A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection and Seedling Raising Methods for Pan Cai
Pan cai is a type of vegetable in the cruciferous family, named for its flattened round tuber, which is as large as a plate. Pan cai is a distinctive variety among the high-altitude off-season vegetable crops grown in recent years. Its appearance is similar to that of radish, and its flesh is fine, white, crisp and tender, with a sweetness accompanied by a slight pungency, offering good taste and a unique flavor. At present, although the growing range of pan cai is relatively narrow, it has been introduced and planted in many places. So how do you select seeds for pan cai? What are the seedling raising methods? Let's find out together.
How do you select seeds for pan cai?
Before planting pan cai, the first thing is certainly to select good seeds. It is recommended to choose varieties that are relatively high-yielding and have strong disease resistance. In addition, there is another very important point: because pan cai seeds require conditions such as a large day-night temperature difference during their growth and development, you must also pay attention to this issue when selecting seeds.
What are the seedling raising methods?
1. Site selection and land preparation
In order for growers to obtain better yield and quality, it is advisable to choose sandy loam soil with deep soil layers, convenient drainage and irrigation, and loose, fertile soil. If it is to be cultivated as a high-altitude off-season vegetable, the planting plot needs to be at an altitude of between 1200m and 1800m. When selecting the site, remove large clods of soil, rocks or stones, and after fine preparation, spread 1000-1500 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 50 kg of superphosphate, and 5 kg of magnesium sulfate per mu and thoroughly mix them into the soil, or carry out shallow soil mixing.
2. Fine seedling raising
The seedling raising time differs slightly among different growing regions, so be careful to distinguish between them. When raising seedlings, it is best to use nutrient pots or nutrient cups for insulated seedling raising. After low-temperature treatment of the seeds, sow one seed per nutrient pot (cup) into nutrient soil, keep the soil moist and loose, and seedlings will emerge after 3-5 days.
3. Thinning and transplanting
In order to cultivate strong seedlings, ventilation can be carried out on sunny days after thinning, so as to enhance the cold resistance and stress resistance of pan cai seedlings. When the pan cai seedlings have 4-6 true leaves and the fleshy root has swollen to the size of a soybean, they can be transplanted and set out at a spacing of 0.2 m between plants and 0.3 m between rows. For planting depth, burying up to the base of the first true leaf is sufficient. After planting is completed, water thoroughly to settle the roots.
4. Fertilizer and water management
Three days after planting, water once each morning and evening every day to help the seedlings take root and survive. Gently push the rice straw aside to expose the leaves, and keep straw covering around the fleshy root bulb. At the same time, after rain and before fertilizing, you must carry out intertillage weeding and hilling. Water to keep the seedlings moist as the baseline, and apply a thin fertilizer every 3 days. Throughout the entire growth period, mainly use decomposed farmyard manure and apply less chemical fertilizer, so as to benefit plant growth and the swelling of the fleshy root.
In general, pan cai is a rare vegetable variety among root vegetables. It can be eaten raw, cooked, used in soups, and so on, and can also be processed into various pickled products, being crisp and excellent in taste. Moreover, it is relatively simple to grow; just pay attention to seedling raising techniques.
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