How to Grow Gongcai (Stem Lettuce)? The Latest Planting Techniques and Method Tutorial
Gongcai is an annual herbaceous plant. Gongcai has a bright and glossy appearance, good taste, and high edible value. In our country it is a high-grade dehydrated vegetable, because during the Qing Dynasty in our country it was offered as tribute to Qianlong, received high praise from Qianlong, and thereafter was offered as tribute every year, so it is called gongcai. So how should gongcai be planted? Below, the editor brings you the planting techniques for gongcai. Let's take a look!
1. Seed soaking and germination
The planting time for gongcai is generally around Qingming Festival each year, and it is best to sow about 8 days after the Start of Autumn. However, because gongcai seeds are difficult to germinate in a high-temperature environment, the seeds must be given low-temperature treatment before sowing. Soak the gongcai seeds in cold water for about 3 hours; if done daily, the seeds need to be taken out and rinsed with cold water each time. If the temperature is too low, shade work needs to be done well, and after about three days the gongcai seeds will roughly germinate. Seed soaking and germination is the most important step in gongcai planting and must never be ignored.
2. Land preparation and sowing
Gongcai has relatively strong growth ability and relatively high yield, but the premise of high yield is based on the soil. Although its adaptability is strong, the yield after survival will certainly be affected to some extent, so gongcai should be planted in slightly alkaline sandy loam soil with sufficient fertility and strong water- and fertilizer-retention capacity. After choosing the land, do the land preparation work well, carefully check whether there are residual herbicides or pesticides, and if any are found, deal with them promptly to avoid pesticide damage to gongcai; carry out mid-tillage land preparation to improve soil fertility, enhance permeability, and reduce the incidence of disease. After land preparation, reasonably plan the sowing density, dig the planting holes well, and carry out sowing after the Start of Autumn to provide a good environment for seed growth.
3. Field management
Because the temperature has not yet fully dropped when gongcai is sown, water evaporates relatively quickly, and gongcai seeds are relatively small with poor soil-emergence ability, so after sowing we must water enough to promote seed germination and seedling emergence. Water at least twice a day, but the water should not be excessive; just keep the soil moist. After watering, cover with straw and other mulch to prevent water loss. When the seeds have emerged, remove the straw, thin the seedlings in good time according to the condition of the seedlings, and often carry out mid-tillage and weeding to prevent soil compaction and rampant weeds from affecting the growth of the seedlings. Do topdressing well to ensure that gongcai seedlings have sufficient nutrition for growth and avoid malnutrition
4. Timely harvest
The quality and yield of gongcai have a great relationship with the harvest time of gongcai. Harvesting must be timely and must not be too early or too late. If harvested too early, the gongcai is not mature enough, causing a serious decline in yield. If harvested too late, gongcai is prone to hollowing, the crude fiber in the plant increases, quality declines, and it is not conducive to storage. Determine the harvest time according to the plant condition of gongcai and the planting area; for example, when the outer leaves of the gongcai plant are level with the heart leaves, it can be harvested.
The above is a brief introduction to gongcai planting techniques. Gongcai has relatively large fertilizer and water requirements, especially during the gongcai plant-development stage, when the nutrient requirement further increases. Therefore, during the plant-development stage, pay attention to fertilizer and water management, and water the plant-development water well in good time to promote the growth of gongcai. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!