How to plant Malan flowers
Do you know these? Here is a comprehensive introduction to the planting of Malan flowers and the steps involved in growing Malan flowers in the field of green plants and flowers.
Malan, also known as Malan head, chicken intestine, and loach vegetable, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family Malan genus. It is native to South and East Asia and is distributed in most parts of China, especially in Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. It often grows in fields, roadsides, forest edges, grasslands, riverbanks, and around houses. Now it is also cultivated artificially. China has been collecting and eating it since ancient times, and it is a popular wild vegetable, especially favored by people in the Jiangnan region, where it is second in quantity only to shepherd's purse among spring and autumn wild vegetables.
1. Types
There are two types of naturally scattered groups. Based on petiole color, there are red-stemmed and green-stemmed varieties, with the red-stemmed variety having a stronger aroma. Based on leaf shape, there are elliptical and lanceolate types, with the former having almost no serrated edges and the latter having sawtooth edges.
2. Seedling Cultivation
(1) Pre-planting Preparation
① Land Preparation: Plow to a depth of 20 cm and create high ridges 1.5 meters wide, applying a base fertilizer of 1500~1800 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, and adding some compound fertilizer if possible. Apply fertilizer in the furrows and mix the soil and fertilizer thoroughly.
② Seed Collection: Malan generally starts flowering in late May and the seeds mature from June to October, at which time they can be collected from the field or seeds can be saved from the cultivated field. For fields set aside for seed saving, broadcast seeds sparsely and avoid excessive topdressing. Generally, apply fertilizer once during the seedling stage and before flowering.
(2) Sowing
Spring sowing is usually done in March, with both sparse broadcasting and row sowing being suitable. Row sowing should have a row spacing of 20~25 cm, with播种沟 (or no furrow) about 3 cm deep. Mix seeds with 3~5 times fine sand or dry soil for even sowing. After sowing, gently press the seeds with a board to ensure good contact with the soil, cover with a thin layer of rice straw, and water thoroughly. If sown too early and the temperature is too low, cover with plastic film and remove it after the seeds germinate.
Low temperatures during spring sowing result in low germination rates, so the seeding rate should be higher. Use 500~700 grams of seeds per mu.
How to plant Malan flowers
(3) Field Management
① Watering and Topdressing: Keep the soil moist after sowing, and water frequently during dry periods. Seedlings can emerge in about half a month. After emergence, remove the covering and spray water every few days, preferably in the morning before dew dries or in the evening, with light and frequent watering.
Begin topdressing when seedlings have 2 true leaves, and apply a second dressing 7~10 days before harvest, followed by additional applications after harvest. Each time, apply 1000 kg (20%~30% concentration) of decomposed animal manure or 6~8 kg of urea diluted in 1000~1200 kg of water.
② Thinning and Weeding: Thin and transplant seedlings when they have 2~3 true leaves, removing weak and small seedlings and filling sparse areas to maintain a spacing of 15~20 cm. Weeding should be done in a timely manner to avoid affecting seedling growth. Special attention should be paid to weeding in broadcast sowing, as weeds can mix with seedlings and have a significant impact, so care should be taken to remove small weeds by the roots.
(4) Harvesting
In spring, from April to May, Malan can be harvested 30~40 days after emergence. Early播种 varieties can start harvesting around the Qingming Festival, and another harvest can be made 15~20 days after topdressing and watering. Use scissors to harvest, leaving the larger ones and picking the smaller ones to promote plant growth.
When harvesting, Malan with white stems and green leaves is tender, while those with red stems and yellow-green leaves are starting to age. For the tender ones, the stems can be longer, and for the older ones, the stems should be shorter.
(5) Management of Old Stalks
In mid-to-late October, cut off the above-ground parts (old stakes), clean the field, remove withered branches and leaves, loosen the soil between rows, and apply 1000 kg (40% concentration) of decomposed animal manure per mu. After a week, cover with a plastic greenhouse (large or medium-sized). Another harvest can be made for sale after 20~30 days.
The above content about how to plant Malan flowers and the steps involved in growing Malan flowers, brought to you by the Green Plant Enthusiast Network, is hoped to be of help to you!