A Detailed Guide to Harvesting, Storing and Raising Xiangchun (Chinese Mahogany) Seeds

Xiangchun (Chinese mahogany) is an important economic tree species, known as the "vegetable on the tree"vegetable". Xiangchun leaves are thick and its buds tender, with a texture like agate, a rich aroma and abundant nutrition; it has high edible value, is very popular in the market, and has great cultivation value. So how are xiangchun seeds harvested and stored? What seedling-raising methods are there? Now let's take a look together.

1. How are xiangchun seeds harvested and stored?

Xiangchun seeds generally begin to mature in mid-September. When collecting seeds, it is best to choose vigorous large trees 15 to 30 years old. When the capsules change from green to yellow-brown, they can be collected. After the collected fruits are dried in the sun for several days, take out the seeds and store them in a dry, ventilated and cool place.

2. What seedling-raising methods are there for xiangchun?

1. Nursery site selection and land preparation

The seedling-raising site should be chosen where the soil is fertile, drainage is good and the groundwater level is relatively low. Before land preparation, apply more organic fertilizer. It is best to plough deeply before winter. After the land is prepared, seedling beds can be made, preferably oriented north-south. The bed surface is 1.5 m wide, the bed ridge is 0.3 m wide and 0.15 m high. The bed surface should be level and the soil fine and crumbly.

2. Seed soaking and germination

Xiangchun seed coats are hard and have a waxy surface. Direct sowing does not easily absorb water, and germination is difficult. For this reason, before sowing the seeds should be soaked and pre-germinated to promote seed germination. First remove shrivelled and foreign matter, then rub off part of the wax from the seed coat, then place the seeds in a jar (about one third of the jar's depth) and soak them in warm water (water temperature about 45-47°C) for a day and a night. Take out the swollen seeds, drain them, and place them at room temperature to germinate. Rinse once a day with clean water. After 5-7 days, the seeds can split their embryo and show white, and at this point they can be sown in the field. Seeds treated with warm-water germination can increase the field germination rate.

3. Sowing season

The sowing time for xiangchun seedling raising should not be too early or too late. If too early, the ground temperature is low, which delays the time for seedlings to emerge and makes them vulnerable to late frost. If too late, the seedling growth period is shortened, affecting seedling growth and the degree of lignification. According to experimental observation, in our city sowing in late March or early April is relatively suitable.

4. Sowing and covering with soil

Before sowing, irrigate the seedling bed thoroughly. After the water has completely seeped down, mix the treated seeds with 15-20 times their weight of fine sand or finely crushed vegetable garden soil, and broadcast them evenly on the seedling bed. They can also be sown in drills with a row spacing of 25 cm. Use 2-3 kg of seed per mu. Then cover with fine soil to a thickness of 0.5-1 cm.

5. Seedling stage management

After sowing, keep the seedbed temperature at 20-25°C. About 7-10 d after sowing the seedlings emerge uniformly. At this time xiangchun seedlings have few roots, so it is best to spray warm water at 15-20°C. Keep the daytime temperature at 20-24°C and the nighttime temperature at about 15°C. As the temperature rises, ventilation can be increased. When the minimum outside temperature is stable above 10°C, the insulating cover can be removed and the seedlings hardened off under open-field conditions. Thin the seedlings once when they have 2-3 leaves, and finalize the stand when they have 4-5 leaves. To cultivate one-year-old seedlings, finalize the stand at a plant and row spacing of 20 cm-30 cm, leaving 150,000-210,000 plants/hm2. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, they can be moved to the field nursery.

When transplanting, open furrows about 5 cm deep according to the row spacing, and irrigate along the furrows. At the same time, spray a 3 g/kg urea solution in the evening about every 10 d. Mid-June to mid-August is the fast-growing period of one-year-old seedlings. During this period, strengthen fertilizer and water management, generally mainly with quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, together with a certain amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Each topdressing of urea is 150-225 kg/hm2 and diammonium phosphate 150 kg/hm2, with an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer. After late August, increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and apply less nitrogen fertilizer. A 3 g/kg potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed once every 10 d, for a total of 3-4 sprays, to promote accelerated lignification of the seedlings and the formation of plump terminal buds.

The above is an introduction to xiangchun. Xiangchun has a relatively wide sales range, most people like to eat it, it has a certain medicinal value, and it is relatively simple to grow. Friends who want to grow it can master the above seedling-raising methods.

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