Detailed Explanation of Forsythia Cultivation Techniques and Pest Control Measures
Forsythia blooms in early spring. During the flowering period, the branches are covered in golden yellow, the flowers give off a faint, delicate fragrance, and they are bright and lovely. Forsythia extract can be used as a natural preservative for food preservation, especially suitable for preserving fresh fish products with a high moisture content. In medical use, forsythia has antibacterial effects and can inhibit Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and others. Let's take a look at how forsythia is grown below.
1. Temperature conditions: Forsythia often grows in sparse shrub thickets on semi-shaded slopes or sunny slopes at an altitude of 200-2000 m. It prefers a warm, humid ecological climate environment with abundant sunlight, and has characteristics such as cold resistance, drought resistance, waterlogging resistance, tolerance of barren soil, and strong shoot sprouting ability. It can grow in an environment with an average annual temperature of 8-12°C; the optimum growth temperature is 18-20°C; growth is inhibited when the maximum temperature is above 35°C or the minimum temperature is below -15°C. The suitable temperature for sowing is 10-15°C, the optimum temperature for the flowering period is 18-20°C, and during the growth period the annual frost-free period is greater than 170 days.
2. Precipitation conditions: Forsythia can grow in fertile land, barren land, on cliffs, and in rock crevices, and is suitable for subtropical and warm temperate climates. Within its natural distribution area, it requires an annual precipitation of 800-1000 mm and a relative humidity of 60%-75%. Excessive rainfall and excessive humidity can easily lead to lodging and moldy pods.
3. Light conditions: Forsythia requires an ecological environment with abundant sunlight, with annual sunshine hours greater than 1500 hours, annual accumulated temperature at ≥0°C of 4000-6000°C, average temperature of the hottest month above 25°C, and average temperature of the coldest month of -5 to 5°C. It is not very strict about soil requirements; neutral, slightly acidic, or slightly alkaline soils can all support normal growth, but it grows better in well-drained sandy loam rich in humus, which is beneficial for quality and yield formation.
4. Propagation and cultivation: It can be propagated by cuttings, sowing, and division. Cuttings are taken from February to March. For sowing, after collecting seeds in October in autumn, stratify them with wet sand and sow in rows in February to March of the following year. For transplanting seedlings, choose a sunny, well-drained, fertile soil during the leaf-fall period for planting; after flowering each year, prune dead branches, weak branches and leaves, and overly dense or overly old branches, while also paying attention to fertilizing around the roots. Not fertilizing is not too much of a problem; many flowers only grow leaves and do not bloom, but this plant has very strong vitality and can grow in almost any quality of soil.
5. Field management: During the seedling stage of seed propagation, when the seedlings are 20 cm tall, weed, loosen the soil, and thin the seedlings. When thinning, leave 2 plants per hole and water timely. When the seedlings are 30-40 cm tall, apply diluted manure and urine water once to promote growth. When the main trunk is 70-80 cm tall, cut off the top shoot to encourage more side branches and cultivate them into main branches. Afterward, select and retain 3-4 strong branches on the main branches to cultivate into secondary main branches, release side branches, and through shaping and pruning form a natural open-center branch type with a low trunk and low crown, hollow inside and rounded outside, good ventilation and light transmission, sparse small branches, and early fruiting. Prune off thin and weak branches as well as excessive vegetative branches and diseased and pest-infested branches at any time. During the fruiting period, apply farmyard manure and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote early fruit setting and ripening.
6. Pest and disease control
Control of the stem borer
Symptoms: The larvae bore into the xylem pith of the stems and cause damage; in severe cases, the affected branches cannot bloom or bear fruit, and even the entire branch dies.
Control method: Plug the bore holes with cotton soaked in 80% dichlorvos original solution to kill the pests by poisoning, or prune off the affected branches.
Control of snails
Symptoms: They mainly damage flowers and young fruit. From late April to mid-May they move into medicinal herb fields, damaging young buds, leaves, and tender stems; leaves are eaten into notches or holes, until July. If it is humid and rainy after September, they can still be highly active and cause damage, and in October they enter the overwintering state. If the previous year's pest population base was large, the current year's seedling stage is rainy, and the soil is moist, snails may outbreak.
