How to Grow Polygonatum: A Detailed Guide to Polygonatum Cultivation Techniques

Summary Site selection and land preparation: Choose a moist plot with adequate shade; the soil should preferably be loam or sandy loam with a loose texture and good water retention. Propagation methods: Either rhizome propagation (in late autumn or around late March in early spring) or seed propagation (after the seeds mature in August, select plump mature seeds and immediately carry out sand storage treatment). Field management: During the early stage, carry out intertillage and weeding, water promptly in case of drought, and apply topdressing together with intertillage and weeding. Pest and disease control: Mainly prevent leaf spot disease and white grubs.

Although medicinal herbs have been cultivated for some time, for certain herbs there is still a big difference between artificially cultivated and wild ones, so market supply still relies on wild resources; however, as resources are continually dug up, the reality of resource depletion is inevitable.

How to Grow Polygonatum

1. Site selection and land preparation

Choose a moist plot with adequate shade; the soil should preferably be loam or sandy loam with a loose texture and good water retention. Before sowing, deep-plough once, and together with land preparation apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, plough it into the soil as base fertilizer, then rake it fine and level it, and make beds 1.2 m wide.

2. Propagation methods

① Rhizome propagation: In late autumn or around late March in early spring, select 1-2 year old robust, pest- and disease-free plant rhizomes, take the young tender part at the tip, cut into several sections, each with 3-4 nodes; let the wounds dry slightly, then plant at a row spacing of 22-24 cm, a plant spacing of 10-16 cm, and a depth of 5 cm. After covering with soil, press down lightly and water; thereafter water once every 3-5 days to keep the soil moist. When planting in late autumn, cover with some barnyard manure and grass after the ground freezes to keep warm.

② Seed propagation: After the seeds mature in August, select plump mature seeds and immediately carry out sand storage treatment: mix 1 part seeds with 3 parts sandy soil evenly. Store in a 30 cm deep pit in a shady place, keeping it moist. In late March of the following year, sieve out the seeds and evenly broadcast them in shallow furrows on the bed surface at a row spacing of 12-15 cm, cover with about 1.5 cm of soil, press lightly and water, then cover with a layer of grass to retain moisture. Remove the covering grass before emergence; when the seedlings are 6-9 cm tall, thin them out appropriately where too dense, and transplant after 1 year. To provide the shade conditions needed for polygonatum growth, corn can be planted on the bed ridges.

3. Field management

During the early growth stage, carry out intertillage and weeding frequently, once each in April, June, September and November every year; shallow hoeing with appropriate earthing up is advisable; in the later stage, simply pull weeds. If drought occurs, or if planted in a relatively sunny, dry place, water promptly. Apply topdressing together with intertillage and weeding every year; after the first 3 intertillages, apply 1500 kg of farmyard manure per mu, mix evenly with 50 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg of cake fertilizer, open furrows between the rows and apply, then cover with soil to bury the fertilizer. Polygonatum dislikes waterlogging and prefers shade, so attention should be paid to drainage and intercropping with corn.

The Growing Environment of Polygonatum

1. Seed treatment: After the polygonatum seeds mature in August, select plump mature seeds and immediately carry out sand storage treatment; mix 1 part seeds with 3 parts sandy soil evenly, store in a 30 cm deep pit in a shady place, and keep moist.

2. Timely sowing: Polygonatum seeds are usually sieved out in late March and evenly broadcast in shallow furrows on the bed surface at a row spacing of 12-15 cm, covered with about 1.5 cm of soil, pressed lightly and watered, then covered with a layer of grass to retain moisture.

3. Seedling stage management: Remove the covering grass before polygonatum emergence; when the seedlings are 6-9 cm tall, thin them out appropriately where too dense, and transplant after 1 year; when cultivating, corn can be planted on the bed ridges to provide the shade conditions needed for polygonatum growth.

Pest and Disease Control of Polygonatum

1. Diseases: The main disease of polygonatum is leaf spot disease, which often occurs in summer and autumn; the diseased leaves develop elliptical or irregular spots with brown outer edges and pale white centers, causing the leaves to wither and die. It can be controlled by spraying with 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture or 65% zineb wettable powder at 500 times dilution.

2. Pests: The main pest of polygonatum is the white grub, which mainly damages the rhizomes. Adults can be trapped and killed with light traps, or sprayed with 90% crystal trichlorfon at 800 times dilution.

Polygonatum Cultivation Prospects and Future Price Trends

1. The goods circulating on the polygonatum market are mainly supported by wild resources; although domestic cultivation has developed, due to factors such as low yield per mu and high costs, domestically grown polygonatum will find it hard to gain a market advantage in the short term.

2. The polygonatum harvest season is relatively short, lasting from around November of the previous year to April of the following year; although output is decreasing year by year, there will be no gap in supply in the short term.

3. Polygonatum is a traditional Chinese medicine used both as medicine and food, with demand increasing every year; the consumption of fresh goods is growing, while the amount of dried goods is declining.

Current polygonatum cultivation is not prosperous; on the one hand, cultivation costs are high, while market conditions are not improving, but as wild resources are continually exploited, a peak in artificial cultivation will eventually come. Therefore, under such circumstances, improving polygonatum cultivation techniques so that the quality of cultivated polygonatum reaches that of wild polygonatum is the top priority during this period.