How to plant chive seeds? Detailed explanation of sowing methods
The seeds and leaves of chives can be used as medicine. Because of their special effect of tonifying yang, tonifying the kidney and securing essence, they are also called "yang-raising grass" by people. Because of their strong vitality, they can be cut again and again and still grow back, so they are also called "lazy person's vegetable" and "long-life chive". They originated in our country and gradually spread all over the world, entering the international market. Now let us take a look at how to plant chive seeds!
Sowing time
Chives can be sown at any time from after the soil thaws to the Autumn Equinox, generally with spring sowing as the main method. In the Huang-Huai River basin, spring sowing of chives is from early April to mid-April, in the south it is from December to February, and in the north it is from May to June. When the soil temperature is stable above 12°C and the daily average temperature is 15-18°C, sowing can begin. Using drilling, use 6-8 kg of dry seeds per mu of seedbed, which can plant 6000 sq m of vegetable plot. Immediately after sowing, cover with plastic film to preserve and raise temperature, and remove the film when 70% of the seedlings emerge through the soil.
Seedbed preparation
The chive seedling bed should be convenient for drainage and irrigation, and should be sandy loam or clay loam soil where onion and garlic vegetables have not been grown in the past 1-2 years. Deep plow before winter, water with frozen water, and in the following spring harrow and plow during the early thaw to preserve soil moisture. Apply 4-5 cubic meters of decomposed farmyard manure per mu. To prevent chive maggots, use 5% phoxim granules per mu in kg, add 10-15 kg of dry fine soil, spread evenly, shallow plow and then harrow finely, level and make beds. The bed width is 1.2-1.5 m and the length is 7-10 m, which is convenient for management.
Seed treatment
For chives, use new seeds. If the early spring temperature is too low, dry seed sowing can be used. To seize moisture and promote emergence, seeds can be soaked to promote germination. Before seed treatment, sun the seeds for 1-2 days. 1-2 days before sowing, put the selected seeds into 40°C warm water, stir vigorously, remove and rub clean, then change to 30°C warm water and soak the seeds for 8-10 hours, place under 18-20°C conditions to promote germination, rinse with clean water twice a day, and sow immediately when 60% of the radicles protrude.
Seedling stage management
When chive seedlings are about 5 cm high, give a light watering and loosen the soil in time. After 10 cm, combined with watering, apply decomposed manure or topdress with urea 2-3 times, and apply crystal trichlorfon with the water at 0.5-1 kg per mu to kill pests such as chive maggots. After the seedlings are 15 cm high, control irrigation to prevent excessive growth and lodging. Weeds should be pulled out in time. When the seedlings are about 12 cm high, use 0.5-0.75 kg of 25% nitrofen per mu for control, or before emergence after sowing, spray the soil surface with 0.15 kg of 33% pendimethalin emulsifiable concentrate per mu.
Reasonable transplanting
For chive transplanting, choose a plot with fertile soil and convenient drainage and irrigation, apply 4-5 cubic meters of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, level and make beds. The bed width is 2-3 m, with every 3 beds as one group, and a 1 m wide cold-protection belt set on the north side. Transplant from late June to early July. Before transplanting, cut off the tips of the fibrous roots and arrange them into small bundles aligned at the bulbs. Plant in holes on flat beds, with row spacing of 13-20 cm and hole spacing of 10-15 cm, preferably 6-8 plants per hole. When planting, it is appropriate not to bury the leaf sheath. After planting, firm the soil and water in time.