As an integral part of our daily diet, the growth rate of vegetables is directly related to production and supply. Both home garden enthusiasts and large-scale vegetable growers want vegetables to grow strong and ripen quickly. However, the growth of vegetables is affected by a combination of many factors, including soil conditions, light, moisture, temperature, and the proper application of fertilizers. Understanding and optimizing these factors is the key to achieving rapid vegetable growth.
Soil Management: The Foundation Of Vegetable Growth
1. Soil texture and structure
The importance of porosity
Vegetable roots need to grow and breathe in loose, breathable soil. Heavy soil tends to compact, impeding root extension and gas exchange. Therefore, soil texture can be improved and soil porosity increased by adding organic materials such as leaf rot soil, decomposed compost or perlite. For example, when planting tomatoes, a 3:1 ratio of garden soil to rotting leaf soil can significantly improve soil permeability and make tomato roots more developed, thus promoting plant growth.
Soil pH regulation
Different vegetables have different preferences for soil pH. Most vegetables grow well in neutral to slightly acidic soils. For example, broccoli grows well in soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0, while acidic soils are good for berry vegetables such as blueberries. For more alkaline soil, sulfur powder can be added to reduce pH value; For soils that are too acidic, lime can be applied to adjust them. Regular detection of soil pH and appropriate adjustment according to vegetable types can create a more suitable chemical environment for vegetable growth.
2. Improving soil fertility
Application of organic fertilizer
Organic fertilizers are rich in a variety of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms, which can slowly and continuously provide nutrients to vegetables and improve soil structure. Decomposed farm manure such as cow manure, sheep manure, etc., is a high-quality organic fertilizer source. Before planting, the organic fertilizer is evenly mixed into the soil to increase soil fertility and promote the absorption of nutrients by vegetable roots. For example, the application of 5-10 kilograms of decomposed cow dung per square meter of soil can provide sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients for the growth of cucumbers, so that its vines grow more vigorously and melons grow earlier and more.
A reasonable mix of fertilizers
Fertilizer quickly replenishes specific nutrients that vegetables need to grow. Nitrogen fertilizer can promote leaf growth, phosphorus fertilizer is conducive to root development and flowering and fruit, and potassium fertilizer can enhance plant stress resistance. At different stages of vegetable growth, chemical fertilizers should be reasonably combined. For example, in the seedling stage of lettuce, appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer can make the leaves green and grow rapidly; The quality and lodging resistance of lettuce can be improved by increasing the application amount of potassium fertilizer at the later stage of growth. However, it should be noted that the application amount of chemical fertilizer should not be too much, so as not to cause soil compaction and environmental pollution.
Light And Temperature: The Source Of Energy For Vegetable Growth
1. Lighting demand and regulation
The meaning of sufficient light
Light is the energy source for vegetable photosynthesis, and sufficient light can synthesize more organic matter and promote vegetable growth. For example, hot peppers in a sunny environment, the fruit develops full, bright color, spicy rich. In the home garden, choose a sunny, unsheltered plot to grow vegetables; When planting in the greenhouse, it is necessary to regularly clean the dust and debris on the shed film to ensure the light intensity.
Light time and light quality management
Different vegetables have different requirements for light duration. Some vegetables such as cabbage, radish and so on belong to the long day vegetables, need a longer time of light to bloom and bear fruit; Onions, garlic and other short-day vegetables. To understand the light characteristics of vegetables, the light time can be adjusted by artificial light filling or shading. In addition, the quality of light also affects the growth of vegetables. Blue light and red light are the most important for vegetable photosynthesis, and special plant light can be used to supplement blue light and red light when there is insufficient light to promote the photosynthesis and growth of vegetables.
2. Temperature suitability and regulation
Temperature range in which vegetables grow
The adaptive range of different vegetables to temperature is very different. In general, most vegetables are more suitable for growing in an environment of 15-25 ° C. For example, spinach can still grow well at lower temperatures (5-15 ° C), while temperature-loving vegetables such as eggplant and peppers grow rapidly at 20-30 ° C. In the process of vegetable planting, it is necessary to arrange planting time reasonably or take corresponding heat preservation and cooling measures according to the temperature requirements of different vegetable varieties.
