How to grow summer cypress? A detailed guide to the planting method
Summer cypress, also known as belvedere cypress, broom cypress and so on, mostly grows wild in fields, roadsides and wasteland. It is a wild vegetable with high nutritional value; its young stems are edible and its seeds can be used as medicine. In rural areas, after autumn, it is cut down to make brooms, which is very practical. Nowadays it is also grown as a vegetable, so how should it be planted? Let's take a look.
1. Site selection and land preparation
Summer cypress is not strict about climate and temperature and has extremely strong adaptability; it grows wild throughout the country. When planting, it is best to choose a sunny, fertile, loose, sandy soil rich in humus. After choosing the planting site, apply 3000-5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu as base fertilizer in spring, together with 50 kg of compound fertilizer. After fertilizing, plow the soil to turn the fertilizer into the soil, then use the sun to bake it, eliminating root tubers and tuberous weeds as well as overwintering pests, and reducing the harm of diseases and insect pests. One week before sowing, harrow and level the soil finely, then make beds according to the terrain: make long beds on flat terrain and short beds on undulating terrain.
2. Propagation method
Summer cypress mainly reproduces by sowing. Sowing is generally carried out in April. When sowing, choose seeds produced by healthy, pest- and disease-free 2-year-old plants, as this ensures the germination rate. Before sowing, mix the seeds with plant ash, which both protects the seeds and promotes the growth and development of summer cypress. Before sowing, water to keep the soil moist to facilitate germination, and sow after the soil dries slightly. Sowing generally uses the drill method: open shallow furrows on the bed surface and scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, taking care not to sow too deep, generally 4-5 cm is enough. After covering with soil, rake it level with a tool and water to keep it moist. You can also cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist. If the temperature is suitable, seedlings emerge in as little as 5 days, or as slowly as 15 days.
3. Seedling stage management
After the seedlings emerge, the temperature gradually rises. At this time, if the soil is too dry, water promptly to keep the soil moist, but also be careful not to water too frequently, which would cause excessive soil moisture and affect seedling growth. When the seedlings grow to 6-7 cm, loosen the soil and weed once. When loosening the soil, just use a small hoe to break the surface of the ground; do not go too deep, so as not to damage the root system. Loosening the soil promotes seedling root growth, and removing weeds prevents them from robbing the seedlings of nutrients. Loosen the soil and weed 2-3 times during the seedling stage, and do not let weeds appear in the field. When the seedlings grow to more than 15 cm, promptly remove the weak seedlings and cultivate strong ones. When they grow to more than 20 cm, thin to a final spacing of 10×15 cm between plants and rows.
4. Field management
After final thinning, the seedlings enter the growth period, which is their peak growing season. At this time, cultivating and weeding are also needed to ensure there are no weeds in the field. Then they enter the flowering stage, when they need a large amount of nutrients, so fertilize promptly for nutrition, generally applying 40-50 kg per mu of compound fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer. Also pay attention to water management: water promptly during high temperatures and long droughts, and water after each fertilization to dilute the fertilizer so the root system can absorb it very quickly.
The above is an introduction to the planting method for summer cypress. I hope it helps you. To learn more about planting knowledge, please follow us.