How to plant Catharanthus roseus seeds? Learn the latest planting method

Catharanthus roseus, also known as golden chrysanthemum grass, four-season spring, daily renewal, wild goose head red, thirty thousand flowers, etc., is a subshrub plant of the genus Catharanthus in the Apocynaceae family. Multiple varieties have been bred in Taiwan, China, with breeding trending toward larger flowers. It is often used for potted plants and planter boxes for ornamental purposes. The whole plant can be used as medicine to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, aid sleep, relieve constipation, and promote urination, etc. Now let's take a look at how to plant Catharanthus roseus seeds!

Seed collection time

Catharanthus roseus fruits mature at different times depending on when the flowers bloom, so seeds must be collected as they ripen. After the fruit matures and its color turns black, the skin easily splits open and causes the seeds to scatter, so seeds need to be collected in time. When you see the fruit skin turning yellow and the black seeds inside faintly showing through, it is time to harvest.

Sowing time

The suitable temperature for Catharanthus roseus seed germination is 20-25°C. It is usually sown and propagated from March to May, and is mostly grown as an annual. To make it bloom earlier, seeds can be sown in a greenhouse in early spring for seedlings, kept at 20°C, and moved to open-field cultivation when the weather warms up in spring.

Seedbed preparation

For the Catharanthus roseus seedbed, choose a place with high, well-drained terrain facing south and receiving sunlight, with good drainage. The substrate is best prepared with peat + perlite at a ratio of 3:1. Leaf mold can also be used. Water thoroughly with a 500-600 times dilution of carbendazim solution. After it dries slightly, loosen and level the soil, and make a seedbed 1.2 m wide.

Sowing technique

Broadcast Catharanthus roseus seeds at about 1000 seeds per sq m. After sowing, cover with fine, thin sandy soil; do not let the seeds be exposed directly to light. Water thoroughly with a fine watering can, and cover with plastic film or straw curtains to keep the soil moist. Seedlings can emerge in 7-10 days. After emergence, remove the plastic film or straw curtains and gradually increase light exposure. The seedlings grow slowly at first, then grow faster as the temperature rises, so thinning should be done in time. To prevent Catharanthus roseus damping-off, spray or water once a week with an 800 times dilution of chlorothalonil or thiophanate-methyl for 2-3 consecutive weeks.