How to plant snake beans so that they can sprout quickly (how many days after planting will snake beans sprout)

Snake bean, also known as snake melon, is a very high-quality vegetable . Correctly mastering the germination method and planting time of snake beans to ensure that all seedlings are sown is very important for field production.

However, snake beans are leguminous crops that are not resistant to low temperatures but resistant to high temperatures . The seedlings will be frozen to death if they encounter frost, but they can continue to bear fruit in an environment where the temperature reaches 40°C. So, when should snake beans be sown? How many days does it take for snake beans to germinate?

When to plant snake bean seeds

The sowing period of snake beans varies greatly from place to place. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River , the sowing period is generally from mid-to-late March to early to mid-April, and in the Yellow River basin, the sowing period is from mid-to-late April to early May .

If the late frost has passed and the soil temperature is low, you can choose to cover the ground with mulch to plant snake beans, which can increase the ground temperature by 2-6℃ and sow about 10-15 days in advance.

Snake beans can be planted in small arch greenhouses and covered with plastic film. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, they can be sown in early February , and in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, snake beans can be sown in late February.

In the northern regions, in the spring, crops are grown in small sheds covered inside greenhouses. They can be sown in late February , or the sowing period can be appropriately postponed depending on the market.

Snake beans have high requirements for temperature and are rarely grown in greenhouses in winter . The minimum temperature must be above 15°C to grow normally, and it will stop growing if the temperature is too low.

But in an insulated greenhouse, snake beans can be produced all year round and often sell for high prices during the Spring Festival.

Moreover, snake beans need to be cultivated on elevated platforms. Generally, snake beans planted in March and April can be harvested in May and June, and harvested until September and October . As long as the management is proper, one acre of land can harvest more than 3,000 kilograms , with considerable economic benefits.

Snake bean planting time and technical points

The minimum germination temperature of snake bean is 15℃. The seed epidermis is severely lignified, making it difficult to absorb water, which often causes uneven germination.

Therefore, germination treatment is necessary in production , which can significantly increase the germination rate, prolong the growth period, harvest earlier and increase the yield. The specific methods are as follows.

①Select seeds

Choose seeds with high purity and no pests and diseases, and expose them to the sun for 2-3 days after removing impurities to increase the activity of enzymes inside the seeds. This can significantly speed up the water absorption and germination process and increase the emergence rate.

②Soak in warm water

Put the seeds into a mixture of three parts warm water and one part cold water and stir continuously. Then soak them in 30-33℃ warm water for 6-8 hours . Wait for the seeds to absorb enough water before germination.

We can also soak the seeds soaked in warm water in clean water for 3 days until they absorb enough water.

In spring, when the temperature is low and there is no condition to keep warm water, you can directly soak the seeds in clean water for 8 hours and then rub them. After piercing the navel of the seeds, continue to soak for 16 hours to germinate.

③ Germination

The simplest way is to wrap the soaked seeds with wet gauze and place them in a constant temperature box at 33°C. Generally, they will turn white after about 3 days .

If there is no constant temperature box, you can also use the old method of growing bean sprouts in the countryside to germinate them, such as electric blankets, heated beds, and stoves with residual heat, but the temperature is difficult to control.

Just control the temperature in an environment of 25-30℃, and the seeds will turn white after 3-4 days . During this period, wash the seeds 1-2 times a day to increase moisture, discharge the waste gas and water film between the seeds, and promote seed germination.

④ Germination after sowing

After sowing, the temperature in the seedbed is maintained at 25-30 degrees Celsius. Generally, the seeds will germinate in about 3 days. After the seedlings emerge, the seed shells on the cotyledons should be removed in time . If the temperature is high during the day, the two ends of the arch shed can be opened for ventilation and covered at night.