Detailed Explanation of the Fertilizer Requirements and Key Fertilization Techniques for Chinese Chives
To prevent root maggots and other underground pests, broadcast 5% phoxim granules before sowing at 2 to 3 kg per mu; in addition, to prevent weed infestation, spray 33% pendimethalin EC at 100 to 150 ml per mu or 48% butralin EC at 150 to 200 ml per mu, then rake once more, and sowing and seedling raising can then begin.
I. Fertilizer RequirementsChinese chives are a perennial vegetable with strong adaptability to soil, preferring loam and sandy loam, and they have a high fertilizer demand. One-year-old Chinese chives have not yet fully developed and need less fertilizer; 2- to 4-year-old Chinese chives have the strongest tillering ability and the highest yield, so the fertilizer rate should be increased accordingly; Chinese chives over 5 years old, having been harvested many times over many years, have declining soil fertility and plant vigor, so more organic fertilizer should be applied to improve soil fertility and prevent premature aging. In addition to macronutrients, the components that make up the characteristic volatile odor of Chinese chives all contain sulfur, making it a sulfur-loving crop.
II. Fertilization Techniques
(I) The Year of Planting
1. Apply sufficient base fertilizer: Before planting, deep plowing, land preparation and applying sufficient base fertilizer are the basic guarantee for continuous high yields of Chinese chives year after year. Generally, before planting, along with deep plowing and land preparation, apply 3000-5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu and about 50 kg of general-purpose sulfur-based compound fertilizer.
2. Topdressing: When Chinese chive plants are 5 cm and 10 cm tall, topdress twice in combination with watering, applying about 10 kg of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer each time. After entering the vigorous growth period, fertilizer and water management should be strengthened, generally applying about 20 kg of sulfur-based compound fertilizer per mu.
(II) The Second Year After Planting
1. Spring: As temperatures rise in spring, Chinese chives begin to turn green, and dead branches and fallen leaves on the ground should be cleared away promptly. When the soil has thawed to a depth of more than 10 cm, loosen the soil to conserve moisture and raise the temperature, promoting growth, and apply 15-20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu in combination with watering. After entering the harvest period, loosen the surrounding soil after each harvest, and after 2-3 days, once the wounds of the Chinese chives have healed and new leaves are about to emerge, water and topdress, generally applying about 20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.
2. Summer: After the spring Chinese chives are harvested, they enter the root-nourishing period, during which fertilizer should be applied twice within 4-5 months. The first application is 15-20 jin of high-nitrogen compound fertilizer per mu, and the second is about 15 kg of high-nitrogen-potassium compound fertilizer per mu.
3. Autumn: Autumn is the main period for Chinese chives to accumulate nutrients, so fertilizer and water should be strengthened and the number of harvests reduced, or harvesting should stop altogether. Generally, after the Beginning of Autumn, apply about 15 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.