How many years until Polygonatum can be harvested? 1 to 2 years for rhizome propagation, 3 to 4 years for seed propagation

AbstractIf Polygonatum is propagated by rhizome, it can be dug up in 1-2 years; if propagated by seed, it needs 3-4 years before it can be dug up. Polygonatum can be harvested in both spring and autumn, and the quality of the autumn harvest is better.

I. How many years until planted Polygonatum can be harvested

Polygonatum can be dug up either in late spring or early autumn. When planted by rhizome, it can be harvested and dug up in 1-2 years; when sown from seed, it can be harvested and dug up in 3-4 years. Artificially planted Polygonatum can only be dug up from the third year to the fourth year. Polygonatum in late autumn and early winter is not only plump but also tastes very good. Wait until late autumn or early spring, then dig up the roots and remove the fibrous roots. Polygonatum has many effects, nourishing yin and strengthening the spleen, and is often used as a Chinese medicinal material to address a series of symptoms such as dry cough due to lung deficiency and soreness and weakness of the waist and knees.

II. Cost of Polygonatum seedlings

There are many varieties of Polygonatum seedlings and prices vary greatly. The varieties are divided into ginger-shaped Polygonatum, Polygonatum cyrtonema, and Polygonatum kingianum. Ginger-shaped Polygonatum is mainly produced in Shandong, Northeast China, Henan, and Hebei, and its quality is very good, but the tubers are usually small; Polygonatum cyrtonema is mainly produced in Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan, Anhui, and other places; Polygonatum kingianum is mainly produced in Yunnan, and the cost of one seedling is about 0.9 yuan. What growers should note is that when buying Polygonatum seedlings, they should first consider whether the seedlings are genuine, and then consider the price.

III. Polygonatum planting yield

 Judging from the scale of Polygonatum cultivation, the returns are very considerable. On average, planting Polygonatum requires an investment of about 10,000 yuan per mu. From planting and management to tending, planting at 8,000 plants per mu requires an investment of 7,200 yuan; the base fertilizer needed for three years converts to funds of about 2,000 yuan; in addition, the required standardized land preparation, tending, and management costs are about 3,000 yuan. Planting Polygonatum requires choosing good plots; plots with good soil quality have lower input costs. In three years, it is expected to produce 4.5 tons of Polygonatum fruit, with an output value of up to 57,000 yuan.

IV. Polygonatum planting prospects

1. Market conditions

In terms of market conditions, the selling price of Polygonatum is still rising, having begun a slow and steady increase. It is understood that the current market price of chicken-head Polygonatum has generally risen to 27 per jin. Premium Polygonatum is 35-37 yuan per kilogram, and slightly better Polygonatum slices sell for more than 40 yuan. In addition, because of climate and other reasons, the output of wild Polygonatum is continuously decreasing, so artificial cultivation still has very good prospects.

2. Planting methods

At first, wild Polygonatum mostly prevailed, but as market demand grew larger and larger, and wild Polygonatum was in short supply, large-scale artificial Polygonatum cultivation emerged. Planting technology has been rapidly applied in the long-term development process, and the technical process has continuously matured. Extensive Polygonatum planting technology relies on the natural environment, while refined Polygonatum planting relies on science and technology, and a model combining the two technologies has now also appeared.

 3. Future prospects

Due to the influence of multiple factors, Polygonatum production capacity is low, making Polygonatum a scarce medicinal material. As the output of wild Polygonatum continues to decline, artificially planted Polygonatum will gradually replace it. Paying attention to traditional Chinese medicine health preservation has become the focus of more and more people, and the potential value of Polygonatum is worth further exploration. 

4. Economic benefits

Polygonatum planting requires investment first and returns later in the first three years. When early-stage production capacity does not meet standards, extensive planting requires an investment of about 1,000 yuan, and the output value per mu is estimated at about 3,000 yuan. The longer the planting time, the higher the returns. Compared with extensive planting, refined planting requires higher investment, but the income is more considerable. In recent years, Polygonatum cultivation has continuously developed its uses along with the public eye, and it is attracting more and more attention.