Planting technology and planting time of shepherd's purse

Mustard greens , also known as ground mustard, ground rice greens, and water chestnut greens, are one of the artificially cultivated wild vegetable varieties. It is not only delicious and has good commercial value, but also very easy to grow and does not require much technology, so it is favored by the majority of growers. So what are the shepherd's purse planting techniques and planting time ? Let’s learn more about it below.

Mustard planting time

In the southern region, shepherd's purse can be grown all year round, but it is mainly cultivated in autumn. The time for sowing is generally chosen between September and October, and you can choose wild shepherd's purse varieties with variegated leaves or flat leaves for planting.

Mustard Planting Technology

1. Land preparation and fertilization

One week before sowing shepherd's purse, the land should be carefully cultivated and sufficient base fertilizer should be applied to a depth of about 20 centimeters. The integrity of the mature soil layer should be ensured. The soil layer with loose top and solid bottom is more conducive to the growth of shepherd's purse. The base fertilizer can be decomposed organic fertilizer combined with potassium sulfate compound fertilizer , with the usage amount per hectare being about 45 tons and 750 kilograms respectively.

2. Planting seeds in sufficient moisture

Shepherd's purse seeds are small and can only germinate successfully when the soil has sufficient moisture. Therefore, check the soil moisture conditions before sowing. If there is insufficient water, create moisture before sowing. Do not water after sowing to avoid affecting germination.

3. Sowing method

The seeds of shepherd's purse are very small, and direct sowing can easily lead to uneven sowing and uneven seedling density. Therefore, when sowing, you can first mix shepherd's purse seeds with wood ash, fine sand, etc. evenly (mix according to the ratio of seeds: fine soil 1:2-3), and then sow in furrows or broadcast. After the seeds are sown in the ground, cover the seeds with a layer of fine manure, wood ash or fine soil about 1 cm thick to cover and protect the seeds.

4. Post-sowing management

After sowing and during the growing period, watering should be done by spraying with fine water. When two true leaves appear, apply clean human and animal manure water. Later, it can be decided whether to apply clean human and animal manure water or urea based on the growth of wild shepherd's purse. Apply concentrated manure water 7-10 days before harvest, and apply fertilizer after each harvest. In addition, we must also pay attention to preventing pests and diseases such as downy mildew and aphids, and do timely tillage and weeding.

5. Harvest and save seeds

Mustard can be harvested when it has 10-13 true leaves. Autumn-sown shepherd's purse can usually be harvested in 35-50 days and can be harvested 3-5 times, with a yield of 2500-3000 kilograms per acre. For seed cultivation, the seeds are sown in October, and they bloom and produce pods in the spring of the following year. The pods are harvested when they turn yellow, dried and threshed.

In general, as a wild vegetable, mustard greens have a particularly strong adaptability. They are both cold-resistant and heat-resistant. At the same time, they grow relatively fast, have a relatively high yield, and are very commercially viable. Therefore, as long as you master some management skills, you can get a rich harvest.