Control method: Sprinkle lime powder in the early morning for control, or handpick and kill them. Handpicking should be carried out in the early morning, on cloudy days, or after rain, or pile green grass in drainage ditches to trap and kill them. When the density reaches 3-5 per square meter, spray with 800-1000 times dilution of 90% trichlorfon crystal.
Control of mole crickets
Symptoms: They are major pests in sowing and seedling raising. Whether at the emergence stage or the seedling stage, if not thoroughly controlled, they will reduce the survival rate of seedlings. Adults and larvae bite and eat freshly sown or germinating seeds, as well as tender stems and rhizomes; the bitten rhizomes appear fibrous like hemp, causing affected plants to develop poorly or wilt and die. Sometimes they also tunnel on the soil surface, causing seedlings to die, and in severe cases causing missing plants and broken rows.
Control method: Conventional poisoned grain or poisoned bait methods can be used. In addition, 50 mL of 40% isofenphos-methyl emulsifiable concentrate or 100 mL of 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate can be mixed with 2-3 kg of water and then mixed with 50 kg of wheat seed; after mixing, pile and cover for 2-3 hours for trapping and killing.
Forsythia Propagation and Cultivation Techniques and Pest and Disease Control Measures
Forsythia is an economical shrub planting variety. It has strong cold resistance, likes light, can grow in both barren and fertile land, and has strong adaptability. It can not only be used as an ornamental plant, but is also a traditional Chinese medicine that can be used to reduce inflammation and detoxify. Let's take a look below at forsythia seedling raising and cultivation techniques.
1. Seedling raising
Forsythia has strong sprouting ability and is not strict about soil. Because it likes light, wild forsythia generally grows on sunny slopes or semi-shaded and semi-sunny slopes. There are several methods of forsythia seedling raising, including sowing, division, cuttings, and layering. At present, sowing-based seedling raising is the main method.
1.1 Plot selection
Although forsythia is not strict about the soil for growth, when raising seedlings it is necessary to choose flat, fertile soil, and the soil must have good drainage and irrigation conditions, because too much sand will cause poor seedling growth. After the plot is selected, land preparation should be carried out. Land preparation is done in autumn, and organic fertilizer should be applied along with it, followed by deep plowing to remove weeds and debris.
1.2 Seed collection
After forsythia matures in autumn, harvest before the autumn frost. Harvest mainly yellow, bright, cracked fruits, beat the fruits to obtain seeds, and then select plump, healthy seeds free of pests and diseases from mother trees. After selection, store the seeds in a cool place for seedling raising.
1.3 Seed treatment
Forsythia seeds have dormancy, so seed treatment is required in spring. Before germination promotion, seeds are generally soaked in a solution of gibberellin and alcohol to awaken the dormant seeds. In March, carry out germination promotion on the seeds. Soak the selected seeds in warm water for about 3 hours, then remove them, drain the water, put them into sand, and place them in
a north-wind and sunny place. Be careful to turn them every day. When about one third of the seeds have cracked open, they can be sown.
1.4 Sowing
After forsythia seeds germinate, open furrows in the sowing plot before sowing, then scatter fine sand together with the seeds into the furrows, cover with soil, compact it, and cover with straw curtains to prevent drying. After covering with soil, spray herbicide to kill young weeds, but do not water within 10 hours after sowing. When the seedlings grow to about 5 cm, thin them to a stand, selecting large and strong seedlings, while combining weeding and watering, and keeping the spacing between seedlings at about 5 cm, which is optimal. One month after planting, fertilize and weed while watering. When the seedlings grow to 15 cm, thin them, and strengthen field management and weeding management.
1.5 Transplanting
After seedling raising, forsythia is generally transplanted in spring of the second year. If forsythia is planted in patches, when the seeds mature in autumn they naturally fall to the ground and many small seedlings will grow. When the number of seedlings needed is not large, this natural seedling-raising method can be used. When transplanting, dig out the seedlings together with the root soil. Before planting, dig planting holes with a diameter of about 30 cm, with a distance of about 150 cm between planting holes. Place 5 kg of compound fertilizer into each planting hole, and transplant the forsythia seedlings into the holes. Then fill with soil. When half filled, lift the seedling upward a little to promote root spreading, then fill the soil completely and tread it firm. If the soil is relatively dry after transplanting, water timely.
