How to Select Seeds and Raise Seedlings for Asparagus? A Detailed Guide to the Methods
Asparagus is rich in nutritional value and is known as the "king of vegetables." It is one of the essential daily vegetables in European and American countries, and it is also an irreplaceable premium nutritional health product, capable of preventing cancer, fighting cancer, lowering blood lipids, and relieving fatigue. In recent years, asparagus cultivation has also developed rapidly in our country. Asparagus has strong adaptability and is grown from the south to the north, so how do you select asparagus seeds? What seedling-raising methods are there?
1. How do you select asparagus seeds?
The quality of the asparagus variety directly affects the level of asparagus yield and product quality, so choosing excellent varieties according to local conditions is especially key. At present, the asparagus seeds grown in our country are mainly some imported excellent varieties, such as Apollo, Champion, Grande, etc. Some research institutions have also bred some relatively excellent asparagus varieties.
When selecting asparagus seeds, be sure to choose seeds that are round and plump, with no mold, yellowing, or similar conditions. Asparagus seeds have a thick, hard coat with a waxy outer layer, making water absorption difficult. Before sowing, soak the seeds in New High-Fat Film, then remove and dry them to retain warmth, retain moisture, and absorb water, improving the seed germination rate and making the seedlings robust. It repels underground pests and isolates viral infections.
Place the asparagus seeds in cool water at about 10°C for low-temperature treatment. After soaking for 2 hours, wrap them in clean gauze and place them in a well at a spot 10 cm above the water surface. The temperature down in the well is about 5°C. Sprinkle with water 3 times a day. After one week, take them out and place them in a cool, shady place to dry.
2. What seedling-raising methods are there for asparagus?
1. Open-field direct seeding for seedling raising
In our country, the open-field direct seeding method is generally used for seedling raising, usually sowing in April and May in spring and planting out in autumn, or sowing in August and September in autumn and planting out the following spring.
2. Nutrient pot seedling raising
Nutrient pots for seedling raising are 8-10 cm in diameter and 8-10 cm in height. Use 5 parts clean garden soil, 4 parts decomposed manure compost, 1 part plant ash, and 2%-3% superphosphate, and mix them thoroughly and evenly.
Choose new seeds from within 1 year for sowing. After moistening the new seeds, place them at 0-5°C for 60 days of low-temperature treatment, or stratify the seeds with moist yellow sand outdoors over winter to help complete the dormancy period. Use 50 grams of carbendazim mixed with 12.5 kg of water to soak 5 kg of seeds. After 24 hours, remove them, rinse them clean, then soak the seeds in clean water or 25-30°C warm water for two days, changing the water 1-2 times a day. After the seeds have absorbed enough water, drain and dry them, and sow before the seed coat has cracked and sprouted.
Sow 2 seeds per pot, with a seed spacing of 3 cm, and cover with 1-2 cm of soil. Nutrient pot seedlings lose water easily, so water frequently, generally once every 3-5 days. During the seedling stage, only 2 topdressings are needed. The first is after the first young stem unfolds leaves, applying 7-10 kg of urea per mu combined with watering. Apply again after about 20 days, with the same amount as the first time.
Thin the seedlings when the second young stem is about to appear, selecting and keeping 1 superior seedling per pot. When thinning, loosen the growing medium and pull out the seedlings with roots, otherwise the remaining roots and stems will still send up stems and leaves. When the seedlings are more than 25 cm tall and have 3-5 stems, plant them out.
The above is an introduction to asparagus. When growing asparagus, the most important thing is seed selection. When selecting seeds, farmers must master the above key points.Asparagus has relatively few pests and diseases. As long as farmers manage it properly, they can achieve good growing benefits.
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