Detailed Guide to Japanese Pagoda Tree Cultivation, Helping You Grow Huaimi Well
Generally speaking, the Japanese pagoda tree can be propagated by three methods: sowing, cuttings and grafting. The Japanese pagoda tree likes sunlight, can tolerate cold, and is slightly shade-tolerant, but not drought-tolerant or tolerant of damp shade. In addition, the Japanese pagoda tree grows poorly in low-lying waterlogged spots. Therefore, the growing conditions for the Japanese pagoda tree must ensure sufficient sunlight and maintain suitable humidity. In addition, although the Japanese pagoda tree has low requirements for soil, it grows better in fertile, well-drained, deep, sandy soil. Choose a neutral sandy loam with fertile soil and convenient drainage and irrigation as the nursery site. When preparing the land, apply sufficient base fertilizer; generally apply 50 kg each of farmyard manure, phosphate fertilizer and cake fertilizer per mu, treat the soil with 0.75-1.25 kg of 30% carbofuran, and after plowing, harrowing and leveling, make flat beds 1 m wide.
1. Spring sowing
Because the seed coat has a palisade layer of closely packed cells, its water permeability is poor. Before sowing, put the seeds into 80°C warm water, stirring while adding them, until the water temperature drops to 40°C. Then remove impurities and continue soaking for 2-3 days. During soaking, be sure to change the 30°C warm water twice a day. Treat the remaining hard seeds another 1-2 times. Once the seeds swell after absorbing water, they can be sown. Drill sow with a row spacing of 20-25 cm, cover with soil 1.5-2 cm thick, and sow 8-10 kg per mu. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days. During the seedling stage, keep a reasonable dense spacing to prevent the trunk from bending; generally leave 6-8 plants per meter, and one-year-old seedlings reach more than 1 m in height.
2. Cutting method
Cut new branches about 15 cm long, bundle them and soak them in an antiseptic solution; only after they have absorbed enough water can they be used for cuttings. For grafting the Japanese pagoda tree, two-year-old common pagoda tree can be used as the rootstock. Before Qingming, cut pagoda tree branches and use the side grafting method for propagation, or raise rootstock seedlings in a greenhouse.
3. Seedling stage management
After the Japanese pagoda tree seedlings are transplanted and survive, carry out intertillage and weeding in time, loosen the soil to preserve moisture, and water when necessary. Apply 15 kg of urea per mu as a top dressing; current-year seedlings can reach more than 2.5 m in height. Two-year-old and three-year-old seedlings grow faster. In spring each year, apply 50 kg of cake fertilizer per mu, and in summer apply urea as a top dressing 2-3 times, 10 kg per mu each time. In addition, strengthen the prevention and control of seedling diseases and insect pests to ensure healthy seedling growth.