What is the price of prickly ash seeds? Detailed introduction to planting methods
Prickly ash, also known as Chinese pepper, Qin pepper, Shu pepper, etc., is a deciduous small tree of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. It is widely cultivated throughout China. Its fruit peel can be used as a seasoning and to extract aromatic oil, and can also be used as medicine with effects such as warming the middle and promoting qi flow, expelling cold and relieving pain, and killing insects. The seeds can be eaten and can also be processed into soap. Let us take a look at prickly ash seed prices and planting methods together below!
How much is prickly ash seed per jin?
The price of prickly ash seeds is about 4 to 6 yuan per jin, but prices vary depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin, market, and other factors. Prickly ash is suitable for warm and humid conditions and deep, fertile loam and sandy loam. It has strong sprouting ability, is cold-resistant, drought-resistant, loves sunlight, has strong disease resistance, and long-lived dormant buds, but it is not tolerant of waterlogging. Propagation methods include sowing, grafting, layering, and cuttings, but seed propagation is mostly used in production, because prickly ash seed propagation is simple and easy, with a high propagation coefficient, and is suitable for large-scale production needs.
What varieties of prickly ash are there?
1. Dahongpao: Dahongpao is also known as Lion's Head, Big Red Pepper, Geda Pepper, Qin Pepper, Feng Pepper, etc. It is an excellent prickly ash variety with a relatively wide distribution and the largest cultivated area in China. It is now cultivated in concentrated areas and has formed a scale in Wudu District, Longnan, Gansu, and other places.
2. Dahongjiao: Dahongjiao is also known as Oil Pepper, Erhongpao, Erxingzi, etc. The tree vigor is medium to strong, and the tree posture is open. It is cultivated in various places in Northwest and North China, but cultivation is most concentrated in Hanyuan, Luding, Xichang, and other places in Sichuan.
3. Xiaohongjiao: Xiaohongjiao is also known as Xiaohongbao, Mi Pepper, Xiao Jiaozi, Mawei Pepper, etc. The tree vigor is moderate, the tree posture is open, the branching angle is large, the crown is oblate, and the sun-dried fruit peel is bright red, with a rich numbing aroma, especially a strong fragrance and excellent quality.
4. Baishajiao: Baishajiao is also known as Bailijiao, Baishadan, etc. The tree vigor is moderate, the tree posture is relatively open, and both the yielding ability and yield stability are strong, but the peel color is relatively poor, market sales are not very good, and it is not suitable for large-scale cultivation. It is relatively common in Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and Shanxi.
Sowing methods for prickly ash
1. Seed collection: For prickly ash seed collection trees, middle-aged trees with strong tree vigor, high fruit set, and excellent quality should be selected. When harvesting, choose fully mature prickly ash with purple-red fruit peel, blue-black seed coats, plumpness, and no pests or diseases for use as seed.
2. Seed treatment: First select out shriveled seeds from prickly ash seeds with clean water, then prepare a 1% alkaline aqueous solution with warm water and soak them for 2 days, repeatedly rubbing and washing the oil on the seed coat until the seed surface turns grayish-white. After removing them, rinse them clean with water, mix in plant ash, and then sow.
3. Seedbed selection: For prickly ash seedbeds, sandy soil that is sheltered from the wind, facing the sun, fertile, and well-drained is best. In combination with land preparation, apply 4000 to 5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer, 8 to 10 kg of urea, 30 to 40 kg of superphosphate, and 50 kg of plant ash per mu, then make beds.
4. Sowing time: The sowing time for prickly ash should be before the soil freezes, generally from mid-October to early November. In prickly ash production areas, sowing can be done immediately after seed collection from mid-to-late August to early September.
5. Sowing method: When sowing prickly ash, open furrows in the seedling bed, flatten the furrow bottom, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, and cover with soil above the furrows. After spring begins, when a small number of seeds break through the soil, scrape away the upper covering soil. When more than 80% of the seeds have broken open, scrape the soil again. The sowing rate is 5 to 6 kg per mu.
6. Seedling management: After sowing prickly ash, plastic film or wheat straw can be used for mulching. During drought, water can be sprayed, but flooding irrigation should not be used. Keep the seedbed soil moist frequently. When the seedlings grow to 3 to 4 cm tall with 3 to 4 true leaves, thin the seedlings. When the seedlings reach 10 cm in height, finalize the spacing.
Planting methods for prickly ash
1. Garden site selection: Prickly ash plants are relatively small, with shallow root distribution and strong adaptability, so idle land such as barren hills, wasteland, roadsides, field edges, and around houses can be used for planting. Mountain tops, low-lying areas, wind gaps, places with thin soil, exposed rock, or heavy clay are not suitable for planting.
2. Land preparation and fertilization: Before transplanting prickly ash, land preparation is needed, and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied at the same time, applying 4 to 5 tons per mu. When backfilling, about 20 to 25 kg of organic fertilizer should also be mixed in. When preparing land in hilly and mountainous areas, soil and water conservation work must be consistently done well.
3. Planting density: Prickly ash planting should be sparse rather than dense. In arid and semi-arid areas, the density after maturity should be within the range of 100 to 120 plants per mu. In areas with deep soil, good soil quality, and moderate rainfall, the mature density is about 60 plants per mu.
4. Timely planting: The key to whether prickly ash survives is timely planting. The survival rate is highest when planting is done when the buds just begin to sprout. After planting, water thoroughly, apply topdressing 2 to 3 times during the growing season, and combine with watering during drought.
5. Fertilization management
① Expanded-hole fertilization: After the soil thaws in early spring, deeply dig the soil around the prickly ash root system 30 to 50 cm, apply about 30 kg of organic fertilizer per plant, and in the mid-April budding period and after fruit harvest in late July apply 0.4 kg of standardized fertilizer per plant each time. After fertilization, water thoroughly in time.
② Foliar spraying: Use a mixed solution of 3% monopotassium phosphate and 0.5% urea for foliar spraying 6 times per year. Spray the first time during the flowering period, the second time 10 days after flowering, and the third time after another 10-day interval. Spray once in early-to-mid July and once after fruit harvest.
6. Pruning and rejuvenation: Prune prickly ash in summer in combination with harvesting. For weak trees, cut off some large branches and diseased or pest-infested branches, and finally retain 5 to 7 main branches per plant. At the same time, appropriately thin out dense branches within the crown. For moderate-vigor trees, mainly thin out medium and short branches.
7. Timely harvesting: The fruit maturity period of prickly ash is generally around the Beginning of Autumn to the End of Heat. When mature, the fruit peel is purple-red or light red, the fruit peel suture line protrudes, a small amount splits open, the seeds are black and glossy, and a rich numbing aroma can be smelled. This is the most suitable harvesting period.
① Picking from strong branches: There is a plump bud in the first leaf axil below the large pepper cluster. This bud is the fruiting bud for the next year and must be properly protected. When picking the pepper cluster, be sure not to remove this axillary bud along with it, so as not to affect next year's yield.
② Picking from weak branches: The first bud below the fruit cluster on a weak branch develops poorly, while the second or third bud develops more robustly. When picking, the second or third bud should be retained, otherwise next year's yield will be affected.