A Detailed Guide to Selecting Cockscomb Seeds and Raising Seedlings

Cockscomb is also known as Luhua cockscomb, pen cockscomb, small-head cockscomb, phoenix-tail cockscomb, large cockscomb flower and so on. It blooms red, just like a rooster's comb, and is named for this. Cockscomb is not only an ornamental flower, but also has high medicinal value. So how do you select cockscomb seeds? What seedling-raising methods are there? Let's find out below.

How do you select cockscomb seeds?

1. Purchasing channels

There are many channels for buying cockscomb seeds, both in physical stores and online. Generally, you can buy them at large local flower markets or from seed sellers, and you can select the seeds yourself, which gives better quality assurance. With online shopping, however, you cannot see the actual product, and it is easy to buy inferior seeds. It is best to choose to buy from the official website of a legitimate seed company, which is safer.

2. Seed price

Cockscomb seeds are relatively expensive, but prices on the market vary from high to low. When buying seeds, if you see particularly cheap seeds, it is best not to buy them. If some merchants sell at a price far below the market price, then the seeds definitely have quality problems, otherwise they would not be sold at a low price.

3. Seed appearance

When buying cockscomb seeds, we should select them carefully and meticulously, choosing those that are mature, intact and of superior quality. It is best to buy well-preserved new seeds; aged and rotten seeds must never be used.

What seedling-raising methods are there for cockscomb?

1. Seedling-raising time

For cockscomb in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River under protected conditions, sowing can be done in spring and summer. The flowering period runs from late April to mid-November, and the amount used in summer and during holidays such as "National Day" is relatively large, so the sowing time is mostly from March to July.

2. Sowing and seedling raising

For sowing, it is best to use a relatively loose artificial medium, using bed sowing or box sowing to raise seedlings, and if conditions permit, plug tray seedling raising can be used. The medium pH is 5.8-6.5 and the EC value is 0.5-0.75. It must be sterilized. After sowing, keep the medium temperature at 22-24°C, and seedlings emerge in 4-7 days.

3. Light management

After sowing, cover with a thin layer of vermiculite, with a thickness that just covers the seeds. Keeping the seedling medium moist in the early stage is very important, and the temperature should be kept at 22-24°C. Light is beneficial to the germination of cockscomb seeds, so during germination it is best to have a light intensity of about 1000-10000 lux.

4. Fertilization management

From the emergence of the radicle to the expansion of the cotyledons, the medium still needs to be kept moist, but not overly wet. In the later part of this stage, the main root can grow to 2-3 cm, and the first true leaf grows. After the cotyledons expand, fertilization can begin, mainly with a 20-10-20 water-soluble fertilizer at a concentration of 50-75 ppm.

5. Seedling management

The cockscomb seedlings have now entered a rapid growth period. Control water appropriately, and water thoroughly only after the medium has basically dried, forming a cycle of dry and wet, which is beneficial to root growth. Every 5-7 days, alternately apply 75-100 ppm of 20-10-20 and 14-0-14 water-soluble fertilizers. To prevent flower bud differentiation, the medium must not be too dry or too wet. Fertilize once every 4-5 days, and transplant into pots in time.

Cockscomb is often planted in courtyards, so it is no stranger to us. The corolla of cockscomb is very large and the leaves are very thick, and the flower colors are also very bright and gorgeous, making it very popular. Cockscomb is widely cultivated and planted in all parts of our country.

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