Fish Mint Planting Techniques: A Detailed Guide to Three Propagation Methods - Division, Cuttings and Seedling Raising
SummaryStem propagation: choose a suitable propagation method and plant fish mint stems in a sandy loam seedbed; transplant when the seedlings have grown 2 axillary buds. Land: choose a flat site with sufficient water and convenient drainage and irrigation, and deep-plough and fertilise before planting. Land preparation and bed making: dig trenches on site to make beds. Planting: after fertilising, cut the stems into 5cm small sections and plant them. Fertiliser, water and routine management: top-dress in good time, water promptly, carry out pest and disease control well, and harvest at the right time.
1. Stem propagation
The stems used for propagating fish mint generally come from wild fish mint; before planting, the wild fish mint is divided and cut so as to obtain more stems.
1. Division propagation: usually carried out in March-April; after dividing the wild fish mint, plant it promptly in sandy loam or transplant it directly into a greenhouse.
2. Cutting propagation: can be carried out in spring or summer; usually the fish mint stems are cut and transplanted directly into a sandy loam seedbed, and after the cuttings have rooted they are transplanted into a greenhouse and uncovered.
3. Seedling raising: generally takes about 2 months; after the seedlings emerge, select rhizomes that are white in colour, thick and strong, and have 2 axillary buds, cut them into small sections and transplant them into the seedbed, and carry out watering and drainage promptly to promote rhizome growth.
2. Land selection
It is best to plant fish mint at an altitude of around 800m, in an area with flat terrain, sufficient water and convenient drainage and irrigation; before planting, clear the debris from the plot and carry out ploughing and fertilising.
3. Land preparation and bed making
Making beds by digging trenches can not only increase the thickness of the soil layer and make field management easier, but also improve the yield and quality of fish mint; when preparing the land and making beds, adjustments should be made according to local conditions, making low-lying land into sunny beds and high land into flat beds, so as to raise the yield of fish mint.
4. Planting
Before planting fish mint, use decomposed farmyard manure, NPK compound fertiliser and cake fertiliser as base fertiliser, and deep-plough to ensure the fertiliser and soil are mixed evenly; dig a trench 0.5cm long, lay rice straw inside it, spread phosphate fertiliser, plant ash and other fertilisers, then fill it with soil; treat the whole planting field in this way before planting the fish mint stems.
Select stems that are healthy and free of disease; before planting, cut them into small sections about 5cm long, dig planting trenches according to the planting density and put them in, cover with a thin layer of soil and water thoroughly.
5. Fertiliser and water management
From the seedlings' survival until the rows close, top-dress regularly, generally by spreading an appropriate amount of human excreta; after the fish mint enters normal growth, top-dress the plants once with diluted human and livestock manure water, and top-dress again one month later. While fertilising, also do the watering well, watering promptly to keep the soil moist and promote nutrient uptake.
6. Pest and disease control
During cultivation, spread fertiliser promptly and manage the field well; after growing fish mint continuously for 2 years, appropriately rotate to other crops, so as to improve the soil environment, reduce sources of pathogens and lower the chance of disease.
7. Harvesting at the right time
Fish mint is generally harvested in batches. The tender stems and leaves above ground can be picked when they have grown for about 25 days; if there are no special requirements for the roots, they can be picked again 10-20 days after the first harvest of stems and leaves; if there are special requirements for the roots, harvest can be carried out 6 months after transplanting.