How to cultivate Sichuan pepper sprouts? A detailed explanation of the latest growing techniques

Sichuan pepper sprouts are the young shoots that sprout from the Sichuan pepper tree. The young shoots generally have no thorns, are tender and glossy, and have a numbing, fragrant taste. They are a rare kind of sprout vegetable. They are a sprout vegetable that many people like. In the past, people generally just harvested some when new shoots sprouted in spring, which had time limits and somewhat affected yield. The cultivation method we are going to discuss now is somewhat different.

1. Sowing preparation

When collecting Sichuan pepper, collect the seeds together with it, then begin threshing. After the seeds are taken out, store them, and in spring use sand stratification to promote sprouting. Prepare a sunny, wind-sheltered, well-drained, loose sandy loam soil with convenient irrigation. In February, you can plow the land, apply fertilizer and mix it with the soil, and make a seedbed surface 1.2 m wide and 10 cm high. Open furrows about 20 cm. The soil on the seedbed surface can be sifted so that the soil is fine, crumbly and fluffy, making it easy for sprouts to emerge.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

After the seeds have been sprouted, sowing can begin after March. About 160 jin of seeds are sown per mu. The seeds are evenly broadcast on the seedbed surface, and afterward there is no need to cover them with soil. Instead, directly cover with 3 cm of clean river sand. The soil, river sand and seeds must all be disinfected. After that, cover with plastic film, but do not press it too tightly against the soil, as that affects the growth of the seedlings. Or remove the plastic film as soon as the seedlings emerge. When the seedlings grow to 6 cm, thin them. Finally, keep them moist.

3. Transplanting method

Build greenhouses on other land. The soil should be fertile and breathable, and the land should be wind-sheltered and sunny. Several greenhouses can be built. After plowing, apply 2000 jin of fertilizer per mu, then plant the seedlings. The plant spacing is about 15 cm and the row spacing is 20 cm. After planting, water them. Keep the greenhouse humidity at 80% every day. In May, apply 100 jin of urea per mu as a top dressing. In summer, cover the greenhouse with a shade net. Cover it at noon when the light is strong, and take it off when the light is weak.

4. Harvesting and pruning

After transplanting and once growth is stable, you can begin harvesting, and harvesting can continue until September. Harvest when they have grown to about 144 cm. You can harvest once every two days, leaving 3 compound leaves each time to promote sprouting and maintain sprouting. On the last harvest in September, generally leave the side buds unpicked. After that, pruning is also needed. Prune the tree body to 30 cm, do not let the tree body grow large, and try to maintain many sprouts.

Sichuan pepper sprouts are a rare woody sprout vegetable. Ordinary cultivated Sichuan pepper trees can also be harvested from, but this affects yield. Therefore, it is best to use the sprout-promoting cultivation techniques above, always maintaining sprouting vigor, and not letting the plants grow tall or bear peppercorns.