1.6 Cutting propagation
Forsythia cutting propagation is generally carried out in summer, and rainy days are best. When taking cuttings, choose healthy, pest-free, lignified branches about 3 years old, cut them into cuttings about 20 cm long, retaining about 3 buds and 2 leaves on each cutting to help the cutting absorb water and carry out photosynthesis. After the cuttings are prepared, cut the base at an angle to help rooting. Tie 50 cuttings into a bundle, soak them in rooting powder solution, take them out to cool, then insert them for cuttings, cover with soil, and compact. What must be noted in cutting propagation is the suitable temperature; around 13°C is most suitable, but it must not be higher than 27°C. Although forsythia has strong growth ability, when roots form from the bark part or from adventitious buds, mixed tree types may develop. If light is not timely, it will affect the growth cycle of the forsythia roots and reduce the rooting rate. Therefore, after cutting propagation, temperature and light must be well controlled. If the sunlight is relatively strong, shading treatment can be carried out after forsythia cuttings are inserted, but the light transmittance of the shade net should be about 60. After the forsythia cuttings have grown roots, the shade net can be removed. Generally, shading is needed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Forsythia cuttings are generally taken in environments with high temperature and humidity, and infection and rot easily occur after cutting, so carbendazim is needed for disinfection treatment to prevent mold from forming before the forsythia wounds heal. After the forsythia cutting wounds heal, foliar urea fertilization treatment is needed about once every 7 days. After rooting, spray a mixed solution of urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate to promote healthy root growth and increase the lignification degree of the seedlings.
1.7 Layering propagation
Forsythia layering propagation can generally be carried out in spring and autumn. When carried out in spring, longer forsythia branches should be selected, bent down and buried directly in the soil, then watered to keep the soil moist. Generally, the branches can root about 60 days after layering. When carried out in autumn, the front end of the branch should be cut off, and after heeled-in, layering and planting should be carried out in spring of the following year.
1.8 Branch division propagation
Forsythia branch division propagation is generally carried out from after leaf fall in autumn to before leaf development in spring. During branch division propagation, the forsythia plant can be dug out with one branch above ground and roots below ground. After planting, new plants sprouting around mother plants more than 4 years old should be dug out separately for planting.
1.9 Field management
During the forsythia seedling stage, when the seedlings grow to 20 cm, weeding, soil loosening, and fertilization can be carried out. When thinning, leave 2 plants per hole and water timely. When the seedlings grow to about 30 cm, apply farmyard manure to promote seedling growth. When the seedlings grow to 70 cm, cut off the top shoot to promote side branch development and cultivate the side branches into main branches. After forsythia has grown, pruning should be carried out to promote ventilation and light reception, and to promote early fruiting and early fruit ripening.
2. Cultivation techniques
2.1 Plot selection
For forsythia cultivation, the plot should be prepared in advance. Generally, gently sloping hilly plots are selected, and land preparation is carried out with alternating slope strips with a spacing of 3 m and a length of 70 cm. After transplanting, use raw soil or stone flakes as backfill ridges, and use mature soil for backfilling, so that the ridge height is 25 cm, width 30 cm, and thickness 30 cm.
2.2 Transplanting
Forsythia transplantation is generally carried out between autumn and spring, after leaf fall. To improve the survival rate of transplanting, the forsythia can first be cut back. Then, before transplanting, dip the soil-covered roots of the forsythia in rooting powder or coat them with mud slurry. After transplanting, tread the soil firm and compact it in layers so that the seedling roots are properly positioned and can grow and spread easily.
2.3 Tending management
2.3.1 Intertillage and weeding After forsythia transplanting, loosen the soil and weed once every winter, while combining with fertilization, mainly cake fertilizer and farmyard manure. During the growth period, forsythia seedlings can be intercropped early and kept low, while combining watering and fertilization.
2.3.2 Reasonable fertilization Forsythia should be fertilized 3 years after planting. This fertilization is mainly urea, with the amount controlled at 225 kg per mu; fertilization should also be carried out 5 years after planting. This fertilization is mainly a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers, with the amount controlled at 600 kg per mu.
2.3.3 Irrigation and drainage After forsythia transplanting, watering should be carried out during dry periods. If the irrigation conditions of the plot are poor, soil moisture conservation work should be carried out. After forsythia transplanting, if it is the rainy season, drainage treatment should be carried out by digging drainage ditches to remove accumulated water.