Temperature control measures
When the temperature is low in spring or autumn, the soil temperature and near-ground temperature can be increased by mulching film and building small arch shed, so as to promote early germination and growth of vegetables. In the high temperature in summer, the temperature can be reduced by sunshade, ventilation, water cooling and other measures to prevent vegetables from poor growth or disease due to high temperature. For example, when planting lettuce in summer, building a sunshade net can reduce the temperature by 3-5 ° C to avoid aging and bolting of lettuce leaves due to high temperature.
Water Management: The Water Of Life For Vegetable Growth
1. watering frequency and amount
Water according to the water requirements of vegetables
Different vegetables require different amounts of water and time. Leafy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, etc., need more water, and the soil should be kept moist during growth; Fruit and vegetable vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, etc., need to increase the water demand in the flowering and bearing period, and need to control watering properly in the seedling stage and early growth stage to prevent growth. In general, you can judge the soil moisture by inserting your finger into the soil about 3-5 cm, and water it if it feels dry. Each watering should be thoroughly watered, so that water penetrates into the root distribution layer, but avoid water, so as not to cause the root oxygen decomposition.
Avoid drought and waterlogging damage
Drought causes vegetable growth to slow, leaves to yellow and wilt, and even death in severe cases. Therefore, in the dry season or in the case of poor soil water retention, water should be added in time. On the contrary, waterlogging will make soil ventilation worse and root respiration blocked. In the rainy season or when watering too much, it is necessary to drain in time, by digging drainage ditches, building high ridges, etc., to ensure that the soil moisture is appropriate and provide a good water environment for the growth of vegetables.
2. Water quality requirements and treatment
Choice of quality water source
Vegetable growth has certain requirements for water quality, and clean rainwater, river water or treated well water should be preferred. Avoid irrigation with sewage containing heavy metals, pesticide residues or other contaminants. For example, sewage containing excessive cadmium, lead and other heavy metals will accumulate in vegetables, endangering human health.
Water regulation and purification
If the water quality of the source is poor, appropriate treatment can be carried out. For water with high hardness, the hardness of water can be reduced by ion exchange resin and other methods. For water containing a small amount of impurities, it can be purified by filtration, precipitation and other methods. In addition, some beneficial microbial agents can be added when watering, such as EM bacteria, which can not only improve water quality, but also promote the absorption of nutrients by vegetable roots and enhance the stress resistance of vegetables.
Planting Density And Intercropping: Space Utilization And Mutual Promotion
1. Reasonable planting density
Density is determined by vegetable variety
The plant size and growth habit of different vegetable varieties are different, so the reasonable planting density should be determined according to their characteristics. For example, Chinese cabbage plants are large, and the planting density is generally 3-4 plants per square meter; Cherry radish plants are smaller, and 20-30 plants can be planted per square meter. Reasonable planting density can ensure that vegetables have enough growth space and nutrient supply to avoid poor growth and the breeding of diseases and pests due to overcrowding.
Effect of density on vegetable growth
Excessive planting density will make vegetables compete for light, water, nutrients and space, resulting in weak plants and reduced yields. If the planting density is too small, it will waste land resources and the yield per unit area is not high. When determining planting density, factors such as soil fertility, fertilization level and management measures should also be considered. For example, in the case of high soil fertility and adequate fertilization, planting density can be appropriately reduced to improve vegetable quality; Under the condition of fine management, the planting density can be appropriately increased to increase the yield per unit area.
2. The advantages and implementation of intercropping
Principle and benefits of intercropping
Intercropping refers to planting two or more kinds of vegetables on the same piece of land at the same time, using their differences in growth time, space, nutrient requirements, etc., to achieve mutual promotion, improve land utilization and yield purposes. For example, corn and beans intercropping, corn plants are tall, can provide a climbing support for beans, while the root of the beans can fix nitrogen in the air, to provide part of the nitrogen fertilizer for corn, the two complement each other.
