How to Grow Stock (Matthiola incana)? The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Stock originated along the Mediterranean coast. It is widely cultivated in southern China. It is the collective name for plants of the various species under the genus Matthiola in the Brassicaceae family. Also known as gillyflower and stock, it is an annual, biennial or perennial herb of the genus Matthiola in the Brassicaceae family, and is one of Europe's famous flowers. The plant height is 20--70 cm, and the whole plant is covered with grayish-white stellate pubescence. The stem is erect and much branched. The leaves are alternate, oblong or oblanceolate, 3--5 cm long. The raceme is terminal or axillary, with the base of the sepals on both sides in a pendulous sac shape, the pedicel is sturdy, the flower diameter is 2 cm, and there are 4 petals with long claws, the petals spreading in a cross shape. The flowers are purplish red, pale red, pale yellow, white, etc., with a slight fragrance. The flowering period varies by variety: spring stock blooms in April and May; summer stock blooms from June to August; autumn stock blooms from July to September. It has the beauty-nourishing effects of moisturizing the skin and reducing wrinkles and spots. It is not only suitable for beauty-conscious people to drink, but also has therapeutic effects on sore throat, bronchitis, constipation, and eliminating bad breath (the effect is even better when paired with lavender).
Sowing and Seedling Raising
The optimum temperature for seed germination and emergence is about 16-20°C. Broadcasting is generally used. The seedbed soil must be passed through a fine sieve, and the seedling-raising substrate needs to be soft and well aerated. Water thoroughly with a watering can, then sow dry seeds, with a sowing rate of about 5 grams per square meter of seedbed, and cover with 0.5 cm of fine soil on top. If sowing in a seedling tray, place the tray in a shaded, rain-proof place. If the water retention of the bed soil is poor, cover with plastic film or glass after covering with soil. Dry seeds emerge in about 4-6 days. After emergence, the shading material should be gradually removed to let them receive light. During the seedling stage, protect against heavy rain. Stock has poor root regeneration ability, so if conditions permit, grow seedlings in containers and transplant early. Put 1-2 seedlings in each container, with a container diameter of 8-10 cm. As the weather turns colder, the greenhouse or arched shed should appropriately strengthen insulation to facilitate the growth of the seedlings. Keep the bed soil constantly moist. The seedlings should be placed on the south side of the greenhouse to obtain stronger light and a larger temperature difference, which can prevent spindly growth. Transplant when there are 8-10 leaves; plant 2-3 plants per 26.7 cm diameter pot; the seedlings can tolerate a low temperature of -5°C and dislike high heat, with the optimum growth air temperature being 15-18°C during the day and about 10°C at night. It likes light, but is also somewhat tolerant of partial shade and not tolerant of drought. It likes fertile, loose bed soil, and the suitable bed soil pH is 5.5-7.5. When the seedlings have 6-8 true leaves, control watering, and two different leaf colors will appear; remove the seedlings with yellowing leaves and retain only the plants with dark green leaves for transplanting. It requires neutral or slightly acidic loam.
When the daytime temperature is 20-25°C and the nighttime temperature is not lower than 5°C, it takes about 120-150 days from autumn sowing to flowering. In the cold northern regions, sow in August; in other regions, sow in September, so that it can bloom around the Spring Festival. To arrange spring flower beds, the cold northern regions should sow from December to January, which can reduce the number of seedling-raising days and lower seedling-raising costs. For cut flower use, transplant into protected cultivation beds; in warm regions, autumn-sown plants used for spring flower beds are moved into cold frames to overwinter. Tall varieties are pinched at the seedling stage, and sowing times should be staggered. For example, sowing in early July can begin flowering in mid-October. For overwintering through summer, suitable varieties should be selected; suitable varieties include Wind Dance, Snow Dance, Spring Dance, Yellow Dance, etc. For winter stock, when there are 8 true leaves, flower bud differentiation occurs at a low temperature of 5-15°C in about 20 days. After flower bud differentiation, at a low temperature of 5-10°C, increasing day length can accelerate flower bud development, but under a 7-hour short day, some varieties can still flower normally. Second, to increase the proportion of double flowers, preliminary selection can be carried out before transplanting the seedlings. The cotyledons of double-flowered seedlings are broadly oval with more serrations, while the cotyledons of single-flowered seedlings are short oval with fewer serrations. Or when the cotyledons unfold, place the seedling tray in an environment of 4-8°C; after about 8 days, those with pale green leaf color are double-flowered seedlings, and those with dark green are single-flowered seedlings. Double-flowered seeds have a longer lifespan than single-flowered ones; sowing seeds stored for more than 2 years tends to increase double-flowered plants.
