How to propagate centipede grass
The following is an introduction to the knowledge of how to propagate centipede grass and the key points of cultivation techniques for centipede grass, followed by a comprehensive introduction.
Centipede grass is a member of the Eriocaulaceae family, commonly found on hillsides and roadside grasslands. It often grows on the ground and epiphytically in rock crevices and tree trunks near streams in the forest. It prefers a humid climate and requires a relative humidity of 60% to 75% in the growing environment. The optimal growth temperature is between 16°C and 30°C, with winter temperatures not lower than 8°C, but it can tolerate short periods of 0°C. It can also endure temperatures above 30°C. It dislikes cold frost and requires a winter temperature of above 10°C. When temperatures drop below 4°C in winter, it enters a dormant state, and if the environmental temperature approaches 0°C, it may die from frostbite.
Seedling technology
Centipede grass is commonly propagated using spores. Select a special pepper substrate as the sowing medium, fill the sowing container, evenly sprinkle the collected mature spores of centipede grass into the sowing tray, and spray to keep the soil surface moist. The spore bodies will emerge in 30 to 40 days. When one small leaf has grown, transplant the seedlings into nutrient bags. After changing bags, apply a 0.3% compound fertilizer once every 10 days. Under sufficient fertilization and shading conditions, the growth rate is the fastest. It takes about 180 days to grow into large seedlings about 20 to 30cm tall, which can then be transplanted into the field. Centipede grass seedlings can also be grown simultaneously with potted peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, etc., without affecting each other, thus saving costs.
Propagation can also be done using mother plant division or spore powder tissue culture.
Land preparation and transplantation
The suitable transplantation time for centipede grass in a year is from mid-March to the end of April, or from mid-October to mid-November.
Apply sufficient base fertilizer during land preparation, generally 350kg of commercial organic fertilizer and 20kg of Norwegian compound fertilizer (15-15-15) per mu. Centipede grass likes moisture but dislikes flooding, and since the Pearl River Delta region has abundant rainfall in spring and summer, it is necessary to raise high ridges to prevent root flooding, which can lead to plant death. The land preparation specification is 1.5m including the ditch. The planting specification is double-row planting with a spacing of 30cm. About 2800 to 3000 plants are needed per mu.
After transplantation, water the roots continuously for 3 days to ensure the roots fit the soil as closely as possible and improve the survival rate of the transplants.
Field management
Centipede grass prefers a semi-shaded environment, and in summer, a small arch shed for shading is required. The method is to insert 2.4m fiber poles into the ground to form an arch, cover it with an 80% light transmission rate, 70cm wide shading net, and then insert another fiber pole on the shading net to secure the net to the poles with agricultural rope to prevent the wind from blowing the net to one side.
In the Pearl River Delta region, there is plenty of rain in spring and summer, so irrigation is generally not needed. In spring and summer, due to abundant rainfall and the fear of flooding in centipede grass, a simple rainproof arch shed is needed, with a film width of 70cm, the same as the shading net. This maintains top遮雨 while ensuring air circulation. The construction method is the same as that of the aforementioned shading shed.
If it does not rain for more than 3 days, water twice a day with a sprinkler belt. Keep the ground moist but not flooded. In autumn, water twice a day with a sprinkler belt to maintain humidity, otherwise the leaves of centipede grass will easily turn yellow and grow poorly. The larger the biomass, the better the remediation effect of centipede grass on arsenic-contaminated soil. To ensure a large biomass of centipede grass, timely fertilization is required. Follow the principle of "dilute fertilizer frequently applied, less quantity, more times, and complete nutrition." Apply 8 to 10kg of urea per mu every 15 days and 8 to 10kg of agricultural sulfate potassium every 30 days. Since most phosphorus fertilizers contain a certain amount of arsenic, phosphorus fertilizers should be used cautiously to improve the arsenic remediation effect of the soil.
Temperature control is also important, as the shading net in summer not only shades but also cools, ensuring the growth of centipede grass in the Pearl River Delta region. From mid-December to late February, the film should be fully covered to maintain warmth and ensure normal growth of centipede grass.
Centipede grass harvesting and spore powder collection are generally done every 3 months. When harvesting, retain 4 to 5 new leaves to ensure rapid growth and improved soil remediation after harvesting. The harvested centipede grass should be placed in a specific area to avoid causing secondary pollution in the farmland.
When the edge of the old leaves of centipede grass turns deep brown, the spore powder is mature and can be cut and dried at 35°C for use in seedling production.
The above shared knowledge of how to propagate centipede grass and the key points of its cultivation techniques hope to provide you with some help!