Stevia Planting Methods and Key Technical Points
Stevia is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family with relatively high utility value, as it can be used in four areas: food, medicine, feed and fertilizer. Stevia is a plant introduced to China from Japan, and it is currently mainly grown in Beijing, Anhui, Hebei, Shandong, ** and Yunnan, among other places, though it is also grown in small quantities in other regions. So how is stevia planted? What are the planting methods? Let us learn about them together below.
1. Soil and Fertilizer Preparation
Stevia has the characteristics of preferring warmth and moisture, tolerating low temperatures, fearing waterlogging, not tolerating standing water, and not being strongly drought-resistant, and it is also very sensitive to light, so its maximum light duration is twelve hours. Therefore, the planting site generally needs good drainage and should be close to a water source; next, the soil should be loose and fertile; and moreover, the light duration must not exceed twelve hours. Deeply plow the soil and combine this with fertilization; the base fertilizer should mainly be organic fertilizer; level the ground and open furrows to make beds.
2. Raising Strong Seedlings
When raising seedlings, we need to prepare a seedbed, generally choosing a wind-sheltered, sunny place with convenient drainage and irrigation. The soil of the seedbed is best sandy loam; after preparing the seedbed, a shade shed should be built. Stevia can be planted in all four seasons, and can be propagated separately by seed propagation and cutting propagation. Carry out cutting seedling raising and seed seedling raising at a row spacing of five cm and a plant spacing of about two cm. After planting, water promptly and keep warm at night, which can promote seedling emergence and root growth.
3. Transplanting and Field Setting
On the day before pulling up the seedlings for transplanting, we need to water once and soak the seedbed thoroughly. Transplant the seedlings the next day, and when transplanting, take the soil along with them and try not to damage the plant roots. When transplanting, it is best to do so around rainfall, as the survival rate of the transplanted seedlings will be higher. The temperature at planting is generally about twelve to fifteen degrees; set the plants in the field at a row spacing of forty-five to fifty cm and a plant spacing of fifteen to twenty cm per mu, and the number planted is generally about ten thousand plants per mu.
4. Field Management
After field setting, water promptly until the plants survive; usually water once a day for the first three days, then water once every week later on, keeping the soil moist. At the same time, we also need to weed promptly according to the growth of field weeds, so as to prevent nutrients from being absorbed by the weeds and affecting the normal growth of the plants. When the seedlings grow ten to fourteen true leaves, the first pinching back is needed, and at this time the first topdressing is also needed, mainly with urea. The second pinching back, which is also the time of the second topdressing, is generally when the branches grow ten to fourteen true leaves, and urea is still broadcast. Finally, attention should also be paid to preventing damping-off, black spot, and pests such as cutworms and white grubs.
Stevia is both a medicinal material and a food, as well as a feed, and at the same time a fertilizer, so its market value is naturally quite good. Most importantly, stevia's planting method is also very simple and it is easy to keep alive. If you encounter any problems later, remember to give timely feedback to the editor.