A Detailed Guide to Smoke Tree Seed Selection Techniques and Seedling Raising Methods

Smoke tree is a tree species grown for its ornamental red foliage and is also a good afforestation species. Some people plant it specifically for ornamental purposes. So how should you select smoke tree seeds on the market today? What seedling raising methods are there? Friends who want to know, read on! I will explain in detail.

1. How to select smoke tree seeds?

There is a knack to selecting smoke tree seeds. Generally, we need to use seeds collected in the current year, and they should be plump. You can first use winnowing or water selection to remove shriveled seeds, so that only plump, high-quality seeds are kept.

2. Seedling raising methods for smoke tree seeds

1. Seed collection

Select robust mother trees that bear fruit early and have good quality. When the fruit matures and turns yellowish-brown from late June to early July, harvest it promptly, otherwise the wind can easily blow all the seeds off. After collecting the seeds, air-dry them, remove impurities, sieve them, select the best ones, dry them, and store them in a dry, cool place for later use, protecting them from insects and rodents.

2. Seed treatment

The fruit skin of the smoke tree has a firm palisade cell layer that hinders water penetration, so seed treatment must be carried out before sowing. Generally, in early January, first remove shriveled seeds from the smoke tree seeds by winnowing or water selection, then add clean water and rub with your hands for a few minutes to wash off the sticky matter on the seed coat, drain the water, replace it with fresh clean water and add an appropriate amount of potassium permanganate or carbendazim, soak for 3d, scoop out and mix with 2 times the amount of fine sand, mix well, and store in a shaded place, letting it freeze naturally for low-temperature treatment. During the stratification process, turn the mixture frequently and maintain a certain humidity so that the seeds are exposed to uniform external conditions, germinate evenly, and do not rot. From late March to early April, the seeds absorb water and swell, beginning to sprout. Once about 25-30% of the seeds show white radicals, they can be sown.

3. Nursery site selection and land preparation

Choose a nursery site with higher terrain, fertile soil, good water and fertilizer conditions, and good drainage, using loam soil. If the soil is fairly clayey, you can add an appropriate amount of fine sand or vermiculite during land preparation to improve the soil. The best time for land preparation is early to mid-March. During land preparation, apply sufficient base fertilizer, about 3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per 667 sq m, plus 30-50 kg of compound fertilizer, then deep plow, harrow fine, and pick out debris.

4. Sowing

Smoke tree seedling raising generally uses low beds. To facilitate light exposure, make the beds running north-south. The seedbed width is 1.2 m, and the length depends on the terrain conditions. The bed surface is 10-15 cm lower than the paths. The best sowing time is from late March to early April. Three to four days before sowing, disinfect the soil with formalin or carbendazim and water thoroughly. After the water drains, draw a line and open furrows at a row spacing of 33 cm, and broadcast the seed-sand mixture sparsely. The seeding rate is 6-7 kg per 667 sq m. After sowing, cover with about 1.5-2 cm of soil, press lightly, level, and cover with plastic film. At the same time, open drainage ditches around the seedbed to facilitate drainage in autumn. Note: do not irrigate before the seeds germinate. Generally, 2-3 weeks after sowing, the seedlings emerge completely.

5. Seedling stage management

(1) Irrigation and drainage

After the seedlings emerge, determine a reasonable irrigation amount and timing according to the water requirements of the seedlings at different growth stages. Generally, irrigation should be sufficient in the early stage of seedling growth, but within 20 days after emergence, strictly control irrigation. As long as drought damage does not occur, reduce irrigation as much as possible. The interval depends on weather conditions, generally watering once every 10-15 days; in the later stage, appropriately control watering to promote seedling hardening and facilitate overwintering. In autumn with more rain, pay attention to drainage to prevent waterlogging, which can cause root rot. (2) Thinning and final spacing

Because the main stem of smoke tree seedlings often leans to one side, they should be planted somewhat densely. Thinning is generally carried out in 2 rounds: the first thinning when the seedlings have grown 2-3 true leaves. The second thinning when the leaves overlap each other, keeping the good and removing the poor, removing those that are poorly developed, affected by pests or diseases, mechanically damaged, or too dense, while maintaining a certain distance between seedlings, with a plant spacing of 7-8 cm being suitable. In addition, replanting can be done together with the first or second thinning, preferably on cloudy days or in the evening.

6. Disease control

Common pests and diseases of the smoke tree mainly include aphids, damping-off, powdery mildew, and mold.

(1) Aphids: they damage leaves, tender stems, flower buds, and terminal buds, causing leaves to wrinkle, curl, form galls, and even fall off, and in severe cases causing the plant to wither and die.

Control methods: in early spring, scrape off old bark and prune affected branches to eliminate overwintering eggs; when aphids occur in large numbers, spray 40% omethoate, or from May to August spray dimethoate, 50% malathion emulsion, or 40% acephate 1000-1500 times solution every 15 days, or spray derris extract 1000-2000 times solution.

(2) Smoke tree damping-off: it causes rot of the cortex of the roots or root crown, and in severe cases causes diseased seedlings to wilt and die.

Control methods: keep the garden clean and hygienic, promptly dispose of diseased plants, spray 50% carbendazim 50% wettable powder 500-1000 times solution or spray 1:1:120 Bordeaux mixture, spraying once every 10-15 days.

Alright, that is all the content I wanted to share with you today. If you are thinking of planting smoke trees, you first need to select high-quality seeds, and then master certain seedling raising techniques; generally you will still be able to grow them well.

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