How to manage cilantro seedlings? Grasp these three key points

Recently, the author investigated the local cilantro planting situation and found that due to continuous rainfall after sowing and other reasons, some plots had uneven emergence. Here, three points to note in seedling management are summarized for vegetable growers, in order to cultivate strong cilantro seedlings.

First, cilantro has a relatively long germination period, taking about 9-10 days from sowing to emergence. During the sprouting period of cilantro, if the weather turns suddenly sunny after rain, a layer of "pot cake" (crust) is easily formed on the seedbed, seriously affecting the emergence rate of cilantro. Vegetable growers can alleviate this by watering lightly once to ensure soil permeability, which is beneficial for emergence.

Second, when cilantro seedlings grow to 4-5 cm tall, thinning should be carried out. Vegetable growers can thin the seedlings at a plant spacing of 3-4 cm to ensure sufficient growing space for cilantro. The seedlings left behind should be uniform in size for easy management. While thinning, weeds in the field should also be removed.

Third, cilantro has few diseases. Because it is planted in open fields, and now is a period of high pest incidence, vegetable growers should focus on pest prevention. They can use 0.5% emamectin benzoate 4000-fold solution or 2.5% Caixi suspension concentrate 1000-fold solution for spray prevention, spraying once every 5-7 days for prevention.

Zhang Wei, Qianying Agricultural Technology Extension Regional Comprehensive Station, Fengnan District, Tangshan City