Ostrich Fern Cultivation Methods and Yield per Mu, Is Ostrich Fern the Same as Fiddlehead Fern?
Ostrich fern is a type of wild vegetable, and it looks very similar to fiddlehead fern, so many people cannot tell them apart, but they are indeed two different wild vegetables. Ostrich fern is a green, pollution-free health vegetable, so in recent years it has become very popular in the market. So do you know how to cultivate ostrich fern? And how much do you know about ostrich fern? Let us learn together about the artificial cultivation techniques for ostrich fern. More than 500 mu of land have been planted with ostrich fern, the output of ostrich fern will reach more than 5 tons, and the output value will reach more than 2 million.
1. Soil improvement
Ostrich fern has strong adaptability to the environment, but it still has certain requirements for the growing environment. Generally, it can only grow when the temperature is around 8 degrees, the optimal temperature for growth is around 15 degrees, and it stops growing when the temperature is higher than 30 degrees. Second, its water requirements are relatively strict; it likes moisture and is not drought-tolerant. Also, the soil of the planting site is best slightly acidic, the soil should contain relatively sufficient humus, and the soil texture is best when the upper layer is loose and the lower layer is firm; preferably it should be in a half-shade and half-sun area, or have some shade. After choosing the planting site, we need to apply fertilizer to improve the soil. Generally, the amount used per mu is about 600 jin, mainly farmyard manure such as chicken manure, pig manure, and cow manure, combined with deep plowing. Finally, dig furrows and make beds, and prepare for planting.
2. Propagation methods
There are mainly two propagation methods for ostrich fern, namely spore propagation and division propagation. For spore propagation, seeds are generally collected around the end of May, then the seeds are placed in a suitable environment for germination, and sowing can be carried out after most spores have sprouted and differentiated. Division is relatively simple; generally, the day before planting, the divisions of ostrich fern are dug out for planting, but note that it is best to dig them out together with the base soil, as this will give a higher survival rate.
3. Planting and field setting
When planting, we can use hole sowing or drill sowing. For hole sowing, the spacing between each hole is about 30 to 40 cm, while for drill sowing, planting is carried out with a distance of 40 cm between each row and 30 cm between each plant. When planting, note that each hole should have at least 2 to 3 seedlings, and the planting density of ostrich fern per mu is about 4,000 to 5,000 plants. We should reasonably control the planting density, because too dense or too sparse planting will affect the later economic returns of ostrich fern.
4. Later management
Ostrich fern likes a moist environment, so after planting, we should water frequently to keep the soil moist, but we should also control the amount of water; the moisture should not be too much, otherwise it will cause the roots of ostrich fern to rot. At the same time, in rainy seasons, we should also drain water in time, so as to ensure the normal growth of ostrich fern. Second, we should clear the weeds in the field. About half a month after the ostrich fern seedlings emerge, we should carry out one cultivation and weeding. This can not only reduce the loss of nutrients, but also improve soil permeability, promote nutrient absorption, and increase the growth rate of ostrich fern. Also, we should reasonably carry out topdressing, mainly according to the growth characteristics of ostrich fern, especially in the harvest season, when its fertilizer demand is very large; generally, topdressing is needed once every three or four days. Finally, in order to promote the growth of ostrich fern, we had best build shade sheds in the field and reasonably control daily sunlight, which is also very beneficial to the growth of ostrich fern.
Normal ostrich fern can generally grow to about 60 to 100 cm, and ostrich fern in the same year is not harvested; it is only harvested in the second year. Harvesting should be carried out in batches, and after each harvest, topdressing is needed to increase the yield of ostrich fern and improve its quality. Finally, the editor also reminds everyone that after harvesting ostrich fern, shade cloth should be covered in time to prevent the plants from aging and affecting the yield of the coming year.