First, preparing the nutrient-rich soil.
To create a suitable growing medium, mix screened river sand and topsoil in a 1:1 ratio. The river sand should be clean, coarse, and free from any contaminants. It's best to use field topsoil for better nutrient content and structure. This mixture ensures good drainage while retaining enough moisture for healthy root development.
Second, bagging the soil.
Use 15 cm by 8 cm polyethylene bags for planting. Before filling, make two small 1 cm diameter holes in the corners of each bag to allow proper water circulation and prevent waterlogging. Fill the bags tightly with the prepared soil, then place them upright and neatly in the nursery pond to ensure uniform growth conditions.
Third, laying out the electric hotbed.
1. Use a 1000-watt geothermal heating cable that is approximately 100 meters long. Before installation, check the cable for any damage and ensure the power supply is stable.
2. Prepare a base layer of rice husks or straw mats (3 meters by 1.7 meters) to provide insulation. Cover this with a layer of mulch film, and drill small holes in the film to help with water drainage.
3. Lay the geothermal cables evenly on the mulch film, keeping a spacing of 4–5 cm between them. Ensure the cables are not overlapping for even heat distribution.
4. Place a 12 cm thick layer of clean river sand over the heating cables, spread it evenly, and sprinkle water to maintain optimal humidity in the hotbed.
Fourth, taking cuttings.
After removing the shoots from the sand pit, sort and select only those with short internodes, full buds, and no signs of disease or damage. Choose one-year-old shoots with a diameter of 0.8–1.3 cm and cut them into sections with 2–3 buds. Make sure the terminal buds are fully developed, and cut 1–1.5 cm above the upper bud. Cut just below the joint to take advantage of the nutrients stored in the node, which promotes callus formation and root development.
Fifth, soaking the cuttings.
Bundle 20–30 cuttings together, ensuring they are aligned properly with consistent cutting ends. Soak the bundles in water for 12–24 hours to encourage cell swelling, nutrient activation, and hormone stimulation, which helps improve rooting success.
Sixth, root induction treatment.
1. Apply rooting hormones such as ABC powder (50 mg/L) for 4–8 hours, or naphthaleneacetic acid (100 mg/L) for 8–12 hours. Ensure the cuttings are placed upright in the solution, and avoid getting the top buds wet.
2. After treating the cuttings, arrange them neatly in the hotbed, filling the gaps with fine sand. The sand should cover the cuttings up to the level of the top bud, typically placing 6,000–7,000 cuttings per square meter. Water the bed thoroughly before turning on the heat. Insert a bamboo tube in the center of the hotbed to monitor temperature changes.
Before activating the hotbed, ensure the sand has a moisture content of 60–70%, meaning it holds together when squeezed but allows slight water seepage. Water every 2–3 days to maintain consistent moisture. For the first week, keep the hotbed temperature at 18–20°C and the greenhouse temperature at 7–8°C to prevent premature sprouting of the top buds. Maintain a humidity level of around 80% during this period.
After a week, gradually increase the hotbed temperature to 20–25°C and monitor the cuttings for callus formation and root development. Once more than 80% of the cuttings show callus and new roots begin to form, remove the straw curtain to raise the temperature to 10–15°C, encouraging the top buds to sprout. When the cuttings have strong, healthy top buds, transfer them to the greenhouse to further develop their vigor.
Gradually lower the temperature to acclimate the cuttings to external conditions before transplanting. Select cuttings whose roots have grown through the skin by at least 0.5 cm for transplanting. This ensures they can root and sprout simultaneously after being placed in the nutrient bags, avoiding issues like low survival rates due to long cuttings or damaged roots during transplanting. If rooting is incomplete or the top buds are not fully developed, reinsert the cuttings into the hotbed for additional root development.
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