Caragana (Peashrub) Cultivation Methods and Key Care Points

Care and Management

1. Water and Fertilizer Management

Caragana loves light and tolerates drought, so it is best placed in a spot with ample sunlight and good air circulation. It is also fairly cold-hardy in winter,

in areas south of the Yellow River it can overwinter outdoors, and it is best to bury the whole pot in soil. Follow the principle of "water only when dry, and water thoroughly when you do" for watering, especially during the flowering period; keeping the potting soil moist can extend the flowering period. During the winter dormant period, apply a liquid fertilizer once; before flowering in spring, water with a liquid fertilizer once to extend the flowering period; after the flowers fade, apply a topdressing once more to encourage the growth of branches and leaves, and normally just apply a modest amount of thin fertilizer.

2. Pruning

After the leaves drop in winter, cut away any branches that spoil the shape of the tree; after flowering in spring, shorten the branches that have already bloomed to encourage new flowering shoots; during the vigorous growth period, prune leggy shoots at any time and pinch back appropriately to maintain a graceful tree shape. [4]

3. Repotting

Repot once every 2 to 3 years, preferably in early spring. When repotting, remove about 1/2 of the old soil, replace it with fresh potting soil, trim the roots, replant, place in a spot with indirect light, water thoroughly, and frequently mist the trunk with water; once it has recovered, return to normal care.

Utilization Techniques

1. Grazing Utilization

Caragana is a high-quality leguminous forage. Caragana has lush branches and leaves, high herbage yield, rich nutrition and good palatability, making it an excellent forage shrub for livestock. Large areas of Caragana can increase forage yield and greatly improve the quality of livestock rations. Caragana pastures can be grazed year-round, and their feeding value is even higher especially in winter and spring and in dry years. When the grass withers in winter or when the land is sealed by snow, livestock that eat the young shoot tips and withered leaves of Caragana korshinskii will not become weak, which is beneficial for carrying lambs; in early spring when pasture grass is scarce, it leafs out and blooms early, and when dams eat its tender branches, leaves and flowers they can quickly recover their strength and reliably give birth to lambs. In summer droughts, when shallow-rooted pasture grasses on the range turn yellow in patches and some even die, Caragana korshinskii, relying on its strong root system and drought resistance, can still grow well and becomes the "life-saving grass" for livestock during summer droughts.

2. Processing into Grass Meal or Grass Pellets

The coarse old branches of Caragana are crushed and processed into grass meal or grass pellets, and they are also very palatable when used as supplementary feed for sheep and goats in winter and early spring. At present, the use of Caragana in our banner is limited to natural grazing by cattle and sheep, with a utilization rate of less than 1%, causing large numbers of Caragana branches to age and even die, resulting in a waste of resources. By manual or mechanical mowing and crushing the branches of Caragana korshinskii into grass meal or grass pellets, and feeding them to livestock in winter and early spring, the Caragana resource can be effectively developed and utilized, providing high-quality protein feed for livestock production while also yielding significant economic benefits.

3. Silage Utilization

Caragana silage is one of the best ways to use it. The optimal period for silage is the flowering stage and the vegetative stage. Experiments show that when Caragana is crushed at the flowering stage and then ensiled, opening the silo after 20 days reveals a green color, a slightly sour smell, a clear structure, a pH value of 4.6, crude protein 14.59%, crude fat 3.38%, crude fiber 34.41%, crude ash 8.58%, calcium 1.11, and phosphorus 0.58%; it can be fed to livestock. If the silo is kept open too long, the dominant position of lactic acid bacteria will be reduced, so store according to the amount used and do not make the amount too large; at low temperatures, its usable time can be extended. It can also be micro-ensiled by bagging or pit-storing with a multi-strain solid-state fermentation agent.

Crush corn stalks and Caragana at a ratio of 2:1 and mix them evenly; open the silo after 30 days. The mixed silage has a green color, a slightly sour smell with a fragrant aroma, a clear structure, a pH value of 3.1, crude protein 10.02%, crude fat 3.34%, crude fiber 34.05%, crude ash 5.37%, calcium 0.6, and phosphorus 0.39%. Therefore, mixing Caragana with corn for silage can improve the palatability of Caragana.

4. Other Uses

Caragana has strong adaptability, tolerates drought and poor soil, and is not afraid of being buried by sand; it is effective at windbreak and sand fixation, soil and water conservation, and improving the ecological environment. Caragana is a leguminous plant with a well-developed root system and contains large amounts of nitrogen and minerals; its roots have many root nodules that can fix nitrogen from the air, increase soil organic matter, and improve soil fertility and structure. The branches and leaves of Caragana are rich in elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, making it an excellent green manure. In addition, it is also a very good honey plant. The pods and seeds of Caragana are also good feed. According to analysis, its seeds contain 27.4% crude protein and 31.6% starch; after processing, feeding the seeds to sheep has a fattening effect no less than that of soybeans. The roots, flowers and seeds of Caragana can all be used as medicine, with effects such as nourishing yin and blood, promoting menstruation, calming, and relieving itching.

