When to Plant Mung Beans? A Detailed Guide to Key Growing Techniques
Mung beans are a cash crop grown in both the north and the south, and they sell very well on the market. Especially on a scorching summer day, a cool bowl of mung bean porridge is truly refreshing. So when are mung beans planted? What are the growing techniques?
1. Planting time for mung beans
Mung bean is a plant with fairly strong resistance, and it can still grow well even under drought, so it is generally sown in summer. But does not spring count as the season when all things grow? So mung beans can also be sown in spring. Therefore, the sowing time for mung beans is generally April to May and June to July each year. Mung beans like to grow in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, so when sowing in spring, be careful not to sow too early, otherwise the survival rate and quality of the mung beans will not be high. In summer, they can be sown early, and it is best to have them grow during the summer's high temperatures and abundant rain; by then their yield will increase noticeably.
2. Planting methods for mung beans
1. Land preparation and fertilization
If you want to plant mung beans, you must prepare the land in advance. Do not wait until it is time to plant before plowing. Generally, during land preparation, after the autumn harvest of the current year, level the land well, and then sow in the spring of the following year. When turning the soil, try to turn it as deep as possible, as this can kill some pests hiding in the soil and reduce the threat of insect damage. After turning the soil, apply base fertilizer, usually farmyard manure, then spread the fertilizer evenly, raise the soil, and form ridges, and then you can wait until the following year to sow.
2. Sowing methods
Before sowing, first mix the seeds evenly with some resistant chemicals, which can prevent some diseases and also guard against pests and field mice and the like. Mung beans can be sown directly or transplanted. Direct sowing means digging a small hole every 30 to 50 cm in the prepared field, sowing three or four seeds in each small hole, then scattering a little compound fertilizer beside it, and finally covering the seeds with soil. For transplanting, you must first raise seedlings. When the seedlings grow four or five leaves, they can be transplanted. Transplanting also follows that same spacing.
3. Field management
After sowing, you must carry out final planting. If thinning occurs in the field, replant promptly. After final planting, water once. If it has not rained, then keep watering until the transplanted seedlings send out new roots or grow new green leaves; at that point you can relax. After the seedlings have all survived, weed the field. Generally, weeding is done three times: once after they survive, the second time when they grow to 10 to 15 cm, and the last time before they bloom. During the growth of mung beans, fertilization is generally not needed, because too much fertility will make them grow foliage and then miss the best flowering period, resulting in reduced yield.
4. Pest and disease control
The most common diseases of mung beans are viral disease, root rot, and rust, so prevention should be carried out promptly. At the same time, mung bean seedlings are very prone to root rot, so observe carefully. During flowering and pod formation, promptly control pests such as bean pod borer and thrips.