How are Firmiana simplex seeds harvested? What are the seedling-raising methods?
Firmiana simplex, also called qingtong or tongma, is a large deciduous tree that can reach 15 m in height. The trunk of Firmiana simplex is straight, and the bark is green and smooth. It is native to China and is cultivated in all provinces, north and south. Its wood is suitable for making musical instruments, its bark can be used for papermaking and ropes, and its seeds can be eaten or pressed for oil. It is an ordinary street tree and a garden ornamental tree. So how are Firmiana simplex seeds harvested? What are the seedling-raising methods? Let's take a look together below.
1. How are Firmiana simplex seeds harvested?
Usually, the fruit of Firmiana simplex cracks open quickly after maturing and losing water, so seeds should be collected in time to prevent the seeds from scattering in the wind together with the fruit valves. Each year from September to October, the fruit matures and can be harvested. When collecting seeds, choose vigorous mother trees of mature age that are growing robustly and free of pests and diseases, and select larger fruits for harvest. During harvest, a hook knife or high-branch shears are often used to harvest the fruit together with the fruit stalk. In addition, tools such as bamboo poles can also be used to strike and break the fruit stalk to harvest the fruit. After collection, the fruit is piled indoors, spread out to dry, and once the fruit cracks open, the Firmiana simplex seeds are peeled out.
The sun-dried, cleaned seeds can be sown in autumn of the same year. If not sown that year, they can be stored dry or stored in sand, and sown again in the following spring. Because the seed coat of Firmiana simplex seeds is relatively thin, the seeds easily lose water and become dry, thereby losing their germination ability, so mixed-sand stratification wet storage is usually used.
2. What are the seedling-raising methods for Firmiana simplex?
1. Seedbed preparation
Choose well-drained soil, add one-third river sand, or 2 parts black soil plus 1 part sandy soil, and additionally apply some organic fertilizer, generally 800 to 1000 kg per mu, or apply chemical fertilizers such as urea and compound fertilizer, generally about 10 kg per mu, spread evenly, then turn the soil. For the convenience of later management, the seedbed width should be about 1.2M, with no limit on length. Because Firmiana simplex seedlings themselves are relatively strong, the soil used for sowing does not need to be disinfected in advance before use.
2. Collection and storage
Use plants that are free from pest and disease damage, robust, and good in shape as mother plants for seed collection, and harvest in autumn after the seed balls have fully matured. Do not use too much force; crush the seed balls open, remove the attached fuzz, dry them, then select the better, plump seeds and store them in bags in a place with weak light, low temperature, and relatively dark conditions until use.
3. Treatment and sowing
To promote rapid germination of London plane seeds, shorten their dormancy time, and improve efficiency, artificial water treatment is needed for germination forcing. Put the seeds in a basin, quickly soak them in 70°C hot water for 10 seconds, then change to warm water. The next day, pour out the old water, rinse the seeds with fresh water, then pour it off, mix with wet sand, cover with plastic film, and place in a low-temperature, dark place to continue forcing germination. During this process, the seeds need to be rinsed with warm water every day to ensure sufficient oxygen during seed germination, until the top of 90% of the seeds shows "white", at which point the germination forcing process is finished.
4. Preparation before sowing
Before sowing London plane seeds, the seedbed needs to be watered thoroughly. After the water naturally sinks, spread the seeds together with sand evenly over the surface. After sowing, cover with fine soil prepared in advance. It is appropriate to cover the seeds, about 0.5CM or so. Then cover with plastic film in the form of a small arch shed or add rice straw to retain moisture and provide shade. London plane sowing should be carried out at an appropriate temperature; when it is too high, it is difficult to manage and seedling scorching is likely to occur, and when it is too low, germination is not easy.
5. Later management
About one week after sowing, choose a day with little sun and more clouds, and remove the covering. Because the seedlings are very tender, avoid direct sunlight. You can continue to cover with a shade net, and keep the net height at about 20CM. First, it is convenient for replenishing water; second, it prevents the seedlings from being lifted up when removing it. When the seedlings grow to about 3CM, remove the shade net. When the seedlings have produced more than 2 true leaves, thinning and pricking out should be carried out. During thinning, remove the weak and keep the strong, either pulling them out or transplanting them. When the seedlings are more than 3CM tall, they can be irrigated. 1: Prevent excessive watering from causing root rot. 2: Prevent always watering only halfway, which can cause the seedlings to turn yellow. 3: For relatively clayey soil, water as little as possible before it appears. When the seedlings are more than 5-8CM tall, fertilizer can be applied, and it can be broadcast around the roots before rain or during watering. The amount should be controlled at 3-5 kg per mu.
The above is an introduction to Firmiana simplex. Firmiana simplex grows fast, has a smooth trunk, and has large, beautiful leaves. It is a famous ornamental tree species. When harvesting seeds from Firmiana simplex, be sure to pay attention to the above methods and store them in time. Firmiana simplex has now also been introduced to many countries such as Europe and the Americas as an ornamental tree species.