Combination selection of intercropping
When choosing intercropping combinations, the compatibility between vegetables should be considered. In general, deep root vegetables are paired with shallow root vegetables, light-loving vegetables are paired with shad-tolerant vegetables, and tall stalk vegetables are paired with dwarf vegetables. For example, cucumber and leek intercropping, cucumber is light-loving high-culm vegetables, leek is shad-tolerant shallow root vegetables, they do not interfere with each other in the growth process, but also make full use of land and light resources, improve the multiple cropping index and economic benefits.
Pest Control: Guarantee The Healthy Growth Of Vegetables
1. prevention first strategy
Seed and seedling treatment
Many pests and diseases can be spread by seeds or seedlings, so it is important to treat them before planting or transplanting. Methods such as soaking seeds in warm soup and mixing seeds with medicine can be used. For example, soaking the seeds in warm water at 55 ° C for 15-20 minutes can effectively kill germs carried on the surface of the seeds. Using fungicides such as carbendazim to mix seeds can prevent seedling diseases. For seedlings, the root can be dipped before transplantation, such as dipping the root with a mixture of root powder and fungicide, which can both promote rooting and prevent root diseases.
Farm cleaning and crop rotation
Timely cleaning of weeds, disease residues and fallen leaves in the countryside can reduce the breeding and spread of diseases and pests. The fields should be disinfected regularly. Formalin, lime and other agents can be used to disinfect the soil and farm tools. Implement crop rotation system to avoid the accumulation of soil diseases and pests caused by continuous cropping. For example, tomato and rice rotation can effectively reduce the occurrence of tomato bacterial wilt, wilt and other soil-borne diseases.
2. Biological and physical control methods
Biological control
Using beneficial organisms to control pests and diseases is an environmentally friendly and effective method. For example, the release of trichogramma can control pests such as cabbage worm and cotton bollworm. The use of Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana and other microbial preparations to control pests can kill pests without causing harm to the environment and human body. In addition, some insect repellent plants can be planted, such as mint, lavender, etc., whose odor can drive away pests and reduce the damage of pests to vegetables.
Physical control measures
Physical prevention and control methods include setting up anti-insect nets, yellow boards, blue boards, etc. Insect nets can prevent pests from entering the planting area, such as in the vegetable seedling period or early cultivation, setting up 40-60 mesh insect nets can effectively prevent the invasion of aphids, thrips and other pests. Yellow board can trap aphids, whitefly and other winged pests, blue board can trap thrips and other pests. Hanging a yellow or blue board every 3-5 meters in the field can significantly reduce pest populations. In addition, the use of black light to trap moths and other pests, the use of high-temperature enclosures, solar disinfection and other methods can kill bacteria, eggs and pests in the soil.
3. Rational application of chemical control
Correct selection of pesticides
When diseases and pests occur seriously, chemical control methods can be used, but pesticides should be correctly selected. Priority should be given to pesticides with high efficiency, low toxicity, low residue and safety against natural enemies. For example, the control of aphids can choose imidacloprid, acetamidine, etc.; The prevention and treatment of downy mildew can choose frosturea manganese zinc, metalaxyl and so on. Avoid the use of prohibited pesticides, strictly observe the safety interval of pesticide use, and ensure the quality and safety of vegetables.
Scientific application method
Pay attention to the method and dosage when applying the medicine. According to the occurrence of diseases and insect pests and the growth stage of vegetables, the reasonable dosage and concentration of application were determined. Different application methods such as spraying, root-filling, and spreading are used to ensure that pesticides are evenly covered on the surface of vegetables or reach the parts where diseases and pests occur. For example, root diseases can be prevented by irrigation, in which pesticides are diluted and watered around vegetable roots. Spraying method can be used to prevent and control leaf diseases, so that pesticides are evenly sprayed on both sides of the leaves. At the same time, pay attention to the application time, generally choose to apply at 9-11 am or 4-6 PM on a sunny day without wind, avoid applying at high temperature, strong light or rainy days, in order to improve the control effect and reduce pesticide drift and loss.
Conclusion
To make vegetables grow faster, soil management, light and temperature regulation, water management, planting density and intercropping, and pest control need to be considered. Only by providing suitable growing environment for vegetables and taking scientific and reasonable planting management measures can we achieve rapid growth, high yield and high quality of vegetables, meet people’s demand for fresh vegetables, and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of vegetable planting industry.
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