Technology for raising seedlings (Peony& Tree peony)

Technology for raising seedlings (Peony& Tree peony)

As for Tree peony’s humid seeds, the dual dormancy of their radicel and hypocotyls shall result in that their rootage will not happen until the radicel’s dormancy being finished under the conditions of above 25℃ in temperature and about 60 days later. After roots 45-day’s growth, the hypocotyls’ dormancy shall end below 2℃ in temperature and about 60 days later The autumn of Tree peony’s seeds, different regions-based, shall range from the last ten-day of July to the first ten-day of August the year. Even so, the generation characters of both Peony and Tree peony’s seeds shall bring forward Fall-sow and Summer-sow as follows:

1.Fall-sow

As for Tree peony’s mature seeds, Fall-sow shall be taken in areas where the soil temperature can satisfy the finish of radicel’s dormancy.

1.1 Sowing time

The sowing time shall begin from the last ten-day of July to the first ten-day of August the year (i.e. the sowing shall begin instantly after the seeds’ autumn.)

1.2 Soil preparation

The seedbed should be well prepared prior to maturity of Tree peony’s seeds. As for pluvial plots, the barrel-drain must be built.

1.3 Fertilization

While the soil preparation to be finished, prior to sowing, it shall be fertilized with 225kg organic fertilizer (thoroughly decomposed), 6kg nitrogenous fertilizer, 12.5kg phosphatic fertilizer and 4.5kg potash fertilizer as well per 100㎡. It’s essential to let fertilizers get deep inside the surface soil layer in the seedbed.

1.4 Seed disinfection

Prior to sowing, to soak seeds for 30 minutes in the mildothane diluted with water in the proportion of 1：300.

1.5 Sowing

1.5.1 Row sowing: 2-3cm in furrow’s depth, 40-50cm in width, 40cm between sowing furrows and the sowing rate to be 30 kg /mu..

1.5.2 Covering soil: Covering soils shall be 2-3cm in depth and unease to harden, like wood soil or sandy soil.

1.5.3 Overlay film: Film of 60cm in width shall be taken to overlay the furrows after the sowing, then followed by the seal with soils of 3-5cm in depth.

1.5.4 Watering: A soaking watering shall be granted immediately after the sowing

1.6 Management

1.6.1 Watering: An appropriate watering goes on the premise that the seedbed’s soil moisture status to be kept neither dry nor hydrops. A soaking watering may be wanted prior to the forthcoming winter.

1.6.2 Removing film: Regular inspections shall be required while the next spring comes. The films shall be removed immediately after buds’ coming out of the ground. As for those germinated buds, wood soil or sandy soil shall be taken to cover them from the sunscald. The natural seedling emergence shall be encouraged.

1.6.3 Sprinkling: After removing film, the regular and continuous sprinklings shall keep the seedbed humid and all seedlings emergence.

1.6.4 Normal seedbed shall come into action immediately after all seedlings’ emergence.

1.6.5 Transplanting shall be enforced in the last ten days of August.

2. Summer-sow

As for Tree peony’s mature seeds, Summer-sow shall be taken in areas where the soil temperature fails to satisfy the finish of radicel’s dormancy (i.e. the period with the soil temperature to be 25℃ is less than 60 days). Its sowing and management manners are similar to Fall-sow’s with exception of its date beginning from the middle ten days to the last ones of June and seeds from previous year.

3. Peony’s planting

Please refer to the sowing and management manners of Tree peony.

Technology Dept. of Lanzhou Peony Horticulture Co.