Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods for Chinese Milk Vetch
Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus) is a biennial herb in the Fabaceae family. The plant is relatively tall, reaching up to 35 cm. Chinese milk vetch is mainly distributed in China, growing in shady and moist areas. Chinese milk vetch is a very important nectar source plant, usually grown as green manure and fodder. However, the seeds of Chinese milk vetch are a traditional Chinese medicinal material, with effects such as tonifying qi and consolidating essence, and clearing heat and promoting diuresis. It is cultivated in various regions across China. Today, the editor brings you the cultivation techniques for Chinese milk vetch. Let's take a look!
1. Seed Treatment
Chinese milk vetch originally had a wide wild population, so it does not have great requirements for soil; soil with sufficient water, that is shady and moist, and with high fertility will do. Before sowing, sun the seeds for about 4 hours, then rub off the waxy layer on the seed surface to promote water absorption and germination. After treatment, put the seeds into salt water and pick out the useless seeds such as shriveled and diseased seeds that float on the water surface. Then soak the healthy seeds in human urine for 7 hours, air-dry them after soaking, then mix the seeds with calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer, and sow at the appropriate time.
2. Sowing at the Right Time
The sowing time for Chinese milk vetch is usually in the early autumn of each year. At this time, the temperature and humidity are very suitable for seed development, which is conducive to seed germination and seedling emergence. The sowing time has a great impact on the growth of Chinese milk vetch. If sown too early, the symbiotic period with fertilizer is long, and after emergence the seedlings grow weakly and their growth is hindered. If sown too late, the temperature gradually decreases, the seeds enter dormancy, the germination rate declines, and after emergence the seedlings are prone to cold damage, and the overwintering survival rate will also be insufficient. When sowing, pay attention to the sowing density, sow evenly, and ensure uniform seedling emergence.
3. Preserving and Promoting Seedlings
If sowing in rice fields, then when harvesting the rice, avoid leaving the field waterlogged. Sow promptly after harvest, then cover the Chinese milk vetch with rice straw to raise the temperature, strengthen the soil's water retention, and promote seedling growth and branch development. Then do a good job of weed control. Weeds are an important factor affecting seedling growth, and timely weeding is the primary task to ensure full and sufficient seedlings. If weed control is not done well, weeds will rob the seedlings of nutrients for growth, causing nutritional deficiency in the seedlings, and in severe cases may cause seedling death. Therefore, in order to ensure the healthy growth of Chinese milk vetch, the work of preserving and promoting seedlings must be done well.
4. Field Management
During its growth period, Chinese milk vetch is both afraid of drought and afraid of waterlogging. Especially at the seedling stage, attention must be paid to drainage, as too much accumulated water can easily cause rotten buds and rotten seedlings. Improper water management will affect the growth of the plant's roots, causing yellowing and falling leaves. Therefore, we must control water management well according to factors such as the growth stage of Chinese milk vetch and the weather. Chinese milk vetch has a relatively large demand for nutrients. After emergence, apply farmyard manure promptly to improve seedling resistance. Then in December, apply farmyard manure and fertilizers such as superphosphate to improve the cold resistance of the seedlings and reduce cold damage. After the Beginning of Spring, apply quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, and do the staking and topdressing work according to seedling growth, to ensure the normal growth of Chinese milk vetch.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation techniques for Chinese milk vetch. Generally, the cultivation time for Chinese milk vetch is in autumn, so the overwintering work for the seedlings is very important. If management is poor, seedling death is very significant, the seedlings that survive will also grow very poorly, and the incidence of pests and diseases will rise substantially. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting.