A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection Techniques and Seedling-Raising Methods for Burr Medic
Burr medic, whose scientific name is sickle alfalfa (Medicago falcata), is a legume. Besides being a traditional wild vegetable, in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region burr medic can also be used as green manure and feed. In the south it is generally sown in late autumn, while in the north it is generally sown in spring, and its overall economic value is quite good. Nowadays burr medic is gradually becoming a garden vegetable, with more and more people eating it and more and more people growing it. So in the process of growing burr medic from seed, how should the seeds be selected? And how should the seedlings be raised? Let's find out together.
1. Seed Selection
Burr medic seeds can generally be purchased on online e-commerce platforms, at large trading markets, or from manufacturers in production areas. When buying and selecting seeds, avoid those that are shriveled or show obvious signs of damage; generally, choose seeds with a glossy surface that are plump.
After the seeds are selected, soak them in water and stir once an hour so that every single one can be well soaked in the water. When the seeds float to the surface, scoop them out, and throw away those that sink to the bottom. Then put the remaining seeds in a transparent bag, soak them in cold water for about 10 hours, take them out and place them in a cool place, and after about 3 days you can see them sprout.
2. Seedling-Raising Methods
1. Sowing and Land Preparation
Before sowing, first work the entire plot of land once, and clear out the grass seeds inside or bury them deep, to prevent them from growing rapidly later and competing with burr medic for nutrients. You can also let some of the seeds germinate first, and when they break through the soil, destroy them all, which can improve the soil's moisture condition. Once everything is sorted out, you can sow.
2. Fertilization Management
After the land preparation work is completed, sufficient organic fertilizer needs to be applied to every mu of field. It is best to apply some farmyard manure as a base fertilizer. Applying the fertilizer into the soil makes the soil more nutritious and ensures that burr medic seedlings can grow robustly. When its seedlings grow several leaves, timely topdressing must be carried out, and then according to its growth condition, sufficient nutrients should be supplied at different stages.
3. Water Management
During the growth process of burr medic, a large amount of water is needed as support, especially during the period when it grows most rapidly, such as the regreening stage. At this time, besides ensuring that the soil is moist, you must also pay attention to changes in the weather. During long periods of drought, you must control the timing and frequency of watering well, and the amount of water per watering must not be too much; at the same time, pay attention to observing and draining away accumulated water.
4. Harvesting and Seed Saving
The harvest method for burr medic is generally cutting. The harvest time is closely related to the sowing time; for example, if sown in early spring, it can be harvested in about one month. Saving seeds is for continuing to use this high-quality seed suited to the local soil the next year. Planting for seed saving is generally done around September, and because it has to go through winter, good heat-preservation management must be done.
The above is an introduction to the selection of burr medic seeds and seedling-raising methods, among other content. Of course, different places and different people have different management methods; just make reasonable adjustments according to local planting conditions, the seedling-raising environment, and climate conditions.
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