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Detailed Explanation of Castor Bean Planting Methods and Technical Key Points

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Castor bean, also known as hemp seed, laoma, grass hemp, etc., is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Ricinus in the Euphorbiaceae family. In tropical or southern regions it often grows into a perennial shrub or small tree. It is native to Egypt, Ethiopia and India, among other places, and later spread to Brazil, Thailand, Argentina, the United States and other countries. Castor bean in China was introduced from India.

Castor Bean Cultivation and Management Techniques:

Sowing: Before sowing, the seeds should be sorted by grain and sun-dried to increase the germination rate. Sowing is generally carried out before Grain Rain. Sowing too late will shorten the growth period and easily cause reduced yield, so within the suitable sowing period, sowing should be done as early as possible. Where conditions permit, plastic film mulching can be used to extend the growth period by about 15 days. Manual spot sowing is generally used, with row spacing of 80-100 cm, 2-3 seeds per hole, and 800-1200 plants retained per mu depending on different soil fertility. Seeds are sown at a depth of about 6 cm. After sowing, cover with soil and press down promptly.

Checking seedlings and filling gaps: After castor bean seedlings emerge, check for missing seedlings promptly and fill gaps by transplanting. Castor bean transplants relatively easily at the seedling stage. The best time for transplanting is within 3 leaves of seedling age. Thinning to a final stand is carried out at 3-4 leaves; doing it too late will cause weak seedlings and directly affect yield. When thinning to a final stand, keep one plant per hole.

Fertilization: Because castor bean has a strong ability to absorb nutrients, it needs a lot of nitrogen fertilizer in the early stage, and after flowering, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be mainly applied. Therefore, more compost, stable manure or farmyard manure mixed with plant ash should be used as base fertilizer. Fertilization method: For large-scale planting, furrow fertilization can be carried out, or two handfuls of compost can be applied in each hole, covered with soil, and then sown; for scattered planting, hole application can be used, and after sowing, cover the hole with plant ash mixed with fine soil. When thinning to a final stand, apply dilute human and livestock manure. If planting on newly reclaimed wasteland, soybeans or peanuts can be planted between the castor bean rows after seedling emergence.

Pruning: The first time is after the main stem buds, keep 3 thick branches as primary branches and remove all branches below 5 leaves. The second time is about 40 days before the first frost, when all growing points are removed.

Harvest: Castor bean fruits do not ripen uniformly. When the fruit skin turns brown, harvest as they ripen, generally 3-5 times.



Management Measures

Thinning and final stand establishment, intertillage, weeding and hilling: When seedlings are 10 cm tall, thin them, remove overly dense and weak seedlings, and combine this with one intertillage and weeding. When seedlings are 17-20 cm tall, final stand establishment can be carried out, keeping one healthy seedling per hole. Carry out a second intertillage and weeding. For planting on barren hills and slopes, final stand establishment can be delayed somewhat. Before flowering, a third intertillage and weeding can be carried out. When seedlings are 30 cm tall, combine intertillage with hilling around the roots to stabilize the root system, which serves to resist drought, wind and lodging.
Topping, pinching and pruning: When castor bean has grown 7-8 true leaves, carry out topping (that is, cut off the top tip of the plant's main stem). Afterward, according to the growth of the castor bean, the top tips grown from each branch can be cut again to promote branching and increase yield. At the same time, it dwarfs the plant and makes fruit picking easier. When the plant grows to 55-60 cm, carry out pruning, cutting off dead branches and diseased or pest-infested branches to promote the growth of more new branches and prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Use scissors when pruning, and do it gently; do not break by hand, to prevent damaging the castor bean's stem bark and flower spikes. After pruning, topdress promptly, and in dry weather, water promptly to resist drought.
Overwintering management: After harvesting perennial castor bean, overwintering protection should be well managed. In places with heavy frost and snow, before Frost's Descent, wrap the castor bean stalks with rice straw and remove it after the beginning of spring the following year. For branches or main stems already damaged by freezing, saw them off 35 cm above the ground and paste the cut with cow dung. After spring begins, the main stump can sprout and grow again. In areas with severe freezing damage, saw off the main stem before frost, leaving a stump 20-30 cm above the ground, paste the cut with cow dung, and then cover and seal the castor bean stump with soil. In the following spring or when there is no snowfall, uncover the soil and it can sprout and grow branches.


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