A Detailed Tutorial on the Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods for Ercai
Ercai is a type of mustard green, also known as baozijie (baby mustard). During the seedling growth stage of ercai, buds keep forming and swelling at the leaf axils of the plant, and these are also the main edible parts of ercai. Ercai is very rich in nutrients; its flesh is tender and delicious, with a fresh, sweet taste, and it can be eaten in all kinds of ways. It is extremely popular in our country. So how should ercai be cultivated? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for ercai. Let's take a look!
1. Preparing the Seedbed
The seedling bed for ercai should be chosen in a shaded place. Pay attention to soil quality, ensuring the soil is deep, loose and soft, with normal drainage and irrigation and no pests or diseases. Then, before planting, plow deeply and disinfect. The soil pH should be kept at around 6-7. Therefore, when the soil pH is unsuitable, appropriately sprinkle quicklime to adjust it. However, be careful not to apply too much, to prevent the soil from becoming compacted and barren, which is unfavorable for the growth of ercai. Then apply sufficient base fertilizer, mainly decomposed farmyard manure and trace elements. Mix the base fertilizer thoroughly with the soil, then level and finely rake it for later use.
2. Sowing and Raising Seedlings
Ercai has relatively strong heat tolerance and a relatively long growth cycle, so the sowing time can be appropriately advanced, mainly depending on the planting region. For example, in the southwestern region, sowing around the end of August is more suitable. Sowing too early leads to a high probability of pests and diseases, while sowing too late affects the growth of ercai and reduces yield. When sowing, pay attention to the sowing density; do not sow too densely, to prevent the ercai seedlings from being thin and weak, which would affect yield. Since ercai seeds are relatively small, sowing should be thorough and even. After sowing, cover with a shade net to prevent sun exposure and rain. Keep the soil moist. When 2 true leaves have grown, thin the seedlings, and then thin them again at 3 leaves, ensuring the seedlings grow robustly.
3. Timely Transplanting
After the seedlings emerge from the soil, do a good job of seedling management, water and fertilize in a timely manner, and control the temperature well to prevent high-temperature damage to the seedlings that would affect growth. Then, when the seedlings have grown about 5 true leaves and the seedling age reaches about one month, they can be transplanted and set out. When transplanting, pay attention to the weather; do not do it on rainy days. Try to transplant on sunny or cloudy days. When transplanting, be careful to transplant with soil, to prevent a lack of water at the roots from affecting the growth of the seedlings. When transplanting, also pay attention to the transplanting density. The transplanting field should also be given sufficient base fertilizer to meet the nutrients needed for the growth of ercai.
4. Field Management
Ercai has a very large demand for nutrients throughout its entire growth period. Therefore, when planting, not only should sufficient base fertilizer be applied, but timely topdressing should also be carried out according to actual conditions. After ercai is transplanted, during the leaf growth period and the stem-swelling period, topdress appropriately. The number of topdressings should be kept at around 4 times. Pay attention to the amount; do not apply too much, to prevent fertilizer damage to ercai. Also pay attention to reasonable watering. While keeping the soil moist and meeting the water needs for the growth of ercai, also avoid excessive water causing waterlogging and root suffocation, which would affect the growth of ercai.
When planting, also pay attention to doing the basic work well, such as intertillage and weeding, and pest and disease control. These management tasks are indispensable in cultivation. Moreover, they are also very important for the growth of ercai, so everyone must be sure to do these basic yet important management tasks well when planting. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!