Cultivation methods and precautions of water chestnuts

How to cultivate water chestnuts

soil

Water chestnuts require nutritious soil with strong water and fertilizer retention capabilities, but the soil layer cannot be too deep. The soil needs to be rich in organic matter and a certain amount of base fertilizer should be applied. It should be loose and have a slightly acidic or neutral pH.

Light and temperature

Water chestnut prefers a growing environment with sufficient light and a relatively mild temperature. It requires sufficient light but not too much shade, especially during the heading period of water chestnut, when it needs more sufficient light. The temperature should be controlled within a relatively warm range. It is not frost-resistant. Pay attention to making the bulbs dormant in winter. Basically, the temperature should be maintained between 20℃ and 30℃. The temperature in winter should also be maintained at 7℃ to 12℃.

Watering and fertilizing

Water chestnut is an aquatic plant and needs to be watered frequently to maintain a shallow water layer. In the early stages of growth, keep the water level at 3-5cm, keep it at around 10-15cm during the vigorous growth period, lower it to 10cm during the heading period, and just keep the soil moist in winter. During the growth period, water chestnuts have a greater demand for fertilizer, so appropriate topdressing can be applied with a reasonable combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other elements. Apply 2-3 times during the growth period and once during the heading period.

Precautions for the cultivation of water chestnuts

Pests and diseases

The main pests of water chestnut are aphids and borers, which have a great impact on leaves and plants, and need to be sprayed with pesticides in time. The main disease is powdery mildew. When the disease occurs, the diseased leaves can be removed and destroyed. When the disease is serious, pesticides need to be sprayed.

Reproduction

The basic method of propagation of water chestnut is seedling transplanting. After the top buds of the seeds are germinated, seedlings are raised. Under suitable climatic conditions, planting can be carried out.