Cultivation

Sowing time for safflower

Carthamus tinctorius L.

Safflower is an early spring crop that critically depends on the use of soil moisture. Optimal sowing dates are determined by the high cold tolerance of seeds and seedlings, which are capable of withstanding frosts down to -17 °С.

In the reference 3 varieties crop Safflower, where this is mentioned in the description.

Safflower seeds begin to germinate at a soil temperature of +2…+3 °С, with the optimal range being +6…+8 °С. Early sowing dates allow plants to effectively utilize winter-spring moisture reserves before the onset of high summer temperatures, which is vital for the development of a taproot system.

In steppe zones, sowing during the first ten days of April is considered optimal. In regions with spring precipitation deficits, experiments are being conducted on transitioning to winter sowing, which allows for the utilization of autumn-winter-spring precipitation to increase yield. Early sowing is also necessary to ensure crop competitiveness, as safflower grows slowly during the initial development period and is vulnerable to weeds.

General information about the subject — on the page Sowing date.

Sources8

Varieties of Safflower mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.