Cultivation techniques of water spinach

There are two types of water spinach cultivation: shallow water cultivation and deep water floating cultivation.

Shallow water cultivation uses shallow water fields or shallow ponds for cultivation. Before planting, drain the water, prepare the land, remove weeds, and then take cuttings. The cuttings are about 20 cm long, and 2 to 3 sections are inserted diagonally at intervals of about 26 cm. The depth is about 3 cm, and the planting leaves can be exposed to the water. After cutting, in order to increase the soil temperature and facilitate the survival of the roots, the water layer should not be too deep. Generally, it is advisable to keep 6 cm to 9 cm.

The method of deep water floating planting is to place the water spinach seedlings at a distance of about 15 cm and braid them on the braided vines or straw ropes. In order to make the weight of both sides of the rope equal, the head and tail of the seedlings should be rotated alternately.

The vine or straw rope is 10 meters long and 3 meters long. The two ends are made into circles and tied to the wooden stakes beside the pond. In this way, the seedlings can float up and down as the water surface rises and falls. In order to facilitate management, the vines or straw ropes can be arranged in large or small rows in the water. The distance between the two ropes in the large row is 1 meter, and the distance between the two ropes in the small row is 30 centimeters.

The management of water spinach is simple. The plants grow well in places with relatively fertile water and running water, and generally do not need to be fertilized. In stagnant areas where fertilizer is lacking, fertilizer should be applied. The temperature is high when entering the water, so it is harvested every 10 to 15 days. After the weather cools down, it is harvested every 20 days.

The harvesting method is the same as that of dry sweet potato. Water spinach grown in floating water has fat and tender shoots, but due to the inconvenience of fertilizing, the yield is generally not high. In the later stages of growth, the stems and leaves become senile, and there are many types of leafy vegetables in autumn, so they can be allowed to grow and be used as green fodder. The harvest will be completed before frost.

1. White rust

Symptoms: The lesions appear on the back of the leaves. Light yellow to yellow spots first appear on the front of the leaves, and then gradually turn brown. The lesions are larger and appear on the back of the leaves. White raised blister spots, nearly round or oval to irregular in shape, sometimes healed into larger blister spots. Later, the blister spots rupture and release white sporangia. When the leaves are severely damaged, the lesions are dense, the diseased leaves are deformed, and the leaves fall off. .

2. Rot disease

Hazards and diagnosis: It is a disease of the whole plant. At the beginning of the disease, water-soaked lesions appear on the leaves, and then gradually expand to the petioles and stems, producing brown spots or rot. Later, a large number of dark brown sclerotia appear on the petioles or stems.

3. Anthracnose

Damage and diagnosis: It mainly damages leaves and stems. Injury to seedlings can result in dead seedlings. The lesions on the stem are nearly oval, and the lesions on the leaves are nearly round and dark brown. The leaf spots are slightly rounded and have tiny black spots. When the disease is severe, the leaves will die and the plant will die partially or completely.

Extended information

Biological habits

Water spinach has shallow root system, strong branching ability, short stems, oblate or nearly round, hollow, dark green to light green. Water spinach is propagated by seeds or young stems. Water spinach survives better in hot and humid environments.

Seeds need to be above 15°C for germination. The suitable temperature for the growth of vine leaves is 25-30°C, but they can also tolerate high temperatures of 35-40°C. At low temperatures, the vine leaves stop growing and are not frost-resistant. The stems and leaves will die. The root system is shallow, prefers high air humidity, sufficient water and sunshine, and has strong fertility tolerance, especially a large demand for nitrogen fertilizer.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Water spinach

Baidu Encyclopedia - Water spinach