Specific Operation Method Of Seedling Tray

1. Selection and disinfection of plug tray: The external dimensions of plug tray are usually 54.9 × 27.8cm, and the plug tray specifications are 72 holes and 108 holes respectively, which are more suitable. Place the seedling tray in a diluted 100 times bleach solution (i.e. 1 kilogram of bleach powder mixed with 99 kilograms of water), soak for 8-10 hours, take it out and dry it for future use.
2. Matrix preparation: Currently, the commonly used matrix materials for plug seedling cultivation are peat, vermiculite, perlite, etc. Grass charcoal: vermiculite: perlite=2:1:1 is commonly used, and appropriate amounts of inorganic and organic fertilizers should be added to the matrix. Generally, 2.6-3.1 kilograms of nitrogen phosphorus potassium compound fertilizer should be added to each cubic meter of matrix at 15:15:15, and 10-15 kilograms of organic fertilizers such as deodorized chicken manure should be added. The pH value of the substrate is 5.8-7.0. Grass charcoal is a semi decomposed swamp vegetation with a pH of 3.8-4.5. It has a fine texture and poor breathability, and is often mixed with vermiculite or perlite. Disinfection of substrate.
3. Plate installation: First, prepare the substrate and install the prepared substrate in the plate. When installing the plate, be careful not to press it tightly, because the physical properties of the substrate will be damaged after compression, reducing the air content and absorbable water content in the substrate. The correct method is to use a scraper to scrape from one side of the tray to the other, so that each tray is filled with substrate, especially the holes at the corners and edges of the tray, which must be the same as the holes in the middle. The substrate cannot be overfilled, and each compartment should be clearly visible after filling.
4. Hole pressing: The installed disc should be pressed to facilitate the insertion of seeds. A specially made hole pressing device can be used to press the hole, or the discs with substrate installed can be vertically stacked together. 4-5 discs should be placed in a row, with an empty disc placed on top. Place both hands flat on the disc and press down evenly until the required depth is reached.
5. Sowing: Place the seeds in a tray with well pressed holes, one seed per hole, to avoid missed sowing. For seeds with low germination rates, plant two seeds per hole.
6. Covering substrate: After sowing, cover the plug tray with vermiculite. The method is to pour the vermiculite onto the plug tray and use a scraper to scrape from one side of the plug tray to the other, removing excess vermiculite. The covering vermiculite should not be too thick and should be level with the grid.
7. Seeding tray into bed: Place the already sown seedling tray in the seedbed and water it thoroughly with clean water in a timely manner. When watering, spray gently and evenly to prevent the substrate and seeds in the holes from being washed out. Then, spread a layer of plastic film on the seedbed to prevent water loss in the seedling tray. When covering with plastic film, it is necessary to place some small bamboo strips on the seedling tray to leave a gap between the film and the seedling tray without sticking. You can also immerse the substrate tray in a water tank before sowing, allowing water to slowly seep up from the bottom of the tray to absorb water evenly, and then place it in the seedbed.
8. Seedling management. Transplanting seedlings to make up for deficiencies: After emergence, the plastic film covering the seedbed should be removed in a timely manner to prevent the formation of "high footed seedlings" due to delayed removal of the film. After the cotyledons have unfolded, immediate thinning and transplanting should be carried out to fill the gaps. The excess seedlings in a single hole should be pulled out and moved into the hole of the missing seedlings. At the same time, the excess seedlings in the hole should be deleted. After the missing seedlings are transplanted, water should be sprayed on the seedbed immediately. Water management: The substrate capacity for seedling cultivation in the tray is small, the porosity is large, and the amount of water that can be absorbed is small. The buffer capacity of the seedbed for seedling water supply is small, and slight negligence can easily lead to water loss. In the summer and autumn hot seasons, water should be sprayed in a timely manner in the early morning and evening when the climate is cool.