How much do Chinese honey locust seeds cost? Detailed planting methods
The Chinese honey locust (Gleditsia sinensis) is a plant native to China. It is a deciduous tree in the Fabaceae family, genus Gleditsia, widely distributed throughout China and used in many ways. Its seeds can be pressed for oil, which can be used as a lubricant and to make soap. In medicinal use, it has the effect of treating ringworm and relieving constipation. Its wood is a first-class timber for making furniture, and it is also very suitable as a shade tree and for greening around the four sides (homesteads, roads, water and villages). Let us take a look below at Chinese honey locust seed prices and planting methods!
How much do Chinese honey locust seeds cost per jin?
The price of Chinese honey locust seeds is about 40 to 70 yuan per jin, but prices vary greatly depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market. The Chinese honey locust mostly grows in plains, valleys and hilly areas. It likes light and is slightly shade-tolerant, prefers a warm and humid climate, and is not strict about soil. It can grow normally in calcareous and saline-alkali soils, and even in clay or sandy soil. Its growth rate is slow but its lifespan is very long, reaching six or seven hundred years. In production it is commonly propagated by seed.
Sowing methods for the Chinese honey locust
1. Seed collection: For the Chinese honey locust, select 30-100-year-old vigorous mother trees in full fruiting stage with straight trunks, relatively fast growth, good development and plump seeds, and collect seeds in mid-to-late October. The harvested fruits should be spread out to sun-dry. After drying, smash or crush the pods, then dry the seeds in the shade and store them dry in bags.
2. Seed treatment: The seed coat of the Chinese honey locust is relatively thick, so germination is slow and uneven. Before sowing, germination must be promoted. In late autumn or early winter, place the cleaned seeds in water; after they have fully absorbed water, take them out and mix them with moist sand for storage to promote germination. Sow after the seeds split open the following spring.
3. Land preparation and fertilization: For the Chinese honey locust nursery site, choose a place with fertile soil and convenient irrigation, carry out careful land preparation, apply 3000-5000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, and build flat beds or raised beds.
4. Sowing method: The Chinese honey locust is sown in drills, with 10-15 seeds per 1 m of furrow. After sowing, cover with 3-4 cm of soil and keep the soil moist. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, thin and finalize the seedlings. For 2-year-old large seedlings, transplant after leaf fall in late autumn at a row spacing of 0.5×0.5 m.
Planting methods for the Chinese honey locust
1. Site selection: For the Chinese honey locust, choose loam or sandy loam with deep, fertile and moist soil as the afforestation site. In mountains and hills, choose the foot of the slope where the gradient is not steep. On flat land and sand beaches, choose places that are not prone to water accumulation, and at the same time there must be certain drainage and irrigation measures.
2. Land preparation method: Preparing the land before afforestation of the Chinese honey locust is to provide a better living environment for the tree. In order to improve site conditions and increase soil fertility, the quality of land preparation must be ensured. Trenching or strip land preparation can be adopted, while large-hole land preparation can be used for planting around the four sides and for scattered planting.
3. Afforestation time: The Chinese honey locust can be planted in both spring and autumn, but autumn and winter planting is better. Before planting seedlings, carry out hole-style land preparation according to seedling size. The hole specifications are 30×30×20 cm or 60×60×40 cm.
4. Planting density: For the Chinese honey locust, density should be determined according to actual conditions. The greater the density, the higher the thorn harvest per unit area and the better the economic benefit, but management also becomes more difficult. After 3-5 years, when the crowns between plants meet, thinning to keep the sparse and remove the dense can be considered to ensure ventilation and light penetration in the stand.
5. Planting method: Before planting the Chinese honey locust, properly prune the seedling roots. When planting, follow “three burials, two treads and one lift of the seedling”. Hold the seedling upright; when soil is buried to the root collar, gently lift the seedling by hand so the roots spread out, then tread firm. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots, then cover with another layer of soil.
6. Cultivation and weeding: After the Chinese honey locust seedlings are transplanted and survive, choose sunny days to loosen the soil and weed in time. Loosen the soil shallowly rather than deeply to avoid damaging the seedling roots, and hoe the surface soil loose so sunlight can reach in. During the nursery period, cultivate and weed 4 times a year, in April, June, August and October respectively.
7. Fertilization management: For the Chinese honey locust, fertilizers should be reasonably selected according to soil nutrient status and tree species characteristics. Generally, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is 3:2:1. Apply base fertilizer before planting, and topdress 3-4 times each year, mainly by furrow application and broadcast application, which can be carried out together with cultivation and weeding.
8. Shaping and pruning: In the young stage of the Chinese honey locust, the trunk and branches should be shaped and pruned so that the tree structure and form are reasonable, which can regulate branch growth and development and balance tree vigor. Along with shaping and pruning, timely cut off upright water sprouts at the top, and also promptly cut off autumn shoots at the tips of branches.
9. Pest and disease control: Pests of the Chinese honey locust include the Chinese honey locust bean weevil and the Chinese honey locust fruit borer, among others. Main diseases mainly include anthracnose, damping-off, powdery mildew and brown spot. Silvicultural control and chemical control can be used.
① Silvicultural control: For the Chinese honey locust, strengthen tending and management, enhance tree resistance, prune reasonably when pests and diseases occur, promptly remove dead branches and fallen leaves damaged by pests and diseases, and at the same time intercrop short-stature economic plants such as peanuts, beans and medicinal herbs to increase biodiversity.
② Chemical control: For the Chinese honey locust bean weevil and the Chinese honey locust fruit borer, spray 1200-fold dichlorvos solution for control. During the occurrence of anthracnose, spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture. During the occurrence of damping-off, powdery mildew and brown spot, apply 800-fold 50% carbendazim wettable powder.