Causes and Control Methods for Short, Thin, and Hollow Scallion Stalks

During production, various factors can cause the scallion stalk to be short, thin, and hollow, thereby reducing the yield and quality of scallions.

I. Causes of short, thin, and hollow scallion stalks

1. Variety type Scallions are divided into two types: long-stalk and short-stalk. The length of the scallion stalk is related to the variety, and long-stalk varieties should be used in production.

2. Soil quality and cultivation conditions The selected plot has heavy clay soil, is plowed shallowly and not finely; during the growing period, intertillage and hilling are not timely, and the soil below the roots becomes compacted; planting is shallow, row spacing is small, base fertilizer is insufficient, and topdressing is not enough; there are no irrigation conditions, and the crop relies entirely on natural rainfall. Once drought occurs, scallions suffer from fertilizer deficiency and dehydration.

3. Untimely harvest If harvested too late, the nutrients stored in the scallion stalk are transferred downward, and the upper part of the stalk loses water and becomes soft; if harvested early to seize the market, because the nutrients in the green leaves have not yet been transferred to the scallion stalk, most of the stalk will become hollow after drying.

II. Control measures

1. Select excellent long-stalk scallion varieties. Such as Zhangqiu scallion, Gu scallion (biangan scallion), etc.

2. Choose a plot with deep soil, fertile soil quality, and good drainage, and carry out deep plowing and fine fertilizing. Generally, plow more than 30 cm deep, dig 20-30 cm deep and more than 15-30 cm wide, with ridges 70-80 cm wide between furrows to facilitate hilling. Before planting, open furrows and apply fertilizer, applying 1000-5000 kg of coarse manure per mu, then loosen the ridge furrows deeply so that the manure and soil are combined.

3. Plant between Grain in Ear and Minor Heat, preferably early rather than late. If planted too late, the formation period of the scallion stalk is short, so the stalk will be short and thin and the yield low. At the same time, the seedlings are prone to excessive growth, and after planting the weather is hot, making it difficult for them to recover.

4. When planting scallions, plant deep and cover shallowly, so as to hill soil in stages later. Generally, plant spacing is 1 cm, and soil is covered about 8 cm, with the standard being not to bury the heart leaf of the scallion seedling. Before planting, select the scallion seedlings, choosing seedlings with stems about 1 cm thick, 3-4 leaves, 30-40 cm tall, and free of pests and diseases.

5. Strengthen cultivation management. From after planting to before Start of Autumn is the seedling recovery and overwintering period, when the plants are in a semi-dormant state. Intertillage should be strengthened to preserve soil moisture and promote root development. Do not water unless the weather is excessively dry. From after Start of Autumn to before White Dew, the plants enter the peak leaf-growing period. From about late August to late September, fertilizer and water management should be strengthened, applying 15 kg of urea per mu. After topdressing, soil should be buried, hilled, and irrigated in a timely manner. After White Dew, the plants enter the scallion stalk growth period. Fertilization should mainly use quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer, and watering should be done thoroughly and heavily, often keeping the soil moist to meet the needs of scallion stalk growth.

6. Combine intertillage with hilling. Before the rainy season arrives, the furrows should be slightly hilled up to the ridge platform to prevent water accumulation in the planting furrows from causing root and stem rot. After Start of Autumn, hill soil once every 10-15 days. Hilling is an effective measure to increase the length of the scallion stalk, for a total of 3-4 times. The first time should be shallow hilling to raise soil temperature; the latter 2 times should involve more hilling; especially the last time should be hilled as high as possible, but must not exceed the heart leaf.

7. When the heart leaf stops growing, 15-20 days before the soil freezes is the suitable harvest period. Generally, harvest from Frost's Descent to Start of Winter.