Detailed Explanation of Key Points in Madeira Vine Planting and Management Techniques

(1) Set up a trellis or stakes: when the seedlings reach 30 cm in height, set up a trellis promptly to let them climb, and pinch off the growing tips to promote the sprouting of lateral buds.

(2) When cultivating in the open field, shade with a shade net in summer, which can inhibit flower bud differentiation, keep the plants in continued vegetative growth, inhibit summer flowering, achieve the goal of producing leaves year-round, and increase yield.

(3) Fertilizer and water management: Madeira vine has strong growth vigor and a high water requirement. Although it is drought-tolerant, to grow plump, large leaves and achieve high yield, it needs frequent watering, and after every 2 leaf harvests, apply a topdressing of compound fertilizer. For those grown in flower pots at home, water every day.

(4) Pests and diseases: The leaves of Madeira vine have a slightly bitter taste, so there are very few insect pests. In open-field cultivation, when there is a lot of rain in summer, "Malabar spinach snake-eye disease" can occur, damaging the leaves. The leaf spots are nearly round, with purplish-red edges and clear boundaries; the center of the spots is yellowish-white to yellowish-brown, slightly sunken, and the tissue is thin; some easily become perforated. In severe cases, the disease spots are densely distributed and the leaves are unfit to eat. Control methods: plant at an appropriate density, avoid excessive watering and over-application of nitrogen fertilizer; after the first harvest, spray 0.01 mg/kg (PPM) of "906" (that is, crystalline brassinolide) to promote early vigorous growth and rapid development of the plants and prevent pests.

(5) Harvesting: after Madeira vine is planted, it can be harvested at any time after more than 30 days. After 2 months it enters the peak production period, and on average each plant can have 300-400 grams of leaves picked per month, with a harvest period of about 6 months. For large-scale cultivation, picking in the early morning is better, and the leaves are relatively resistant to storage and transport. After harvesting fresh leaves, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them at 5°C, where they can be kept for 7-10 days.