Where can I buy water taro seeds, and how much do they cost?
Water taro is an ornamental flower that grows in water and bears white flowers, fresh and delightful; it is planted as decoration by the lakeside in many parks. If you want to grow water taro, where can you buy the seeds? How much do they cost? Let's find out below.
Where can I buy water taro seeds?
There are many ways to buy water taro seeds: you can go to your local flower market, or buy online; generally, buying from a physical store is recommended. If you choose to buy online, pick a seller with a good reputation and good reviews, so that after-sales service is better guaranteed.
How much do water taro seeds cost?
Prices for water taro seeds vary from region to region, generally 6-20 yuan/jin; of course, economic levels differ by region, so the selling price of water taro seeds varies.
How to plant water taro seeds
1. Land preparation
Water taro requires fertile soil and is fairly shade-tolerant; it is suited to clay loam or sandy loam rich in organic matter with convenient drainage and irrigation, and continuous cropping is not advisable. Generally, plow 6-7 cun deep, apply 10 dan of farmyard manure and 20 dan of human and livestock manure per mu as base fertilizer, rake level, then keep a mud-covering layer of water and transplant after the floating soil has settled. Row spacing 1.8 chi, plant spacing 0.8-1 chi, 3000-3500 plants per mu; early-maturing varieties slightly denser.
2. Transplanting
When lifting the taro seedlings, protect the seed taro, keep more roots, remove side suckers, and plant large and small seedlings separately. When planting taro, first lift the seedling upward, then push and insert it forward and downward; do not insert it vertically. The depth should be such that the roots all touch the soil and the taro corm is slightly exposed. The period around Grain Rain is the suitable time for planting; too late is unfavorable to taro growth, and provided there is no frost damage, the earlier the planting the better.
3. Topdressing
3-5 days after planting taro, use decomposed human manure mixed with old chaff ash, applying a handful per clump to promote rooting. Carry out the second topdressing after about 10 days to promote seedling growth; after about one month, apply 15 dan of human and livestock manure and 5 dan of plant ash per mu to promote tillering and corm formation. When topdressing, the water layer should be shallow. Water taro responds strongly to chemical fertilizers, which must be reasonably combined and applied at the right time. If only nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are used, the taro tastes somewhat bland and has a high water content and melts in the mouth; with a combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, the flesh is soft and loose, the water content is moderate, and it cooks soft and tastes fragrant.
4. Water management
Water taro has a relatively high water requirement; throughout its growth it should be kept with water in the field at all times, and during hot, dry periods deep water is even more necessary. If the soil lacks water and alternates between dry and wet, the quality of the water taro becomes hard. After planting, keep shallow water to establish the clumps, and expose the field appropriately to prevent floating clumps. After rooting, irrigate to a depth of about 1 cun, and after 1 month deepen it to 1.5 cun. Around Minor Heat, when the weather is hot, to lower the mud temperature and favor taro growth, irrigate to a depth of 3-4 cun and change the water frequently. After End of Heat, the taro field should be kept with moist soil, and after White Dew the water can be drained off.
5. Cultivation and weeding
Cultivation is mainly to increase soil aeration, remove weeds and reduce nutrient consumption. When the seedlings are 7-8 cun tall, carry out the first cultivation and weeding, and spread lime to increase soil fertility. Around Minor Heat, lift the muddy soil between the taro rows to earth up the clumps; around Major Heat, ridge and earth up 3-4 cun to favor the growth and development of the taro. Note that earthing up should not be too deep: too deep and the water taro stalks grow longer; too shallow and the daughter taros are exposed, affecting quality and yield.
6. Pest and disease control
The main pests of water taro include aphids, cotton leafworm and hawk moth larvae, which can be controlled with 40% dichlorvos at 1000-1500 times dilution or 40% crystalline trichlorfon at 800-1000 times dilution. Spraying Bordeaux mixture can control taro blight and rot.
The above is an introduction to water taro. Besides its ornamental value, its rhizome can also be used to neutralize toxins and has anti-inflammatory, diuretic and analgesic effects; in addition, the large taro leaves are good feed, and the corm of water taro is rich in starch, protein and fat, and can be used both as a vegetable and as a coarse grain.
For wonderful pictures and articles and popular comments about water taro, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Net; you are welcome to read it.