How to plant ice plant and when
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The key cultivation techniques of successfully introducing African ice plant in Shouguang area
Fund project: Shandong Province Higher Education Facility Horticulture Laboratory Funding Project (2018YY030).
Li Yunling
African ice plant is rich in nutrients and has certain medical value, which is a new type of health vegetable. It has been successfully introduced in Shouguang, Shandong, with considerable economic benefits and a good market prospect. This article mainly introduces the cultivation techniques of African introduction.
1. Introduction to African ice plant
African ice plant belongs to the Aizoaceae Mesembryanthemum genus, an annual succulent herbaceous plant, also known as ice plant, named for the salt crystals on its leaf surface. As a new type of health vegetable, ice plant is rich in various nutrients such as pinitol, inositol, flavonoids, carotenoids, and natural mineral salts, which have auxiliary therapeutic effects on diseases such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and are a good nutritional health product. Ice plant can also be used as an ornamental succulent plant, with a height of 20-40 cm, star-shaped flowers, light wisteria purple in color, leaves full of water, crystal clear and shiny, suitable for making bonsai; the cultivation technology is relatively simple, the growth period is long, and the economic value is high, the unit price can even reach 70 yuan·kg-1.
Due to climatic reasons, the successful introduction areas in China are mainly concentrated in Shandong, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, etc. Since the successful introduction in Lucheng Street, Shouguang City, Shandong Province in early 2014, ice plant has developed into a new type of special vegetable, becoming one of the main cultivation bases in China, with products sold to domestic and foreign high-end hotels and large supermarkets, considerable economic benefits, and a broad market prospect.
2. Key points of cultivation techniques for successful introduction in Shouguang area
The cultivation methods of ice plant are diverse, including soil cultivation and hydroponics. Due to different cultivation methods, the taste of ice plant will also have subtle changes. In addition to greenhouse cultivation and field open-air cultivation, it is also suitable for balcony or pot cultivation, which can be used as an ornamental bonsai or for family consumption, achieving two goals at once. This study mainly introduces the greenhouse soil cultivation technology in Shouguang area.
2.1 Variety selection
Select ice plant varieties suitable for the climate of Shandong area, introduced from the Musashino Seed Company in Japan. This variety is more tolerant to low temperature and weak light, suitable for greenhouse planting, with simple technology and good taste. It has been promoted and planted in Lucheng and other streets in Shouguang area.
2.2 Sowing time
Ice plant is not heat-resistant and will wither when the temperature exceeds 30℃, so it is best to avoid the hot summer during the growing season. The growth cycle is about 6 months, and it can be planted twice a year. The autumn and winter crop can be planted in September and can be widely marketed before the New Year; the spring and summer crop can be planted in February and harvested before July when the temperature is high, ensuring both the suitable growth conditions for ice plant and increased income.
2.3 Selection of origin
Ice plant is mostly eaten fresh and has a strong adsorption capacity for heavy metals in the soil, so the selection of the origin environment is very important. It should be chosen in areas with clean water sources and no heavy pollution from chemical plants nearby.
2.4 Cultivation techniques
2.4.1 Seed soaking and germination
Ice plant seeds are very small, select seeds that are full, undamaged, and free of pests, use about 5g per 667m2, soak the seeds in 25℃ water for 3 hours to germinate, then plant them in a seedling tray; if conditions permit, they can be placed directly in a constant temperature box for seed soaking and germination.
2.4.2 Matrix seedling raising
Spot sowing method, select a 128-hole small hole seedling tray, plant 1 seed per hole. Since the seeds are small, do not cover thick matrix (the matrix should be dried and sieved before use) during sowing, just cover a thin layer. Place all seeded trays on a flat seedling bed in the greenhouse for unified management.
1) Temperature management: Keep the temperature around 22℃ after sowing to promote seed germination. When the temperature is low, use reasonable heating measures to increase the temperature; when the temperature is high, pay attention to increasing ventilation in the seedling room or greenhouse to lower the temperature. In winter, a small arch shed can be set up on the seedling bed in the greenhouse, covered with cotton blankets, straw mats, etc., to ensure the seedling temperature; as the temperature rises, appropriate ventilation and dehumidification should be carried out to prevent seedling stretching or root rot.
2) Water management: Water thoroughly after sowing, and do not water later unless the matrix is dry. Do not water before the seedlings emerge. After the seedlings emerge, if the temperature is high and the leaves wilt, water can be sprayed with a spray bottle appropriately. No fertilizer should be applied during the seedling raising period, but it is prone to damping off, which can be prevented by using a wettable powder of Trichoderma harzianum 500 times solution sprayed with a spray bottle.
There are currently 2 main cultivation methods of ice plant: one is seedling soil or seedling tray raising followed by transplanting; the other is direct seeding in the greenhouse. The Shouguang area generally adopts matrix seedling raising in the seedling tray, then transplanting to the field after hardening, to prevent seedling death and empty holes from direct seeding.
2.4.3 Hardening and transplanting
1) Hardening: About 25-30 days after sowing (slightly different depending on the cultivation period), when the seedlings have grown to the 4-5th true leaves, they can be transplanted. Start hardening 4-5 days before transplanting, slightly reduce the temperature of the seedling bed, increase ventilation, and improve the resistance of the seedlings; water the seedlings from the bottom of the seedling tray to make it easier to lift the soil.
