Key technologies for high-yield and high-quality cultivation of Zanthoxylum bungeanum

Sichuan pepper is a popular spice crop known for its fast growth rate and long lifespan. After a few years of planting, the pepper tree will produce a rich harvest of flowers and fruits and can maintain a long production period. In rural areas, farmers often plant Sichuan pepper around houses, on the edges of orchards and vegetable fields, and even on hillsides, wastelands or roadsides, thanks to Sichuan pepper's low requirements for soil conditions and strong adaptability. Let’s learn together the key techniques for high-yield and high-quality cultivation of Sichuan pepper.

1. Timing of sowing

Pepper seeds can be sown in spring or autumn. The window for spring planting is mid-March to mid-April, while fall planting should be done from late October to early December.

2. Seed treatment

Because the shell of Sichuan pepper seeds is hard and there is a thick layer of oil on the surface, it is difficult for water to penetrate, resulting in a low germination rate and slow germination speed. Therefore, germination treatment is required before sowing. First, put the seeds in clean water, remove the bad seeds and shriveled seeds, then put the selected seeds in fine soil and rub them repeatedly, and then rinse them with clean water containing 1% laundry detergent to remove the grease on the surface of the seeds. After soaking in detergent for about two days, take out the seeds and continue to soak them in clean water until the seed shell opens. Then they can be sown.

3. Sowing method

4,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer can be applied per mu of land, and furrows can be dug to make ridges. The row spacing should be kept at about 25 cm and the furrow depth should be 3-5 cm. Before sowing, the soil should be disinfected and sprayed with 70% carbendazim or lime sulfur mixture. After sowing, cover with a thin layer of soil about 1 cm thick and cover with straw or hay according to the soil moisture.

4. Transplanting and seedling determination

When the seedlings grow to about 5 cm in height, start thinning out, keeping the plant spacing at about 10 cm, and promptly check for missing and dead seedlings and carry out replacement seedlings. Generally, the number of pepper seedlings per acre is controlled at around 20,000.

5. Garden selection

Zanthoxylum bungeanum plants are small, have shallow root systems, and are highly adaptable, making them suitable for planting on vacant land such as barren hills, wastelands, roadsides, edges of fields, and in front of and behind houses. However, planting on mountain tops, low-lying areas, wind vents, thin soil, exposed rocks or heavy clay should be avoided.

6. Pepper garden land preparation

When establishing a high-yield garden on flat land, the entire garden can be plowed 30-50 cm deep and sufficient base fertilizer can be applied, with 4-5 tons per mu. After raking the ground flat and fine, dig a large pit of 1 meter square. On gentle hillsides, horizontal terraces or reverse slope terraces can be built according to contour lines. When planting on ridges or edges of fields, you can dig large holes with a diameter of 60 or 80 cm. When backfilling, 20-25 kg of organic fertilizer should be mixed in. When preparing land in hilly and mountainous areas, attention must be paid to soil and water conservation.

7. Planting form

Planting on ridges: Suitable for sloping fields and terraced ridges in mountainous and hilly areas, with a plant spacing of about 3 meters.

Pure pepper garden: When planting on flat land, the row spacing is 3 meters and the plant spacing is 2 meters; when planting on mountainous land, the row spacing and plant spacing is determined according to the width of the terraces.

Mixed pepper forest: Sichuan pepper can be planted together with other slow-growing trees such as walnut and chestnut.

Living hedges: Sichuan pepper can be used to create living hedges with a high planting density, 30-40 cm row spacing and 20 cm plant spacing.

8. Planting density

Sichuan pepper should be planted sparsely. In arid and semi-arid areas, the density after maturity should be within the range of 100-120 plants per mu. In areas with deep soil, good soil quality and moderate rainfall, the mature density is about 60 plants per acre. When a pepper garden is first established, the row spacing is 2 meters and the plant spacing is 1.5 meters. In places with good conditions, the row spacing can be 4 meters and the plant spacing can be 1.5 meters.

9. Water and fertilizer management

After June, the pepper seedlings enter the peak growth season. Apply effective topdressing 1-2 times depending on the condition of the seedlings, using ammonium sulfate or urea, with a dosage of 5-10 kg per mu. Keep the soil moist until June, when heavy watering is usually not necessary. After June, water the plants in time according to the condition of the seedlings. If there is a lot of rain, the fields need to be drained to avoid waterlogging.

The above is an introduction to the key points of Sichuan pepper cultivation. Sichuan pepper cultivation involves many aspects, and everyone needs to consider the actual planting situation.