Chinese Milk Vetch Planting Methods, Precautions and Key Points for Rational Fertilization
It is well known that Chinese milk vetch has many uses and benefits: it can serve not only as an ornamental plant but also as food and medicine, and it can be grown on a large scale or in pots at home. Before growing it, however, you need to understand its care and management techniques. So how do you grow Chinese milk vetch? Let me tell you the growing methods and precautions for Chinese milk vetch.
How to Grow Chinese Milk Vetch
Before learning the care techniques for Chinese milk vetch, we can first get familiar with its growing habits. Chinese milk vetch prefers a warm, humid environment. It has relatively low soil requirements, but the basic requirements are loose, well-drained soil, ideally slightly acidic or neutral. It likes water but fears waterlogging, and its fertilizer requirements are ordinary; balanced and sufficient nutrients are enough.
Growing Methods and Precautions for Chinese Milk Vetch
1. Soil
The minimum requirements for the soil used to grow Chinese milk vetch are that it be healthy, loose and well-drained, and free of pathogens or insect eggs. A pH between 5.5 and 7.5 is most suitable. Of course, fertile soil is even better for the growth of Chinese milk vetch.
2. Light
Chinese milk vetch prefers ample light, so when planting it you must avoid an environment that lacks light. If growing it indoors, be sure not to place it in a dim corner or room, otherwise the leaves will become weak and thin and it will fail to bloom.
3. Watering
We mentioned earlier that it likes a humid environment, so how do you grow Chinese milk vetch when it comes to watering? The answer is to water according to how moist the soil is, keeping the soil slightly moist. Do not overwater to the point of water accumulating in the soil, and you can mist the leaves appropriately.
4. Fertilizing
Chinese milk vetch grows fairly quickly, so if the soil conditions are ordinary, fertilizing becomes relatively important. In the growing methods and precautions for Chinese milk vetch, fertilizing is generally based mainly on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and the fertilizer applied differs at different stages. For example, in late autumn, calcium phosphate is applied to promote early root nodule formation and early seedling development. Before winter arrives, phosphorus fertilizer can be added to increase cold resistance.
5. Propagation Techniques
Chinese milk vetch is a biennial plant, so it should be propagated at the proper time in September. The propagation method generally used is sowing seeds, from late September to early October. If sowing is too late, the plants are prone to frost damage, so it should not be done too late.
Precautions for Growing Chinese Milk Vetch
1. Turn Under at the Right Time
If growing it on a large scale outdoors, then for more than 10 years after the flowering period you should pay attention to turning it under. The method is to cut the Chinese milk vetch and plow it directly into the soil, because after it decomposes it can release nitrogen in the soil, helping maintain the nitrogen cycle in farmland, which benefits subsequent plantings.
2. Choose Seeds Reasonably
Because the climate varies from place to place, the Chinese milk vetch varieties chosen for propagation will also differ slightly; for example, in Guangxi, medium-maturity varieties are best. Before sowing, it is best to treat the seeds: soak them for 24 hours, then take them out, dry them, and mix them with inoculant and phosphorus.
3. Do a Good Job of Pest and Disease Control
During the care of Chinese milk vetch, it may encounter 3 kinds of insect pests and 2 kinds of diseases. The insect pests include leafminers, thrips and aphids; the diseases include sclerotinia rot and powdery mildew. Especially when Chinese milk vetch is flowering, the harm from insect pests is the most serious, so care and management should usually be strengthened, and when pests or diseases appear, pesticides such as omethoate should be sprayed promptly for treatment.
Growing Methods and Precautions for Chinese Milk Vetch
Growing Methods for Chinese Milk Vetch
Fertilize at the Right Time
Fertilizing Chinese milk vetch is based mainly on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, with nitrogen fertilizer added appropriately. Apply different fertilizers at different times: generally in late autumn, apply calcium phosphate and manure water to promote early root nodule formation and early seedling development; around the winter solstice, apply potassium fertilizer or plant ash to enhance cold tolerance; after the start of spring, apply urea to promote the growth of branches and leaves.
Turn Under at the Right Time
Chinese milk vetch is generally turned under during the flowering period, about ten-plus days before rice transplanting. For large-scale growing, apply an appropriate amount of lime evenly per mu to promote decomposition of the plants and neutralize acidity.
Water at the Right Time
Chinese milk vetch likes warm, humid environments, and especially during the growing period it needs sufficient water, but you must also be careful to avoid waterlogging, so controlling the amount of water is crucial. In addition, you need to spray water frequently to keep the environment humid.
Precautions for Caring for Chinese Milk Vetch
Sow at the Right Time and in the Right Amount
Because Chinese milk vetch likes cool conditions, it can be sown more than twenty days after the late rice harvest in late autumn. When sowing, note that the seeds must be soaked, dried and pre-germinated, as only then can the germination rate be increased.
Mix with Rhizobia
When the Chinese milk vetch seeds have sprouted and turned white, mix them with rhizobia, that is, mix the inoculant with cool thin rice porridge and then coat the seeds.
Strengthen Care and Management
For large-scale commercial growing of Chinese milk vetch, after the late rice harvest you should open ditches properly, including field-border ditches, bed ditches and cross-shaped drainage ditches, to keep the soil moist while avoiding waterlogging. In addition, pay attention to pest and disease control: for powdery mildew use carbendazim or thiophanate; for aphids and the like use dimethoate; for armyworms use trichlorfon or a mixture of rice vinegar and saccharin. Also be careful to prevent damage from livestock.
Growing Methods for Chinese Milk Vetch
1. Soil
The minimum requirements for the soil used to grow Chinese milk vetch are that it be healthy, loose and well-drained, and free of pathogens or insect eggs. A pH between 5.5 and 7.5 is most suitable. Of course, fertile soil is even better for the growth of Chinese milk vetch.
2. Light
Chinese milk vetch prefers ample light, so when planting it you must avoid an environment that lacks light. If growing it indoors, be sure not to place it in a dim corner or room, otherwise the leaves will become weak and thin and it will fail to bloom.
3. Watering
We mentioned earlier that it likes a humid environment, so how do you grow Chinese milk vetch when it comes to watering? The answer is to water according to how moist the soil is, keeping the soil slightly moist. Do not overwater to the point of water accumulating in the soil, and you can mist the leaves appropriately.
4. Fertilizing
Chinese milk vetch grows fairly quickly, so if the soil conditions are ordinary, fertilizing becomes relatively important. Fertilizing is generally based mainly on phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and the fertilizer applied differs at different stages. For example, in late autumn, calcium phosphate is applied to promote early root nodule formation and early seedling development. Before winter arrives, phosphorus fertilizer can be added to increase cold resistance.
The above covers how to grow Chinese milk vetch; next is what to pay attention to during the growing process!