Planting Methods and Key Technical Points for the Medicinal Herb Potamogeton crispus

AbstractTurion clay-wrapping cultivation method: select a bucket with a depth of 70 cm, pour water 55 cm deep into the bucket, then select Potamogeton crispus turions and mix them with clay, cover the bottom of the bucket with the mixture, keep the water temperature at 20°C, and after the Potamogeton crispus sprouts, scoop it out and place it in a pond or lake for cultivation. Cutting cultivation method: select healthy stem segments and cut them into 10-15 cm lengths, soak them in a treated chemical solution, then scoop them out and insert them into a nursery field, and wait 30 days before transplanting.

I. Potamogeton crispus turion clay-wrapping cultivation method

1. First select a container; the size of the container can be determined according to the quantity of Potamogeton crispus to be planted. Generally, a bucket with a depth of 70 cm can be selected, then pour water 55 cm deep into the bucket, then select plump, uniformly sized Potamogeton crispus turions, mix them evenly with clay or silt, and cover the bottom of the bucket with the mixture. During this period, note that the depth of the clay should not exceed 5 cm.

2. If it is in the hot summer, the top of the bucket needs to be covered with a shade curtain to avoid excessively high water temperature. Potamogeton crispus grows relatively fast when the water temperature is around 20°C. When the water temperature exceeds 24°C, it will stop growing and may even die.

3. Let the bucket stand for about 5 days, and Potamogeton crispus will begin to sprout. After sprouting, the clay and Potamogeton crispus can be taken out as a whole and moved to the place where they need to be planted, or they can be directly placed into a pond or lake. When the clay-wrapped Potamogeton crispus turions are placed in, the clay will naturally sink to the bottom of the water. If they are cultivated in a container for a long time, water should be added according to the height of the Potamogeton crispus to avoid direct sunlight on the Potamogeton crispus.

II. Potamogeton crispus stem segment cutting cultivation method

1. Select healthy, disease-free Potamogeton crispus stem segments, then rinse them clean with clear water and cut them into 10-15 cm lengths, then soak the Potamogeton crispus stem segments in a treated chemical solution. The treatment solution formula is: for every 1000 milliliters of distilled water, add 1-5 milligrams of naphthaleneacetic acid and add 1-3 milligrams of 6-benzylaminoadenine.

2. After rinsing the soaked stem segments clean with clear water, insert them into a nursery field. The water depth of the nursery field needs to be maintained at 30-50 cm, and the water temperature needs to be maintained at around 20°C. It must not be too high or too low. Generally, after waiting about 30 days, they can grow to about 30 cm, and at this point they can be transplanted to the place where they are to be planted.

III. Introduction to Potamogeton crispus

Maihuang grass is another name for Potamogeton crispus, because Potamogeton crispus has a characteristic: it begins to sprout in autumn when the wheat turns yellow, so it is usually called Maihuang grass. Potamogeton crispus is an aquatic plant, similar in appearance to algae, and it grows relatively quickly. It prefers to live in sheltered waters, and shrimp often hide among it, so it is also called shrimp algae and shrimp grass.

IV. Uses of Potamogeton crispus

1. Because Potamogeton crispus is attractive in appearance and has a relatively strong purifying capacity for water bodies, it can absorb large amounts of elements such as zinc and potassium from water bodies. Therefore, it is often used in fish tank landscaping and can serve ornamental and water-purifying functions. Potamogeton crispus has strong adaptability to the environment and grows very quickly. It can also be used to increase nutrients and oxygen content in water bodies, as well as serve as feed for fish, shrimp, and crabs.

2. Therefore, many fish farming lake areas in China choose to plant Potamogeton crispus, but manual clearing must be carried out every year to prevent excessive growth. Potamogeton crispus is also a cost-effective green manure material and can significantly improve soil quality. At the same time, the tender shoots of Potamogeton crispus are also a very delicious vegetable.