Desmanthus Virgatus is a shrub legume that is widely used as animal feed and can be harvested four times a year. This plant is a bush legume that thrives on clay soils and is a high-quality feed. Generally, this plant is processed into flour and can be propagated through seeds. There are several other benefits, such as suppressing the growth of lower weeds. As an erosion control plant and soil fertilizer and leaves and twigs can be cut directly for animal feed. As it has many benefits, how to grow Desmanthus?
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How to Grow Desmanthus? Here are the Steps!
The many benefits of this Desmanthus make many people interested in growing it. The benefits of profits for farmers, at the same time, be able to support increased livestock production sustainably. On the other hand, Desmanthus is also beneficial for health. If you are interested in cultivating it, too, you can check the steps below on how to grow Desmanthus.
The first step, you need the seeds. You can buy it, but before that, understand that this plant has many variants. Examples of variations that you can try are Desmanthus illinoensis and Desmanthus leptolobus. After getting the seed, you can now plant it. However, at this time, there are not many publications that discuss this plant; even so, you can still enrich yourself by reading a lot about Desmanthus.
Where to Plant Desmanthus
Desmanthus is generally planted outdoors at a certain temperature and temperature so that it can grow optimally. This plant can be cultivated throughout the year regardless of the season. Even if you try and experiment at first, it will make your experience and share success stories in growing Desmanthus.
Apart from whatever variant of Desmanthus seeds you find, you also need to prepare the planting medium. Here determine whether you will plant in a small area or a large area, such as rice fields.
If it’s just around the house or in the yard, use coco coir or something similar. It all depends on the location of the planting, if only in the yard; of course, you only need simple equipment. Irrigation must also be taken into account, and there should be sufficient water available for the process and during the growth of Desmanthus.
Steps to Grow Desmanthus
Well, before transferring to the planting medium, on how to grow Desmanthus, you need to prepare the seeds first. Follow these steps.
- Prepare hot water with a temperature of around 90 degrees Celsius. Simply put, you can boil water until it boils and then let the temperature drop.
- To soften the outer shell of Desmanthus seeds, place the seeds in hot water and stir quickly but carefully for 5 to 10 minutes. Avoid being too careless in stirring, as this can damage the seeds.
- After that, slowly remove the water and leave the seeds. The seeds should be placed directly on a medium that is always moist, such as a towel or paper towel, then put in a bag or plastic as a seedling medium.
- Make sure the conditions are always moist so that the shoots grow. Usually, new shoots will appear after a few days. After the shoots grow, you can transfer them to the ground or media, such as coconut fiber, just a few cm from the surface and wait until the seeds get bigger and are ready to be planted.
It is always best to monitor humidity. Place it somewhere with partial or full sun for up to a few weeks. Every day, open the lid to allow air to enter, just 10 or 15 minutes. If it starts to appear young plants and bark, they are ready to be planted in the planting medium you choose. In this phase, Desmanthus will need full sunlight and regular watering. The reason is that Desmanthus needs good humidity to continue to grow well.
In growing Desmanthus, there are facts you need to know. Desmanthus doesn’t always need nutrient-rich soil because the roots of this plant can fix nitrogen from the soil. However, give enough space for the roots to develop and maximize nitrogen binding.
Other Beneficial Info about How to Grow Desmanthus
Planting any plant will take trial and error until you find the right formula, including how to grow this plant. Sufficient knowledge is important to help you as a basis for planting. The recommended soil for growing Desmanthus is calcareous, sandy, rocky, or saline soil with a pH between 5 and 8. You can also choose to plant in loamy soil.
You certainly know that Desmanthus requires sufficient moisture, so it is easy for us to meet it in bushes, swamps, near ditches, or damp roadsides. It also means that these plants need irrigation and even a certain amount of rainfall to thrive. In general, Desmanthus is suitable for growing in tropical areas with an altitude of not more than 1500 meters above sea level.
It is best not to place it under a shady area on how to grow Desmanthus as it prefers open spaces with full sun. The peak flowering of Desmanthus is from October to March, although it is categorized as a plant with flowers all year round.