SFS Chapter 483: Interplanting Method (with pictures)
Chapter 483: Interplanting Method (with pictures)
Moreover, the villagers were all knowledgeable people. They knew that in the first year of reclaiming the land, they would plant soybeans, which could fertilize the land. Most of the soybeans sent were carefully selected and of high quality, with a small amount of sorghum and corn.
Looking at these touching seeds, Shen Zhiqiu called the heads of each household and told them the method of corn and soybean sets.
"I once read in an agricultural book that our single-crop planting method has disadvantages.
For example, planting corn alone can easily lead to a single consumption of soil nutrients, resulting in a decrease in soil fertility and even the appearance of soil compaction.
As for what is the phenomenon of hardening,
You see, in our fields, there are always cracks due to dryness. But sometimes these cracks are not caused by drought. If you dig up a piece of cracked soil, there is still moisture underneath. Have you ever seen this situation?"
Everyone was stunned when they heard this. This situation was too common. In previous years, they just thought it was a drought and didn't expect there would be other problems.
"Yes, there are lumps in my field."
"My family has it too. Is my nephew's case serious? How can we solve it?"
Looking at the anxious faces of the people below, as if the sky is about to fall,
Some others put their hands on their chests and asked hopefully, "Hey, stop arguing and listen to your nephew!"
These people believed that Shen Zhiqiu was not a person who spoke without purpose. He must have known the situation and had spoken it out, which meant that he had a solution.
Shen Zhiqiu quickly comforted him: "Okay, I have a way to solve it, don't worry, just listen to me.
Let's first talk about the impact that soil compaction will have on the food that we value.
The compacted land will make the crops unable to breathe normally. We humans need to breathe to live, and plants also need to breathe to grow. However, they need to absorb nutrients and water from the soil. The compaction will affect this.
Because the soil becomes compacted, it is difficult for the capillary roots to absorb water and nutrients normally, so the root system of crops cannot develop normally, the soil's water storage capacity becomes worse, and its drought resistance also decreases.
In addition, soil compaction can hinder the root growth of crops, thus affecting the growth of the entire plant.”
"Moreover, there are many reasons for soil compaction, such as too much or too little water in the soil, which can cause soil compaction.
Therefore, when watering, we must pay attention to the principles of "one dry and one wet" and "water thoroughly when dry".
With running water, it is much more convenient for us to irrigate the land. For example, we can use a small amount of water to irrigate the land on a sunny day, and then irrigate it again on a cloudy or rainy day.
Usually, you should also pay attention to loosening the soil and ventilating it in time.
Proper loosening of the soil can make the air in the soil fully active and allow oxygen in the air to enter the soil.
At the same time, loosening the soil can also remove harmful substances from the soil and improve the soil structure.
I know you may not understand, but just remember to loosen the soil.
Then there is the intercropping of corn and soybeans. Everyone knows that planting soybeans can fertilize the soil. I’m afraid everyone is not clear about the specific reasons, but this is the experience passed down from generation to generation by our ancestors.
I will explain it to you in detail today. Have you ever noticed the differences between the root systems of soybeans, wheat, rice and other crops? "
Everyone was confused by the question. Most people said, "I've never observed this before when farming. Isn't it enough to just look at the stems to see if the crops are growing well?"
But there are some old hands who can tell the difference between the root systems of soybeans, wheat and rice.
Shen Zhiqiu nodded: "Yes, the root system of wheat and rice is small and fine roots that are scattered, especially like beards, so I call it the fibrous root system.
The roots of soybeans first have a long taproot, and after the taproot develops, many thin lateral roots will grow from it. I call crops with a taproot and repeated branches that produce countless lateral roots a taproot system. "
To be honest, in the past, when people were farming, they basically knew nothing about this knowledge. Even though there were agricultural officials in the imperial court who studied these things, there was basically no opportunity to popularize them among the people.
So no matter whether it was the people of the Nine Clans or Tangjia Village, they were really fascinated by listening to it.
It turns out there is so much to say about farming, and there are so many things to pay attention to when it comes to the roots of plants.
At this time, Shen Zhiqiu continued, he said:
"The taproot system of soybeans can penetrate deeper into the soil than other crops, thereby increasing the softness and air permeability of the soil. At the same time, it can also allow a certain nutrient to enter the soil and promote the reproduction of other nutrients in the soil.
That's why planting soybeans can improve soil fertility.
Secondly, soybean cultivation can maintain the integrity of the soil structure and reduce the risk of erosion. Its gentian can also cover the soil, protect the soil surface and enhance the soil's water retention capacity.
But we also know that there are disadvantages to monoculture of soybeans, that is, the yield of soybeans is low and the profit is small. We grow soybeans all year round, but it is not enough to cover our family expenses.
Therefore, intercropping corn and soybeans can solve the problems we mentioned earlier.
But before talking about intercropping, I have to tell you that soybeans and corn like the environment in which they grow. For example, soybeans like a warm and humid climate, loose and fertile soil, and sufficient light.
Corn likes to grow in fertile soil and needs plenty of sunlight and water.
As we all know, corn plants are tall and have broad leaves, which can provide shade for soybeans, avoid strong direct sunlight, reduce soybean water evaporation, reduce high temperature stress, and thus promote the growth and development of soybeans.
At the same time, the tall corn plants also allow soybeans to receive sufficient lateral light.
It is like building a natural "sunshade" for soybeans in the field.
This means that corn can provide a comfortable growing environment for soybeans.
As for, what can soybeans do for corn?
Let's talk about the root system of corn. Corn also has fibrous roots, but its fibrous roots are different from those of wheat and rice. I believe everyone has seen that the fibrous roots of corn are very thick and not well developed.
This means that it is very short, so when corn grows, it absorbs a lot of fertilizer from the soil.
Especially when planting soybeans, it will absorb a lot of the nutrients produced by the soybeans themselves, causing soil imbalance.
Now everyone understands why corn and soybeans should be planted together, right?
The meaning is very simple, that is, corn needs too much of that nutrient, and soybeans can supplement this nutrient for the land, which can reduce the loss of that nutrient from the land and thus reduce the damage to the land.
Another feature is that planting soybeans can also alleviate the soil compaction caused by the monoculture of corn as we mentioned earlier.”
Just as the words fell, a voice suddenly sounded: "What is that nutrition?"
Shen Zhiqiu answered reflexively: "It is a component called nitrogen."
After he finished speaking, he realized who had asked him the question. He turned around and saw that it was strange. He didn't know when the magistrate of Fang County, Lord He, came, and no one told him.