2.3.4 Shaping and pruning In the first winter after forsythia transplanting, after the leaves have completely fallen, pruning should be carried out at about 70 cm from the ground on the main branches. In the second summer, pinching should be carried out to promote the development of forsythia side branches. After pruning, about 4 strong branches should be retained on the main branches for cultivating secondary main branches. After forsythia has grown for several years, pruning and shaping can basically form a shape that is rounded outside and hollow inside with good light transmission. This tree shape is suitable for forsythia photosynthesis and conducive to nutrient absorption. Afterward, every winter, dead branches must be pruned, and crossing branches and diseased branches should be cut off. Aging, perennial, fruit-bearing branch groups should be shortened to promote the main trunk to produce new strong branches, restore forsythia growth, and increase the fruiting rate.
2.4 Pest and disease control
The main pest and disease problem during forsythia growth is leaf spot disease, which is caused by fungal infection. In severe cases, the entire leaf withers and dies. High temperature and a closed environment are the main causes of leaf spot disease. Leaf spot disease generally occurs in late May, with roughly July as the peak period. The main control measures are timely pruning of diseased branches and pruning of overly dense branches so that forsythia has good light transmission, while strengthening fertilizer and water management, paying attention to the application of nitrogen fertilizer, and keeping nutrition balanced during forsythia growth. After May, during the period when leaf spot disease is likely to occur, whitewashing the main trunk can be carried out for early prevention. The main pest during forsythia growth is the mole cricket. Mole crickets must be controlled during both the seedling stage and the emergence stage of forsythia; poor control will affect the seedling survival rate. When mole crickets occur, they mainly gnaw on the tender stems and rhizomes of forsythia, and in severe cases cause seedling death and broken rows. Another pest is the stem borer. The stem borer mainly bores into the woody part of the forsythia main trunk and damages the pith. In severe cases, it causes forsythia to be unable to bloom or bear fruit.
2.5 Harvesting
Forsythia is divided into green forsythia and yellow forsythia. The green fruits harvested in September are generally green forsythia, while the yellow fruits harvested after October are generally yellow forsythia. After harvesting, the processing of forsythia must be protected from rain to avoid quality reduction.
3. Conclusion
Forsythia requires scientific and reasonable design during seedling raising and planting, with ventilation and light, and reasonable fertilization and irrigation, to ensure a high survival rate of forsythia at the seedling stage, good growth after transplanting, and freedom from pest and disease damage.
How is forsythia cultivated? Forsythia planting and cultivation techniques
Forsythia is a type of landscaping flower. When it blooms, the flowers are gorgeous, and its ornamental value is very high. Its fruit also has good medicinal value. It can be said to combine ornamental and medicinal value in one. Below, the editor will introduce forsythia planting and cultivation techniques to everyone in detail.
1 Growth habits of forsythia
1.1 Morphological characteristics
Forsythia belongs to the deciduous shrub plants and has the characteristic of clustered branches. The plant height of forsythia is about 3 m. The small branches are mainly yellow-brown, the branches droop and are arched, and the stem tips are four-angled and hollow in the middle. The leaves of forsythia are opposite, mainly simple leaves or compound leaves, and the leaves are mainly ovate or elliptical. The corolla of forsythia is golden yellow, and the flowers open before the leaves. The flowering period is about 4 months. The fruit is elliptical, yellow-brown on the surface, woody, with longitudinal wrinkles on the pericarp surface. Most fruits have small spots, and each side has 1 longitudinal groove on one side, with a relatively sharp apex. The fruit stalk is about 1.6 m long. It blooms before the leaves in early spring, with a relatively strong fragrance and gorgeous color. In recent years, the Qinghai region of China has become an important forsythia production area with good promotion results. Qinghai forsythia is mainly planted under forests, in mountain gullies, valleys, and areas with relatively high altitude.
1.2 Growth habits
Forsythia is a light-loving plant with good shade tolerance. It likes a warm climate and has good cold resistance, making it suitable for promotion in Qinghai and other places. Forsythia has strong adaptability to soil and can grow well in neutral, weakly acidic, and alkaline soils. The forsythia root system is relatively developed. Although the main root is not sufficiently developed, the lateral roots are longer and there are many fibrous roots. Forsythia shows extremely strong cold resistance, and also has strong sprouting ability and fast soil penetration. It likes to survive in well-drained soil rich in humus and can fully grow on sloping land.
