Detailed Explanation of the Planting Methods and Key Technical Points for Water Shield
Water shield can also be called horseshoe vegetable, mainly because its shape is very similar to a horseshoe. It is an aquatic plant that mainly appears in the Jiangnan region. Because it has certain requirements when planting, it is not available for sale in many places, so it is a relatively precious vegetable. I believe many friends are also unfamiliar with this vegetable, so today we are mainly going to learn the planting methods for water shield, and afterward everyone can plant it according to their specific circumstances.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
Water shield needs sufficient sunlight to grow normally, so we should choose a sunny place for planting. Secondly, it is more likely to survive in soil that is slightly acidic, so when selecting a site we need to test the pH. It is also best to choose an area with flowing water or water rich in minerals and free of pollution. The mud in the field is best at about 20 cm. When preparing the land, we can use machinery to plow the field, then raise and reinforce the field ridges, which helps with water storage and flood prevention. Finally, spread an appropriate amount of barnyard manure.
2. Timely Sowing
There are two sowing methods. The first is sowing seeds, and the second is cuttings planting. However, the germination rate of water shield seeds is particularly low, so seeds are usually not used for sowing. If seeds are to be used, they also need to be carefully selected and treated before planting. Therefore, when planting, the most commonly used method is still cuttings planting. Water shield can be planted in both spring and autumn, but the best sowing time is still March and April in spring. Next, planting in August and September in autumn is also quite good.
3. Reasonable Close Planting
When using cuttings for sowing, we need to carry out reasonable close planting according to the fertility of the soil. Usually we need to cut the stems of water shield into small sections of 10 cm each, then insert them vertically into the mud at a reasonable density. Generally, for land with sufficient nutrients, we plant at a spacing of about 60 to 70 cm between rows and about 50 cm between plants. For relatively fertile land, we plant at a spacing of about 50 cm between both rows and plants. For relatively poor soil, we plant at a spacing of 30 to 40 cm. Only in this way can the soil be reasonably and fully utilized.
4. Water and Fertilizer Management
Water and water quality management in water shield planting are very important. The growth of water shield requires a large amount of water. Usually the water depth in the field needs to be adjusted according to seasonal changes. In spring when it has just been planted, the water depth is generally about 15 cm. After the seedlings emerge, the water level can be raised appropriately, with the water depth controlled at about 25 to 35 cm. In summer, we need to deepen the water to about 70 to 80 cm, because summer temperatures are relatively high. When winter comes, the water depth should be reduced to about 30 cm. Only in this way can water shield grow normally. The growth of water shield also requires a large amount of nutrients, but as for fertilizing, we can only fertilize according to the growth condition of the water shield. If the leaves in the field turn yellow or the growth rate is slow, we can add an appropriate amount of phosphate fertilizer and fertilizer containing trace elements to supplement nutrients.
5. Pest and Disease Control
The most common diseases of water shield are leaf rot and wilt disease. The main cause of the disease is the problem of water pollution. We can prevent and control it by purifying the water quality and using Bordeaux mixture. The more common pests are stem borers, green caterpillars, and so on, which can be sprayed and killed with dimethoate emulsion. In addition, large numbers of pond snails and flat snails will also appear. We can spread tea seed cake to poison them or catch and kill them manually.