How to Plant Sichuan Pepper Seeds? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Methods

Sichuan pepper, also known as hui, da jiao, Qin jiao, Shu jiao, etc., is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. It is widely distributed in China, with producing areas ranging from southern Northeast China in the north to the northern slopes of the Five Ridges in the south, to the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the southeast, and to southeastern Tibet in the southwest. It is not produced in Taiwan, China, Hainan and Guangdong. Now let us take a look at how to plant Sichuan pepper seeds!

Harvesting Sichuan Pepper Seeds

The harvest season for Sichuan pepper is generally August to September, which is also a great time to collect seeds for raising seedlings. At present, the main promoted varieties include Dahongpao (Shizitou), Xiaohongbao, Huangjinjiao, Youjiao, etc. Seed trees should be chosen from middle-aged trees that are strong in growth, bear many fruits, and are of good quality. When harvesting, select fully mature Sichuan pepper with purplish-red outer skin, and seeds that are blue-black on the surface, plump, and free of diseases and insect pests for use as seed.

Treating Sichuan Pepper Seeds

For freshly collected Sichuan pepper seeds, first use clean water to remove empty seeds, then prepare a 1% alkaline water or 1% washing powder solution with warm water and soak them for 2 days (the amount of water should be enough to submerge the seeds). Rub and wash repeatedly to remove the oil from the seed coat until the seed surface turns grayish-white. After removing them, rinse the alkaline liquid off the seed coat with clean water, mix in plant ash, and they are ready to sow.

Choosing a Seedbed for Sichuan Pepper

Sichuan pepper requires plenty of sunlight from the seedling stage onward. The seedbed site should preferably be a sandy soil that is sheltered from the wind, sunny, with deep and fertile soil layers, and good drainage. Before sowing, prepare the land carefully, break up clods of soil, and make the upper layer loose and the lower layer firm. In combination with deep plowing and land preparation, apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 8-10 kg of urea, 30-40 kg of superphosphate, 50 kg of plant ash or 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per mu. On the basis of careful land preparation, make beds 1-1.2 m wide and 6-10 m long.

Sowing Sichuan Pepper Seeds

Open furrows in the prepared seedling bed, with a spacing of 20-25 cm, a depth of 4-5 cm, and a width of 8-9 cm. Level the bottom of the furrows, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, and cover with soil. In the spring of the following year, check the germination. When a small number of seeds break through the soil, scrape off the upper covering soil, leaving 3-4 cm of covering soil below. When more than 80% of the seeds have cracked open, scrape off soil again, leaving 1-2 cm. The sowing rate is 5-6 kg per mu. Sowing should be done before the soil freezes, generally from mid-October to early November. In Sichuan pepper producing areas, sowing can be done immediately after seed collection from mid-to-late August to early September.

Seedling Stage Management of Sichuan Pepper

When Sichuan pepper is raised in autumn, the seeds take a long time to emerge, but the seedlings come up earlier than with spring sowing. Therefore, in arid areas or where the seedbed soil is heavy and sticky, plastic film or wheat straw can be used to cover the bed after sowing. During drought, water can be sprayed, but do not flood irrigate. Keep the seedbed soil moist at all times. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 cm tall and have 3-4 true leaves, thin them. When the seedlings reach 10 cm in height, set the final spacing, with a seedling distance of about 5 cm, leaving 20,000-30,000 plants per mu. At the same time, promptly irrigate and drain excess water and apply topdressing, and do a good job of cultivating and loosening the soil to improve soil aeration, remove weeds from the seedbed, and prevent and control diseases and insect pests, so as to ensure the healthy growth of Sichuan pepper seedlings.