Why does celtuce split its stem? An analysis of the latest causes
Celtuce is an annual or biennial crop, grown on a large scale in all parts of our country. It is crisp and tasty, and can be used in cold dishes, stir-fried, and so on. It aids digestion and helps sober you up. It is a fairly common vegetable. But during cultivation, celtuce often develops split stems. So what causes the stem splitting? Let's take a look.
1. Variety issues
After discovering stem splitting, the first thing to consider is whether the variety itself is prone to splitting. This is because experimental survey results have found that different varieties differ in their resistance to stem splitting. For example, purple-leaf varieties with purple leaves have higher yields, but are more prone to stem splitting; by contrast, green-leaf varieties have lower yields, but the occurrence of stem splitting is also reduced.
2. Uneven fertilizer and water
During the planting and care process, if the fertilizer and water supply for celtuce is uneven, alternating between dry and waterlogged, and if water is insufficient in the early stage of stem expansion, the skin of the stem will harden. Then, when many growers notice the lack of water, they immediately water heavily, and the flesh inside the stem begins to swell, but because the skin has hardened, its growth slows down. It cannot keep up with the growth rate of the flesh, resulting in stem splitting. Secondly, if the soil lacks boron and the number of crop rotations is low, celtuce will also split its stem. This is because a boron deficiency causes the vitamin C content in celtuce to drop and the plant's resistance to decline, making the celtuce split its stem.
3. Unsuitable temperature
Celtuce is a vegetable that likes cool conditions and fears heat. When the stem is producing flesh, 20°C during the day is the most suitable temperature, and around 14°C at night. But when planting in spring, because the temperature is too low, the low-temperature weather lasts too long while the celtuce is expanding. The growth and development of the stem is hindered, but then the temperature suddenly rises, and just like drought followed by a temperature drop, the flesh inside the stem grows rapidly, while the skin's growth rate cannot keep up with the flesh's growth rate, making it unable to bear the strain and causing stem splitting.
4. Improper management
Many growers apply large amounts of fertilizer in pursuit of high and abundant yields, but if fertilizer is applied excessively, or if the farmyard manure applied is not fully decomposed, or if too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, it will cause soil compaction and salinization, and so on, which will make celtuce split its stem. There are also excessive or late watering, large-scale continuous cropping, delayed harvesting, and a whole series of other management problems that will all cause celtuce to split its stem.
⟧The above four are the basic causes of celtuce stem splitting. Because the growth rates of the celtuce skin and flesh are inconsistent, the flesh grows faster than the skin. So in daily care you must pay attention to this point and must not apply excessive fertilizer. As long as you pay attention to the problems I mentioned, you can basically greatly reduce the occurrence of celtuce stem splitting.