Usually stock is sown from February to May, with an optimum germination temperature of 20 to 26°C. Germination requires light, and germination occurs in 4 to 9 days in a germination chamber. The optimum growth temperature is about 18°C, the seedling-raising period is 7 to 8 weeks, and flowering occurs 8 to 11 weeks after potting. During the growth period it is very tolerant of light; however, shade should be provided under strong summer light, as concentrated strong light will cause some varieties to wither.
Techniques for Each Growth Stage in Seedling Production
1. From sowing to radicle emergence (takes 4 to 9 days): no covering is needed after sowing, the suitable substrate temperature is 20 to 26°C, the pH value is 5.0 to 5.5, the EC value is less than 0.75, and the substrate should always remain moist during the germination period, but must never be saturated.
2. Until the first true leaf appears (takes 11 to 16 days): keep the substrate temperature at 18 to 24°C and medium humidity. However, to make the seeds germinate well, the substrate needs to be allowed to dry slightly before watering. The substrate pH value is 5.2 to 5.6, and the EC value is less than 1.0. Light should be sufficient, but avoid direct strong summer light. After the cotyledons have fully unfolded, apply potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate. After full emergence, use the broad-spectrum fungicide thiophanate-methyl to drench the roots or spray, to control diseases such as damping-off and root rot.
3. Until the seedling is established (takes 21 to 28 days): the optimum substrate temperature is 16 to 24°C, the relative air humidity is no more than 80%, and light is sufficient. Let the substrate dry out before watering, but avoid permanent wilting of the plants, as this is beneficial to root growth. Keep the substrate pH value at 5.2 to 5.8, and the EC value at less than 1.5. At this stage, apply potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate fertilizer alternately. Fertilization can alternate with watering with clear water to control plant height. Pay attention to controlling root pests such as nematodes and bean seed flies; pesticides such as fenamiphos and omethoate can be used to drench the roots.
4. Hardening off (takes 7 days): control the substrate temperature at 14 to 20°C, keep the relative air humidity below 70%, and let the substrate dry thoroughly before watering. Keep the substrate pH value at 5.2 to 5.6, and the EC value at less than 0.75. When the plants are not lacking fertilizer, apply fertilizer containing potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate once a week.
Cultivation Techniques for Finished Stock Plants
1. Soil: Persian stock is suitable for planting in light peat soil with a humus content of 45 to 65%. The soil needs to be slightly fertile and loose in structure; poor air conditions easily lead to root problems. The soil pH value is 5.0 to 6.5, and the EC value is 1.5 to 2.0. Too high a pH value will lead to the appearance of nutrient deficiency symptoms.
2. Water: during the growth period, the plants should be kept regularly moist, but avoid overwatering, otherwise it easily leads to root diseases. Watering is best done by seepage from below, which can keep the substrate surface dry for a longer period and effectively reduce the threat of pests such as bean seed flies and black flies.
3. Fertilizer: only a small amount of potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate needs to be applied, and fertilization can alternate with watering with clear water.
4. Light: Persian stock requires a certain amount of light to flower and is very tolerant of light, but shade is needed when the light intensity exceeds 75000 lux, otherwise the plants will grow poorly.
5. Growth regulation: begin using growth regulators about 3 weeks after potting; B9, ALan, A-Rest, etc. can be used. The required degree of treatment varies by variety, but repeated use is necessary.
6. Pests and diseases: common diseases include root rot and gray mold. Root rot can be controlled with a 500-fold dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl or 50% carbendazim, while gray mold can be controlled with a 1500-fold dilution of 5% procymidone wettable powder or a 1500 to 2000-fold dilution of 50% procymidone wettable powder. Pests include aphids, thrips, leaf miners, etc., which can be controlled with a 2000-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder, a 3000-fold dilution of 1.8% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate, and a 1000 to 1500-fold dilution of 75% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate, respectively.