2 Forsythia planting and cultivation methods
2.1 Seed treatment techniques
For forsythia seeds, plants with robust growth and relatively short branches should be selected as mother plants. According to the cold-loving characteristics of forsythia, seeds from individual plants with plump fruit and no pests or diseases should be selected. For forsythia seed selection, mature fruits can be collected every October, spread out to dry in a cool place, and after drying in the shade the seeds are shelled. When storing, mix with wet sand at a ratio of 1:3. Before sowing forsythia, germination should be promoted in early March of the following year. During germination promotion, a mixed solution of gibberellin and alcohol can be used for soaking. After germination, when planting, open furrows on the ridge surface. Sow by hole sowing, and after sowing cover with soil and compact to ensure close contact between seeds and soil. Forsythia seedling raising is generally carried out in April each year. For winter sowing, the time can be chosen before the soil freezes. Forsythia seeds do not need special treatment. After emergence, when the seedlings reach 5 cm in height, thin them to a stand, and when they reach 10 cm, loosen the soil and water. During forsythia planting, compound fertilizer can be used. When the soil is more than half filled, gently lift the seedlings upward to promote full root spreading. If the soil is too dry during planting, water appropriately.
2.2 Land selection and preparation techniques
For forsythia breeding, land selection should choose plots with relatively high terrain. Because the altitude in the Qinghai region is relatively high, it is suitable for planting forsythia. The key is to choose land that is sheltered from wind, facing the sun, and flat. To ensure the growth of forsythia, soil with deep and fertile layers should be selected to ensure soil drainage. Land preparation for planting forsythia should be carried out in autumn, and deep plowing is required before planting. The plowing depth should reach 25 cm. During land preparation, fertilization work should be done well, specifically using phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, urea, and so on. During land preparation, various debris should also be removed, and the plot should be prepared into ridges 15 cm high and 120 cm wide, with a ridge ditch width of 30 cm.
2.3 Cultivation management
Cultivation management work requires strengthening supervision of the entire forsythia planting process. First, during planting, carry out planting and pollination operations, specifically maintaining good row spacing. Row spacing usually needs to reach 2 m, and plant spacing should be maintained at 1.5 m. Plant tall plants together with short plants, using inter-plant or inter-row mixed planting. Second, in fertilizer and water management, effectively prevent waterlogging and fertilize reasonably according to growth. During forsythia growth, use phosphoric acid and ammonium fertilizers, and so on. Third, to improve the fruit-setting rate of forsythia, use the method of spraying boron during the flowering period. At the same time, control the dosage of various chemicals well to effectively prevent pesticide residue problems. Fourth, strengthen shaping and pruning during the flowering period, specifically doing well in pruning young trees and adult trees. When the plant reaches 1 m, cut off the top shoot, and retain 4 strong branches on the main trunk. Pruning of adult trees is mainly winter pruning, mainly pruning slender and weak branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and so on. To shorten the planting cycle, aging plants can also be renewed.
2.4 Harvest management
Forsythia is mainly divided into green forsythia, yellow forsythia, and lianxin forsythia. In the Qinghai region, yellow forsythia is the main type. Harvesting work is mainly carried out in early January, mainly harvesting forsythia with thick shells, yellow color, and no seeds or impurities. It is necessary to ensure that when forsythia is harvested there are no branch stalks, the seeds are plump, and there are no impurities or mold.
2.5 Pest and disease control
During the forsythia planting process, pest and disease problems must also be effectively prevented. Common forsythia pests and diseases mainly include leaf spot disease, moth pests, and stem borers. Therefore, chemicals such as Zhuangdiling can be sprayed, or when pruning, pesticide can be applied or cotton dipped in pesticide can be used to plug the bore holes. To effectively prevent pest and disease invasion, lime powder can be used to kill insects, and manual capture or physical frequency vibrators can be used to capture and kill pests and diseases. To improve the control effect, during the active period of pests and diseases, necessary preventive management measures should also be taken in advance according to specific conditions.
In the editor's view, forsythia is not only a very good ornamental flower, but also a very good cash crop. It is worth planting for friends who like flowers and plants. Everyone can give it a try.