How to grow Sichuan pepper seeds? Sowing methods and seedling-stage management key points
Sichuan pepper, also known as hui, dajiao, Qinjiao, Shujiao and so on, is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. It is widely distributed in China, with production areas ranging from southern Northeast China in the north, to the northern slopes of the Five Ridges in the south, to the coastal areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the southeast, and to southeastern Tibet in the southwest. It is not produced in Taiwan, China, Hainan and Guangdong. Now let us take a look at how to grow Sichuan pepper seeds!
Harvesting Sichuan pepper seeds
The harvest season for Sichuan pepper is generally August to September, which is also a great time for raising seedlings and collecting seeds. At present, the main promoted varieties are Dahongpao (Shizitou), Xiaohongbao, Huangjinjiao, Youjiao and so on. Seed trees should be chosen from middle-aged trees that are vigorous, bear heavily and have excellent quality. When harvesting, choose Sichuan pepper that is fully mature, with purple-red fruit skin and blue-black, plump, pest-free seeds for seed use.
Sichuan pepper seed treatment
For newly collected Sichuan pepper seeds, first use clean water to remove shriveled seeds, then prepare a 1% alkaline water or 1% washing powder solution with warm water and soak for 2 days (the amount of water should be enough to submerge the seeds). Rub and wash the oil on the seed coat repeatedly until the seed surface turns grayish white. After removing, rinse the alkaline liquid off the seed coat with clean water, mix in plant ash and sow.
Choosing a seedbed for Sichuan pepper
Sichuan pepper requires plenty of sunlight from the seedling stage onward. The seedbed site should preferably be sandy soil that is sheltered from wind, sunny, with deep, fertile soil and good drainage. Before sowing, prepare the land finely, break up clods, and make it loose on top and firm below. Along with deep plowing and land preparation, apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 8-10 kg of urea, 30-40 kg of superphosphate, 50 kg of plant ash or 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per mu. On the basis of fine land preparation, make beds 1-1.2 m wide and 6-10 m long.
Sowing Sichuan pepper seeds
Open furrows in the prepared seedling bed, with a spacing of 20-25 cm, a depth of 4-5 cm and a width of 8-9 cm. Level the furrow bottom, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, and cover with soil. After the beginning of spring the next year, check germination. When a small number of seeds break through the soil, scrape away the upper covering soil and leave 3-4 cm of soil below. When more than 80% of the seeds have cracked open, scrape the soil once more, leaving 1-2 cm. The sowing rate is 5-6 kg per mu. The sowing period should be before the soil freezes, generally from mid-October to early November. In Sichuan pepper production areas, sowing can be done immediately after seed collection from mid-to-late August to early September.
Seedling-stage management of Sichuan pepper
For autumn seedling raising of Sichuan pepper, the seeds take a long time to emerge, but the seedlings emerge earlier than with spring sowing. Therefore, in arid areas or where the seedbed soil is sticky and heavy, plastic film or wheat straw can be used to cover the bed after sowing. In drought, water can be sprayed, but do not flood-irrigate; keep the seedbed soil moist at all times. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 cm tall and have 3-4 true leaves, thin them. When the seedlings reach 10 cm tall, finalize the spacing, with a seedling distance of about 5 cm, leaving 20,000-30,000 plants per mu. At the same time, irrigate and drain promptly and topdress fertilizer, and do a good job of intertillage and loosening the soil, improving soil aeration, removing weeds from the seedbed, and preventing and controlling pests and diseases, so as to ensure healthy growth of the Sichuan pepper seedlings.
How to grow Sichuan pepper seeds? The planting method for Sichuan pepper seeds
Sichuan pepper, also known as Shujiao, Qinjiao, dajiao and so on, is a plant of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. Sichuan pepper is a common seasoning crop in daily life. Its fruit skin is a raw material for essences and spices, and its seeds are an excellent woody oil material, with high planting value. So, how to grow Sichuan pepper seeds? The planting method for Sichuan pepper seeds is introduced below.