Propagation Methods of Caragana. Caragana can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, division, layering and other methods.

For sowing, it is best to sow as soon as the seeds are collected; if the seeds have been dry-stored, they should be soaked to promote germination before sowing the following spring;

For Caragana cuttings, hardwood cuttings can be taken in February to March, or softwood cuttings can be taken during the plum rain season; cut the cuttings to 8 to 12 cm, insert them to a depth of 1/2, build a shade frame after inserting, water moderately, and after rooting remove the shade frame to give full light for robust growth; the survival rate is relatively high. Division propagation is carried out in spring, in February to March.

Caragana Cultivation Methods and Caragana Bonsai Creation

Caragana has elegant branches and leaves, brilliant flowers that look like flying sparrows, and golden flowers, so it is also called golden sparrow flower; it is very suitable for bonsai creation. Next, Xiao Qi will share the cultivation methods of Caragana and how to make Caragana bonsai.

I. Caragana Cultivation Methods

1. Placement: Potted Caragana loves light and tolerates drought, so it is best placed in a spot with ample sunlight and good air circulation. It is also fairly cold-hardy in winter; in areas south of the Yellow River it can overwinter outdoors, and it is best to bury the whole pot in soil.

2. Watering: For potted Caragana, follow the principle of "water only when dry, and water thoroughly when you do"; especially during the flowering period, keeping the potting soil moist can extend the flowering period.

3. Fertilizing: For potted Caragana, apply a liquid fertilizer once during the winter dormant period; before flowering in spring, water with a liquid fertilizer once to extend the flowering period; after the flowers fade, apply a topdressing once more to encourage the growth of branches and leaves, and normally just apply a modest amount of thin fertilizer.

4. Pruning: After the leaves drop in winter, cut away any branches that spoil the shape of the tree; after flowering in spring, shorten the branches that have already bloomed to encourage new flowering shoots; during the vigorous growth period, prune leggy shoots at any time and pinch back appropriately to maintain a graceful tree shape.

5. Repotting: Repot Caragana once every 2-3 years, preferably in early spring. When repotting, remove about 1/2 of the old soil, replace it with fresh potting soil, trim the roots, replant, place in a spot with indirect light, water thoroughly, and frequently mist the trunk with water; once it has recovered, return to normal care.

II. Caragana Bonsai Creation

1. Material Selection: Besides growing bonsai from young seedlings, you can also dig up old stumps of many years from the hills and fields, choosing those with aged, fine forms, which can achieve the effect of rapid shaping. Collection and digging can be done throughout the dormant period and the rainy season. The method is to first cut off most of the above-ground stems, then scrape away the surface soil, figure out the growth direction of the main root, and dig patiently and carefully along the course of the main root from far to near; this helps protect the root system and reduce damage.

2. Potting: For Caragana bonsai, it is best to choose a round or square purple clay pottery pot. To fully show off the roots of Caragana, a relatively shallow pot can be chosen. For the potting soil, choose neutral or slightly acidic loam or light clay; alkaline soil should not be used; ordinary potting soil or garden soil will also do. Potting should be done in early spring.

3. Shaping: The main branches and trunk can be bent and shaped appropriately, but pay attention to the effect from every side, and do not have bends only on the same plane; for small branches, rely mainly on pruning, and do not cut them all to the same length, so as to look pleasingly uneven. When changing the soil and repotting, make use of Caragana's twisted and changeable root system, arranging and laying out the roots so they intertwine, or tie them appropriately with palm fiber, to bring out the beauty of a gnarled, interlocking root mass.

The above isCaragana cultivation methodsandCaragana bonsaicreation. We hope this is helpful to everyone for growing Caragana better.

Caragana Cultivation Methods

Temperature

Caragana tolerates high temperatures and loves light, so it is best to care for it in a spot with ample sunlight and good air circulation. In the hot summer, it is best to provide Caragana with appropriate shade, and you can move it indoors for care. In winter, when outdoor temperatures are low, we should keep Caragana indoors at a higher temperature for care, with bright light and ample sunlight.

Watering

In daily watering, never water too much; follow the principle of "water only when dry, and water thoroughly when you do." If there is standing water at the bottom, it can easily cause the roots to rot, so we should both keep the potting soil moist and avoid overwatering. Proper watering can extend the flowering period of Caragana.

Fertilizing

Caragana has a relatively high demand for nutrients during its growing season, so when fertilizing, just follow the principle of "apply thin fertilizer frequently." However, Caragana can also be fertilized appropriately during its winter dormant period; liquid fertilizer can also be applied when it blooms in spring, and topdressing can be applied after the flowers fade.

Repotting

Caragana is generally repotted once every 2 to 3 years, in spring. When repotting, you can remove the old soil, trim the roots, and replant.

In the process of cultivating Caragana, what other precautions should be noted?