How to Grow Crown Daisy? Master the Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods in One Article
I. Site Selection and Land Preparation Crown daisy cultivation is best suited to sandy loam soil, and convenient irrigation conditions are required. After selecting the site, plow the soil and apply high-quality farmyard manure, applying more than 1000 kg per 0.1 hectare, along with 25 kg of diammonium phosphate as base fertilizer. Make flat beds 1.2-1.4 m wide and 10-20 m long, ready for sowing. II. Sowing and Seedling Raising...
I. Site Selection and Land Preparation Crown daisy cultivation is best suited to sandy loam soil, and convenient irrigation conditions are required. After selecting the site, plow the soil and apply high-quality farmyard manure, applying more than 1000 kg per 0.1 hectare, along with 25 kg of diammonium phosphate as base fertilizer. Make flat beds 1.2-1.4 m wide and 10-20 m long, ready for sowing.
II. Sowing and Seedling Raising (1) Seed treatment: 3-4 days before sowing, soak the seeds in 50-55 hot water for 15 minutes, then soak for 12-24 hours, and place them in a warm place at about 25°C to germinate. During germination, rinse once a day with clean water. If they are new seeds, place them in a low temperature of 0-5°C in advance, and after about 7 days the dormancy will be broken. (2) Sowing selection: For protected cultivation in spring, sow and raise seedlings in a hotbed generally in late March or April; for open-field cultivation in spring, sow and raise seedlings in a hotbed in mid-April; for direct seeding in open fields in spring, sow under a small arched tunnel or plastic film in early May; for summer and autumn cultivation, sow in batches and stages in cold beds or open fields, with one sowing period every 7-10 days. (3) Sowing method: Depending on the cultivation method (direct seeding or seedling transplanting), broadcast sowing or drilling may be used. For broadcast sowing, the seeding rate is 60-70 kg per hectare; for drilling, sow at a row spacing of about 10 cm, with a seeding rate of 30-37.5 kg per hectare. For seedling bed sowing in early spring, cover with medicated soil to prevent damping-off disease. The seedling age should be 20-0 days, and 3-4 true leaves is the suitable period for transplanting.
III. Transplanting and Field Management From sowing to germination and emergence generally takes 5-7 days. During germination, attention should be paid to maintaining moisture and preventing the soil from drying out. When the seedlings are 2-3 cm tall and have 1-2 true leaves, thin them and pull seedlings in the field so that the plant spacing is kept at 1-2 cm. Carry out shallow intertillage, and when the seedlings reach the 3-4 true leaf stage, transplant them. The external or greenhouse temperature at transplanting must stably pass 10°C. The plant spacing for transplanting or thinning should be 4-6 cm. Water once during the first thinning, and water again after thinning is finalized, applying quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer with the water. After that, thinning and harvesting can be carried out in stages.
IV. Harvesting Crown daisy generally has a growing period of 40-50 days. When the plants reach about 20 cm in height and have 12-13 true leaves, they can be harvested. To keep the product fresh and tender, harvesting should be done in the morning. If harvesting is delayed and the temperature is high, the stems and leaves will age, the quality will be poor, or the internodes will elongate and the plants will bolt and flower. If multiple harvests are desired, cut the plants with a knife leaving 2-3 cm at the base of the main stem, and tie the harvested tender stems and leaves into 0.5 kg small bundles for market. After cutting, water, and after one month they can be harvested again.