Which month is best to plant chives?

Leek is one of the important specialty vegetables loved by the Chinese people and is grown in all provinces across the country. It is not only delicious and nutritious, but also has many health benefits. Therefore, it is in high demand in the market and has good planting prospects. So when it comes to planting chives, which month is the best? Let’s learn more about it below.

Which month is best to plant chives?

It is best to plant leeks in spring. Generally, they can be planted in March and April in the northern regions, and a little earlier in the warm southern regions. The temperature is suitable at this time, the seed germination rate is high after sowing, and the seedlings emerge evenly.

How to grow chives?

1. Land preparation and fertilization

Before sowing leeks, the land must be leveled first, and then enough base fertilizer is applied. The specific amount is generally 2000-3000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, and about 30 kg of diammonium phosphate or urea per mu. After the base fertilizer is spread, the land should be deeply plowed and then formed into vegetable plots about 2 meters wide to facilitate field management.

2. Seed treatment

In order to increase the seed germination rate and emergence time, the leek seeds can be germinated before sowing. The specific method of germination is to soak the seeds in warm water of about 40 degrees for about 10 hours, then take them out and wash them. There is a layer of mucus on the soaked seeds, so you need to rub them gently with your hands to clean them. Use a fresh-keeping box to germinate the seeds. Place paper towels in the box and spray them with water. Place the seeds flat on the paper towels, cover the seeds with the moist paper towels and close the lid. Place them at 15-20 degrees for germination. Wash the seeds 1-2 times a day. When about 50% of the seeds are white, they can be sown.

3. Sowing method

Before sowing, first remove some of the soil on the surface of the bed (screen it for covering with soil for sowing), then hoe it shallowly and level it. First, water the bed once, about 3.3 cm deep. After the water seeps down, water it again about 3.3 cm deep. After the water has seeped in, spread the seeds evenly, then cover them with about 1.5 cm of soil. Use a toothed rake to level the soil the next day, keeping the topsoil loose and moist, which is conducive to seed germination. After sowing, cover the ground with plastic film to conserve moisture. After more than 30% of the seeds have germinated, remove the plastic film in time to prevent seedlings from burning.

4. Transplanting and planting

Generally, the seedlings can be transplanted when they are about 75 days old and have 6-8 true leaves. Water the seedling bed once 1-2 days before transplanting. When transplanting, dig up the seedlings, cut off the leaves, leaving 3-5 cm above the leaf sheath, cut short the excessively long roots, leaving 6 cm long, and choose strong seedlings with thick rhizomes and thick leaf sheaths for transplanting.

Generally speaking, leeks are suitable for planting around March and April in spring. Before planting, be sure to do the relevant preparations first, mainly the selection and treatment of plots and seeds. After transplanting and planting are completed, you can strengthen field management. It is basically easy to harvest high yields.