Image: Sichuan pepper seeds
1. Harvesting Sichuan pepper seeds
The harvest season for Sichuan pepper is generally August-September, which is also a great time for raising seedlings and collecting seeds. At present, the main promoted varieties are Dahongpao (Shizitou), Xiaohongbao, Huangjinjiao, Youjiao and so on. Seed trees should be chosen from middle-aged trees that are vigorous, bear heavily and have excellent quality. When harvesting, choose Sichuan pepper that is fully mature, with purple-red fruit skin and blue-black, plump, pest-free seeds for seed use.
2. Sichuan pepper seed treatment
For newly collected Sichuan pepper seeds, first use clean water to remove shriveled seeds, then prepare a 1% alkaline water or 1% washing powder solution with warm water and soak for 2 days (the amount of water should be enough to submerge the seeds). Rub and wash the oil on the seed coat repeatedly until the seed surface turns grayish white. After removing, rinse the alkaline liquid off the seed coat with clean water, mix in plant ash and sow.
Image: Sichuan pepper planting
3. Choosing a seedbed for Sichuan pepper
Sichuan pepper requires plenty of sunlight from the seedling stage onward. The seedbed site should preferably be sandy soil that is sheltered from wind, sunny, with deep, fertile soil and good drainage. Before sowing, prepare the land finely, break up clods, and make it loose on top and firm below. Along with deep plowing and land preparation, apply 4000-**** kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 8-10 kg of urea, 30-40 kg of superphosphate, 50 kg of plant ash or 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per mu. On the basis of fine land preparation, make beds 1-1.2 m wide and 6-10 m long.
4. Sowing Sichuan pepper seeds
Open furrows in the prepared seedling bed, with a spacing of 20-25 cm, a depth of 4-5 cm and a width of 8-9 cm. Level the furrow bottom, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, and cover with soil. After the beginning of spring the next year, check germination. When a small number of seeds break through the soil, scrape away the upper covering soil and leave 3-4 cm of soil below. When more than 80% of the seeds have cracked open, scrape the soil once more, leaving 1-2 cm. The sowing rate is 5-6 kg per mu. The sowing period should be before the soil freezes, generally from mid-October to early November. In Sichuan pepper production areas, sowing can be done immediately after seed collection from mid-to-late August to early September.
Image: Sichuan pepper planting
5. Seedling-stage management of Sichuan pepper
For autumn seedling raising of Sichuan pepper, the seeds take a long time to emerge, but the seedlings emerge earlier than with spring sowing. Therefore, in arid areas or where the seedbed soil is sticky and heavy, plastic film or wheat straw can be used to cover the bed after sowing. In drought, water can be sprayed, but do not flood-irrigate; keep the seedbed soil moist at all times. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 cm tall and have 3-4 true leaves, thin them. When the seedlings reach 10 cm tall, finalize the spacing, with a seedling distance of about 5 cm, leaving 20,000-30,000 plants per mu. At the same time, irrigate and drain promptly and topdress fertilizer, and do a good job of intertillage and loosening the soil, improving soil aeration, removing weeds from the seedbed, and preventing and controlling pests and diseases, so as to ensure healthy growth of the Sichuan pepper seedlings.
[Editor's concluding remarks]Doing a good job of planting Sichuan pepper seeds is the foundation for successfully growing Sichuan pepper and should be taken seriously. The above has introduced the planting method for Sichuan pepper seeds, hoping it can help everyone!
Which Sichuan pepper tree variety is the best? When should Sichuan pepper tree seeds be sown?
The Sichuan pepper tree, also known as dajiao, Qinjiao, Shujiao and so on, is a deciduous small tree of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. The Sichuan pepper tree has a wide range of uses: its fruit skin is a raw material for essences and spices, its seeds are an excellent natural oil material, and it is also a tree species for soil and water conservation. It can be said to be "treasure all over", with high planting value. In the process of growing Sichuan pepper trees, in order to ensure yield, choosing suitable varieties for planting is key. At the same time, Sichuan pepper trees are mostly grown by seed propagation. So, which Sichuan pepper tree variety is the best? When should Sichuan pepper tree seeds be sown? Below is an introduction to the varieties and sowing methods of Sichuan pepper trees. Let us learn about them together.
