How to select sweet clover seeds? What are the seedling-raising methods?

Sweet clover, also known as iron broom, detoxifying herb, and provincial-head herb, has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and reducing inflammation, and is a relatively good traditional Chinese medicinal herb; in addition, it is also a forage grass with a high survival rate, and it is grown in many regions. If you want to grow sweet clover, how should you select the seeds? What seedling-raising methods are there? Let's take a look below.

How to select sweet clover seeds?

1. Purchasing channels

Sweet clover seeds are mainly purchased in two ways: buying from physical stores and buying online. For physical stores, you can buy from local seed shops, agricultural supply stores, etc. If buying online, it is best to choose shops with a good reputation and high praise.

2. Price selection

As for the price of sweet clover, if it is retail, it is generally around 35 yuan per jin. The consumption level in each region is different, and the selling price of seed companies will also vary slightly, but it will not differ too much from the actual value. When buying, you can compare prices at several stores.

3. Seed selection

First of all, choose seeds with good glossiness and plump grains, and do not buy old seeds, as they can easily affect the germination rate. In addition, pay attention to the production date on the seed packaging, and try to buy the most recent date, which is beneficial for germination.

What seedling-raising methods are there for sweet clover?

1. Seed treatment

The outer seed coat of fresh sweet clover seeds is very firm, and their hard seed rate is about 50%. Before sowing, we should mix the seeds with sand and rub them, or use a stone roller to scratch the seed coats, so that the seeds can absorb water more easily, and germination will not be hindered by the hardness of the seed coats.

2. Sowing time

In northern China, spring sowing or summer sowing is suitable. Spring sowing should be early. (Sowing can be done after the soil thaws to 8-10 cm.) This avoids the effects of early-spring drought and the harm of weeds, and good root development is beneficial for safely overwintering. The suitable sowing month is from late May to early June. At this time, land preparation can remove germinated weeds and reduce harm to seedlings, and entering the rainy season provides good temperature, light, and moisture conditions for seedling growth; with good management, grazing can be done after frost.

3. Harvest management

The suitable period for forage harvesting should be when the nutrients per unit area are highest and the life span of the plants is not affected. Harvest when the stem height is about 50 cm. At this time, the nutrient yield from harvesting is high, and the nutrients accumulated in the roots reach a fairly high level, making regrowth easy.

The above is an introduction to sweet clover cultivation. No matter what you plant, seed selection is the first step, followed by good cultivation management. Sweet clover has luxuriant branches and leaves and great utilization value, and it is currently a major cultivated species in various parts of northern China. If you have a need, you might consider trying to grow it.

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