How to save ginger seed? These methods you need to master
Ginger is a very common side ingredient in our daily lives. Besides being used in cooking, ginger also has medicinal effects, and the aromatic oil extracted from ginger can be made into spices and so on. It is welcomed by many people, so the current planting area of ginger is still very large. But how should we save seed when planting ginger? Then below, the editor will give you a brief introduction, let's take a look together!
1. Harvesting the mother ginger
After the seed ginger is sown and sprouts, the nutrients inside the seed ginger have not been completely consumed. However, it will not rot either, so we can still harvest it back, which is called harvesting mother ginger. Mother ginger can generally be harvested together with the mature harvest of new ginger, or it can be harvested separately when the seedlings are 16-17 cm tall and have about 5 leaves. When harvesting, first dig open the soil around the seed ginger a little, then use one hand to press down the main stem and tillers of the ginger plant to prevent the ginger block from shaking. Then use the other hand to dig out the seed ginger, taking care not to damage the roots. After harvesting, timely earth up and apply fertilizer to ensure the normal growth of the ginger.
2. Harvesting ginger
Harvesting ginger is further divided into harvesting tender ginger and harvesting old ginger. When harvesting tender ginger, the harvest time should be determined according to the planting region, and it should generally be carried out after the Start of Autumn; it must not be harvested too early, as the earlier it is, the greater the yield will be. Tender ginger has less spiciness and not a very large yield, so the yield per mu is about 600 kg. Then harvest old ginger when most of the stems and leaves of the plant have withered, at which time the underground rhizomes of the plant have expanded sufficiently. Ginger that needs to be kept for seed should also be harvested at this time, and the time should be between Frost's Descent and the Start of Winter.
3. Saving seed
For ginger that needs to be kept for seed, priority should be given to old ginger with high yield per plant, large ginger blocks, and no pests or diseases. About two weeks before harvest, generally in late October, watering should be stopped. Then dig out diseased ginger, and finish harvesting before the first frost. At the same time, on the premise of ensuring that the ginger is not damaged by freezing, delay the harvest time as much as possible, so as to increase the yield. Harvesting should be carried out on sunny days when the soil is relatively level.
Cut off the ginger stalks at a place about two centimeters from the ginger block. That is, keep the cut level with the upper part of the central terminal bud of the ginger stalk, avoiding injury to the terminal bud, thereby affecting the sprouting of the seed ginger the next year. In addition, we should also pay attention to cutting off the fibrous roots of the plant and separating out the mother ginger. After harvesting, store it promptly; if it cannot be stored due to rainy weather, then it should be placed indoors to dry. Spread it evenly on the ground at about 30 cm and then cover it with a layer of moist fine sand, so as to keep it warm and moist, and wait until the weather becomes clear and gradually warm before storing it.
The above is a brief introduction to how to save ginger seed. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!