has relatively strong disease resistance, and the incidence of diseases is relatively low, but it is still threatened by pests and diseases. Common pests and diseases include aphids, armyworms, and so on. Everyone should check frequently and pay attention to prevention work in order to ensure the healthy growth of foxtail millet. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting.