How to Care for Ginseng Fruit
A small tip for life, introducing how to care for ginseng fruit and the cultivation and management of potted ginseng fruit in the field of green plants and flowers. Let's learn about it together.
Ginseng fruit can be stir-fried as a vegetable or eaten raw as a fruit. With its bright color and regular shape, it can also be used as an ornamental plant. High-quality packaged ginseng fruit in the market can sell for 5-10 yuan each, which is quite profitable. However, the higher price limits consumer demand. In recent years, with the development of balcony gardening, many people have tried to grow ginseng fruit at home, but often due to a lack of understanding of the relevant knowledge, the growth is not satisfactory. To successfully grow potted ginseng fruit, the following four key steps need to be followed:
1. Prepare Potting Soil
Ginseng fruit generally grows between 50-100cm in height, with strong lateral bud development and rapid growth. This requires a good root system to absorb water and nutrients to meet the growth needs, thus needing a relatively loose soil environment to ensure root growth. The diameter and depth of the pot for growing ginseng fruit should be at least 35cm, and it is essential to ensure that there is a hole in the bottom center of the pot for drainage, as积水 and poor ventilation can easily cause root rot.
Ginseng fruit prefers slightly acidic, rich in organic matter, and loose and breathable soil during growth. The garden soil for preparing nutrient-rich soil should be soil rich in organic matter, such as that from garlic or leguminous crops. Ginseng fruit belongs to the solanaceous family, so it is best not to take soil from areas where chili, eggplant, or tomato have been grown. Then, take one-fifth of the garden soil volume of soybean meal or well-rotted manure (no smell after full decomposition) and mix the two thoroughly and set aside.
2. Seedling Establishment
Ginseng fruit seedlings should be selected with dark green leaves, complete leaves, no spots, short internodes, and evenly distributed branches. Before planting, lay newspaper at the bottom of the pot, then fill the pot with an appropriate amount of nutrient-rich soil (to ensure that after planting, the roots are about 3cm below the edge of the pot). When planting, straighten the seedling in the center of the pot and then fill the soil around it.
When the nutrient-rich soil is half-filled, gently lift the ginseng fruit seedling to allow the roots to spread out and avoid root窝ting that affects seedling establishment. Then fill the soil to 1-2cm from the edge of the pot and press the soil lightly with your hands. This is done to ensure that the roots of the ginseng fruit are in close contact with the soil, which is beneficial for the roots to integrate quickly with the surrounding soil. After that, water thoroughly, and it's best to water again after waiting for about ten minutes after the water starts to drain. Newly planted ginseng fruit seedlings should be protected from direct sunlight.
3. Water and Fertilizer Management
Ginseng fruit grows vigorously and requires a high amount of water. Since the water-holding capacity of the pot is limited, it is necessary to strengthen water management during cultivation. Water can be added when the surface soil of the pot just begins to turn white. It is best to use nutrient-rich water from washing fish or rinsing rice, avoiding high temperatures at noon to prevent root damage and absorption problems.
Ginseng fruit has a high demand for nitrogen fertilizer in the early stages of growth and can be watered with 1-2 applications of 1-2% urea solution before flowering. If the base fertilizer is sufficient, there is no need to apply additional nitrogen fertilizer. After entering the flowering and fruiting stage, the demand for potassium fertilizer increases significantly, and a 0.3-0.5% potassium dihydrogen phosphate water-soluble fertilizer can be applied to the roots or sprayed on the leaves.
How to Care for Ginseng Fruit
4. Plant Management
Ginseng fruit has a strong ability to produce lateral buds. If not managed promptly, the plant shape can easily become disordered, which not only reduces the ornamental value but also affects the growth rate and quality of the fruit. Therefore, except for leaving four evenly spaced fruiting branches, all new buds should be removed in time.
After the ginseng fruit flowers, 4-6 healthy flower buds can be left on each fruiting branch. When they grow to the size of a glass ball, a second fruit thinning is performed, removing 2-3 of the smaller or deformed fruits, then pinching the tip after leaving 4 leaves at the front to inhibit the plant's vegetative growth and promote nutrient supply to fruit development.
The branches of ginseng fruit are relatively weak, and the continuously increasing weight during fruit expansion may bend the fruiting branch. After the fruit is set (when it reaches the size of a glass ball), four bamboo stakes or wooden sticks should be inserted next to the fruiting branch near the pot's inner wall, and the fruiting branch should be tied to the position where the fruit is attached with string.
This article shares tips on how to care for ginseng fruit and the experience of planting and managing potted ginseng fruit, hoping to provide you with some help after reading this article!