How to plant cycad seeds

Sand storage treatment

The sand storage treatment of Cycas revoluta seeds is generally carried out around December. Appropriate temperature and humidity should be maintained during the sand storage period. The suitable temperature for growth is between about 18-25°C, and the humidity should be kept at 80-90%. At the same time, good insulation work should be done. The seeds will germinate in May or June of the following year, and generally a true leaf will grow in July or August.

Preparation before sowing

After harvesting plump and healthy cycad seeds in October, soak them in warm water at about 50℃ and leave them for a day. Then soak them in dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sulfuric acid and other solutions for about 10-15 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Change the water every other day when soaking the seeds until the seed coat completely absorbs water, swells and softens. Then you can easily peel off the outer seed coat, remove the pulp, dry the seeds and store them.

Sowing method

The processed seeds can be sown. Cycad seeds are suitable for sowing in pots. The depth of soil covering is about 2 cm. After sowing, place them in a temperature environment of 30-33℃. They will generally germinate in about two weeks. Cycad seedlings need to be cultivated for 2-4 years before they can be transplanted.

Management after sowing

Watering

Do not water the plant unless the soil is dry. If you do water, water it thoroughly. Avoid water accumulation in the pot, otherwise it will cause root rot. After new leaves sprout, you can increase the amount of watering appropriately. Keep the soil in the pot moist during the growth period of new leaves and spray water 2 or 3 times in the morning and evening to help keep the leaves dark green and shiny. In summer, it needs to be watered once in the morning and evening, and spray can be used to increase the humidity of the surrounding air. Control watering after autumn, generally watering once every 2-3 days is enough.

Fertilization

During the growth period, apply more topdressing, mainly nitrogen and potassium fertilizers. You can also add an appropriate amount of ferrous sulfate solution to the fertilizer, which is beneficial to promote the dark green and shiny color of the cycad leaves.