How to grow celtuce? Detailed explanation of the key points of celtuce cultivation techniques
Celtuce is an annual herbaceous plant. Celtuce has a bright, glossy appearance, a fairly good taste, and high edible value. In our country it is a premium dehydrated vegetable, because during the Qing Dynasty in our country it was presented as tribute to Emperor Qianlong, who praised it highly, and thereafter it was presented as tribute every year, so it came to be called celtuce. So how should celtuce be grown? Below, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for celtuce. Let's take a look together!
1. Seed soaking and sprout stimulation
The planting time for celtuce is generally around Tomb-Sweeping Day each year, and it is best to sow about 8 days after the Start of Autumn. However, because celtuce seeds have difficulty germinating in high-temperature environments, the seeds must be given low-temperature treatment before sowing. Soak the celtuce seeds in cold water for about 3 hours; if needed every day, take the seeds out and rinse them once with cold water. If the temperature is too low, shade work must be done well, and after about three days the celtuce seeds will roughly have sprouted. Seed soaking and sprout stimulation is the most important step in celtuce cultivation and must never be neglected.
2. Land preparation and sowing
Celtuce has fairly strong growth ability and also fairly high yield, but the premise of high yield is built on the soil. Although its adaptability is strong, the yield after survival will certainly be affected to some extent, so celtuce should be planted on slightly alkaline sandy loam soil with sufficient fertility and strong water- and fertilizer-retention capacity. After choosing the land, do the land preparation work well, carefully check whether there are residual herbicides or pesticides, and handle them promptly if found, to avoid phytotoxicity to celtuce. Do mid-tillage land preparation to improve soil fertility, enhance permeability, and reduce the incidence of disease. After land preparation, plan the sowing density reasonably, dig the planting holes well, and carry out sowing after the Start of Autumn, providing a good environment for seed growth.
3. Field management
Because the temperature has not yet fully dropped when celtuce is sown, water evaporates relatively quickly, and celtuce seeds are relatively small and poor at pushing through the soil, so after sowing we must water enough to promote seed germination and seedling emergence. Water at least twice a day, but the amount of water should not be too much; just keep the soil moist. After watering, cover with straw and other mulch to prevent water loss. After the seeds emerge, remove the straw, thin the seedlings in good time according to the condition of the young seedlings, and frequently carry out mid-tillage and weeding to prevent soil compaction and rampant weeds from affecting the growth of the young seedlings. Do topdressing well to ensure the celtuce seedlings have sufficient nutrition for growth and avoid malnutrition
4. Timely harvesting
The quality and yield of celtuce are greatly related to the harvesting time of celtuce. Harvesting must be timely, neither too early nor too late. If harvested too early, the celtuce is not mature enough, causing a serious drop in yield. Harvesting too late easily causes the celtuce to become hollow, increases the crude fiber in the plant, lowers the quality, and is not conducive to storage. Determine the harvesting time according to the plant condition of the celtuce and the planting region; for example, when the outer leaves of the celtuce plant are level with the heart leaves, it can be harvested.
The above is a brief introduction to celtuce cultivation techniques. Celtuce has a relatively large demand for fertilizer and water, especially during the celtuce plant-growing stage, when the nutrient demand further increases. Therefore, during the plant-growing stage, attention should be paid to fertilizer and water management, and the plant-growing water should be watered well in time to promote the growth of celtuce. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!