Image: Sichuan pepper
1. Varieties of Sichuan pepper trees?
1. Dahongpao:Dahongpao, also known as Shizitou, Dahongjiao, Geda jiao, Qinjiao, Fengjiao and so on, is an excellent Sichuan pepper variety with a relatively wide distribution and the largest cultivated area in China. It is now cultivated intensively and on a large scale in Wudu District, Longnan, Gansu and other places.
2. Dahongjiao:Dahongjiao, also known as Youjiao, Erhongpao, Erxingzi and so on, has moderately strong tree vigor and an open tree form. It is cultivated in various places in Northwest and North China, but is most intensively cultivated in Hanyuan, Luding, Xichang and other places in Sichuan.
Image: Sichuan pepper
3. Xiaohongjiao:Xiaohongjiao, also known as Xiaohongbao, Mijiao, Xiaojiaozi, Maweijiao and so on, has moderate tree vigor, an open tree form, large branching angles, and a flat-round crown. After sun-drying, the fruit skin is bright red, with a rich numbing aroma, especially a strong fragrance and excellent quality.
4. Baishajiao:Baishajiao, also known as Bailijiao, Baishadan and so on, has moderate tree vigor and a relatively open tree form, with strong high-yield and stable-yield performance, but the color of the processed skin is relatively poor and market sales are not very good, so it is not suitable for large-area cultivation. It is more commonly cultivated in Shandong, Hebei, Henan and Shanxi.
Image: Sichuan pepper
2. Sowing methods for Sichuan pepper trees
1. Seed collection:For seed collection of Sichuan pepper, seed trees should be chosen from middle-aged trees that are vigorous, bear heavily and have excellent quality. When harvesting, choose Sichuan pepper that is fully mature, with purple-red fruit skin and blue-black, plump, pest-free seeds for seed use.
2. Seed treatment:For Sichuan pepper seeds, first use clean water to remove shriveled seeds, then prepare a 1% alkaline water solution with warm water and soak for 2 days. Rub and wash the oil on the seed coat repeatedly until the seed surface turns grayish white. After removing, rinse with clean water, mix in plant ash and sow.
3. Seedbed selection:The seedbed for Sichuan pepper should preferably be sandy soil that is sheltered from wind and sunny, with fertile soil and good drainage. Along with land preparation, apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 8-10 kg of urea, 30-40 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg of plant ash per mu, then make beds.
Image: Sichuan pepper
4. Sowing time:The sowing time for Sichuan pepper should be before the soil freezes, generally from mid-October to early November. In Sichuan pepper production areas, sowing can be done immediately after seed collection from mid-to-late August to early September.
5. Sowing method:When sowing Sichuan pepper, open furrows in the seedling bed, level the furrow bottom, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, and cover with soil. After the beginning of spring, when a small number of seeds break through the soil, scrape away the upper covering soil. When more than 80% of the seeds have cracked open, scrape the soil once more. The sowing rate is 5-6 kg per mu.
6. Seedling-stage management:After sowing Sichuan pepper, plastic film or wheat straw can be used for covering. In drought, water can be sprayed, but do not flood-irrigate; keep the seedbed soil moist at all times. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 cm tall and have 3-4 true leaves, thin them. When the seedlings reach 10 cm tall, finalize the spacing.
[Editor's concluding remarks]The varieties of Sichuan pepper trees include Dahongpao, Dahongjiao, Xiaohongjiao and Baishajiao, among which Dahongpao has the best yield and quality. The above has introduced the varieties and sowing methods of Sichuan pepper trees, hoping it can be helpful to everyone!