What is the simplest way to grow Chinese chives?
Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum) are a perennial bunching vegetable of the genus Allium in the lily family, native to southeastern Asia. They are cultivated everywhere across our country, highly adaptable, cold-hardy and heat-tolerant, and can be produced year-round in many areas of the south. In the north, although the aboveground parts die off in winter, once the underground parts enter dormancy and the surface soil thaws in spring, they resume sprouting and growing. Below, let us take a look at the simplest way to grow Chinese chives.
Soil Preparation and Fertilization
The seedling bed for Chinese chives should be easy to drain and irrigate, on sandy loam or clay loam where allium and garlic vegetables have not been grown in the past 1-2 years. Deep plow before winter, water to freeze the soil, and in the following spring harrow and till the soil while still frozen to preserve moisture. Apply 4-5 cubic meters of decomposed farmyard manure per mu. To prevent chive maggots, use 5% phoxim granules at 1 kg per mu, add 10-15 kg of dry fine soil, spread evenly, shallow plow and then harrow finely, level and make beds 1.2-1.5 m wide and 7-10 m long for easy management.
Sowing Seedlings at the Right Time
Chinese chive seedlings grow slowly, so sow early at the right time, preferably from late March to late April. After soaking the seeds to promote germination, use the wet sowing method to broadcast them in the seedling bed, covering with soil in two passes: first a thin layer of soil, then after it becomes damp again, a second covering, for a total soil cover thickness of 2 cm, using 6-8 kg of seed per mu. After covering with soil, put down a layer of plastic film to help raise temperature and preserve moisture, and remove the film after the seedlings emerge. Generally, seedlings from 1 mu can be transplanted to 7-9 mu of vegetable field.
Seedling Bed Management
When the Chinese chive seedlings are about 5 cm tall, water lightly and loosen the soil promptly. After 10 cm, apply decomposed manure or topdress with urea 2-3 times along with watering, and flush-apply trichlorfon crystals at 0.5-1 kg per mu with the water to kill chive maggots and other pests. After the seedlings reach 15 cm, control irrigation to prevent excessive growth and lodging. Weeds should be pulled promptly; when the seedlings are about 12 cm tall, use 0.5-0.75 kg of 25% nitrofen per mu for control, or after sowing and before emergence, spray the soil surface with 0.15 kg of 33% pendimethalin EC per mu.
Reasonable Planting Out
For planting out Chinese chives, 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. Make the beds 2-3 m wide, group every 3 beds together, and set a 1 m wide cold-protection strip on their north side. Transplant from late June to early July; before planting out, cut off the tips of the fibrous roots and sort them into small bundles at the bulb. Plant in holes on flat beds, with a row spacing of 13-20 cm and a hole spacing of 10-15 cm, with 6-8 plants per hole being suitable. When planting, it is best not to bury the leaf sheath; after planting, firm the soil and water promptly.
Field Management
After new leaves emerge, Chinese chives should be watered to help the seedlings recover, and the soil should be cultivated to preserve moisture, keeping the soil alternately dry and moist. After autumn begins, Chinese chives are at their most vigorous growth stage, so fertilizer and water should be supplied fully. As temperatures gradually drop afterward, the plants grow slowly, and it is enough to keep the soil surface from drying out. Chinese chives need moderate light intensity and have strong shade tolerance. But if the light is too weak, photosynthetic products accumulate little, tillering is sparse and weak, yields are low, and premature aging is easy. If the light is too strong and the temperature too high, there is more fiber and poorer quality.
Harvesting at the Right Time
In the first 1-2 years after planting out, Chinese chives yield relatively little; years 3-6 are the peak growth period with the highest yields; after 10 years they enter the aging stage and should be divided and transplanted promptly. The number of harvests each year depends on the growth of the Chinese chives, the fertilization situation and market conditions. The standard for cutting chives is 7 leaves and 1 heart; harvesting in the early morning is best, and it is suitable to cut down to the yellow leaf sheath 3-4 cm above the bulb. Each subsequent cut should be slightly higher than the previous one to ensure normal growth.