How to select cumin seeds for planting? What are the seedling-raising methods?

Cumin is a natural herbaceous plant, and its fruit is an excellent natural spice that can be used to cook delicious dishes, such as the well-known cumin beef. But in fact, cumin also has very high medicinal value and high planting returns. In China, cumin is mainly grown in Turpan in Xinjiang and Yumen in Gansu, among other places. So how do you select cumin seeds for planting? What are the seedling-raising methods? Let's find out together.

How to select cumin seeds for planting?

Selecting good seeds is the key to successful cumin cultivation. Generally, it is best to choose varieties that grow quickly, are cold-tolerant, disease-resistant and high-yielding, such as Inner Mongolia varieties and local varieties (flat-grained), etc. After selecting the seeds, they should be sun-dried (15 days before sowing). Sun-drying helps improve seed viability and is beneficial for full emergence and strong seedlings.

What are the seedling-raising methods?

1. Land selection and soil preparation

Cumin is very demanding regarding its growing environment and conditions. It is best to plant it in moist and cool, well-ventilated, fertile and loose, low-salinity sandy loam soil. Soil preparation should be carried out together with farmyard manure. The amount of base fertilizer generally required per mu is about 7,000 jin, and it should be applied together with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Finally, break up the soil clods, level the soil surface, and then sow.

2. Seed treatment

Cumin seeds are schizocarps, containing two seeds, and the seeds should be rubbed apart before sowing. Cumin generally does not need pre-sprouting treatment. When sowing late, pre-sprouting can be done to speed up emergence. First soak the seeds in clean water at about 20°C for 24 hours, then wrap the seeds in a wet cloth and place them in an environment at about 22°C for pre-sprouting.

3. Timely sowing

Sowing from late March to early April each year is more suitable. Broadcasting and drilling can be used for sowing. Broadcasting means evenly scattering the seeds in the soil, then covering with a layer of fine soil to cover the seeds; if drilling is used, the distance between rows is about 25 cm. Evenly scatter the seeds in the rows and cover with soil to cover the seeds.

4. Seedling management

① Check seedlings and replant: When cumin rows become visible, check the seedlings promptly and replant in areas with missing seedlings or broken rows. The seeds used for replanting should be soaked. Replant after the seeds absorb water and swell, so as to help them emerge as quickly as possible.

② Loosen soil and weed: After checking seedlings and replanting, manually loosen the soil and weed cumin promptly to reduce weed damage during the seedling stage. Cumin seedlings have weak soil-penetrating ability. Before and after emergence, the soil crust should also be broken promptly to help the seedlings emerge (shallow harrowing and pressing before emergence is advisable) to preserve soil moisture, promote emergence and early growth.

③ Ventilate and topdress: After cumin emerges, ventilate when the seedlings are about 7 cm tall. Generally, ventilate when the temperature exceeds 22°C in the morning, and close the vents when it is below 20°C in the afternoon. When they are about 20 cm tall, water once with a moderate amount of water. Combined with watering, topdress about 10 kg of urea per mu. After flowering, another application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and boron fertilizer is also needed.

In the process of growing cumin, it is best to use intercropping, which can increase cumin yield and also improve the utilization rate of land resources. When the seedlings are about 25 cm tall and the plants look yellow from a distance but still have flowers up close, they can be harvested.

For wonderful pictures and text and popular comments about cumin seed selection and seedling raising, you may be interested in the content recommended below by Nongxun Network. Welcome to read.

Agricultural products you may be interested in: Nationwide high-quality cumin seed supply