2) Preparation before transplanting: About 20 days before transplanting, clean up the debris in the greenhouse, apply about 2000 kg of organic biogas fertilizer and 50 kg of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer as base fertilizer per 667m2, deeply plow and level the land with a rotary tiller, then make ridges about 1.6 m wide, with 4 rows per ridge and a 40-50 cm gap between ridges for easy picking and daily management. Ice plant has strong drought resistance, the planting soil should not be too wet and should have good drainage, sandy soil is best, so a mixture of field soil, sand, or peat can be used for transplanting. To increase drainage, the cultivation seedbed should be slightly elevated. About 3500 plants can be planted per 667m2.
3) Transplanting: Transplanting should be done on cloudy days or after 15:00 on sunny days. Dig trenches or holes in the ridge, select healthy seedlings with no diseases, no wounds, and developed roots, try to bring more soil when lifting the seedlings to protect the roots from damage, and ensure seedling survival; ice plant leaves are very fragile, so the whole transplanting process must be gentle to avoid damaging the plants; do not dig the holes too deep, just let the leaves stick out of the soil, cover the soil immediately after planting, and water. Check the seedling survival rate 3 days after transplanting, and replace any dead seedlings promptly. Since ice plant is mostly eaten raw, efforts should be made to reduce the contact between stems and leaves and soil, and 5 days after transplanting, the mulching film can be covered with holes, which is clean and hygienic and can also keep warm and moist.
2.4.4 Management after transplanting
1) Temperature management: Ice plant likes warm temperatures and is not heat or cold resistant, with the most suitable growth temperature being 18-26℃. If the temperature is too high and exceeds 30℃ for a long time, the plant will stretch, the stems will become longer, the leaves will cluster, become narrow, and the leaf secretions will decrease, even causing withering and poor quality; if the temperature is too low, the plant will grow slowly, the leaves will easily wrinkle, and severe frost damage will occur below 5℃. Therefore, when the temperature is high, it is necessary to increase ventilation to cool down, use black shading nets in the middle of the day, or some farmers splash mud water on the greenhouse film to create a shading effect, which is conducive to cooling. If it is cold, electric heating wires can be laid in the greenhouse, or other warming measures such as covering with non-woven fabric cotton blankets, straw mats, etc., can be used.
2) Water and fertilizer management: Ice plant is relatively drought-resistant, generally water when the soil surface is dry, controlling the soil moisture content at around 60%, keeping it half-dry and half-wet. Overwatering can easily cause root rot, leading to diseases or death. During the whole growth process, foliar application of biogas solution (1:4) can be carried out every 10 days to reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests, the喷application should be uniform, ensuring both sides are sprayed. Foliar fertilizer application should be done after noon on sunny days, using fully decomposed biogas, filtered and clarified with a mesh. Ice plant likes boron, and foliar application of 0.1% boron solution can be carried out every half month to promote growth and prevent leaf cracking.
3) Light management: Ice plant likes light, and during the growing period, light can be extended under the conditions of ensuring appropriate temperature and humidity to promote its rapid growth.
4) Disease management: Ice plant has few diseases, and since it is mostly eaten raw, the growth process should minimize the use of chemical pesticides, focusing on prevention. If severe diseases occur, microbial pesticides or physical control methods can be used. It is necessary to ventilate and light the area in time to prevent excessive humidity from causing diseases. The main pests are aphids and planthoppers, which can be prevented with insect nets or yellow boards for trapping aphids. If pest infestation worsens,matokone can be considered for control. In daily management, it is necessary to cut off the old and diseased leaves on the plants, remove weeds in time to promote ventilation and light, and reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests.
If flower buds are found on the ice plant, they must be removed. Because once flowering occurs, the growth of the plant stems and leaves will be limited, and the quality of the edible part will decrease.
2.5 Harvesting
About 1 month after transplanting, when the lateral branches are about 20 cm, the ice plant can be harvested. Note that when harvesting, leave the first node with a pair of leaves on the branches for the preparation of secondary lateral branches. Generally, harvesting can start at 05:00, when the temperature is lower, which can better ensure the freshness after harvesting. Pay attention to the requirements of the harvesting process to avoid damaging the plants. After harvesting, place it in a foam insulation box with ice bottles (plastic bottles filled with water, then frozen at low temperature) as soon as possible to maintain its quality during storage and transportation. If stored at a temperature of about 5℃, ice plant can be stored for 1 week, but the storage temperature should not be too low, otherwise it will easily cause frost damage and become inedible.
In view of the strict post-harvest preservation conditions and short shelf life of ice plant, deep processing of ice plant has already begun in Shouguang, such as drying into vegetable powder, which not only preserves the nutrients but also increases the good commerciality, conducive to long-term storage. Japanese people also use the extracted substances of ice plant in cosmetics, which have good moisturizing and nutritional effects. Therefore, the introduction, commercial cultivation, deep development, and promotion prospect of ice plant are good.
The above[] introduces the complete content of how to plant ice plant and understand the planting methods and time, for your comprehensive understanding and reference!