A Detailed Explanation of Angelica sinensis Planting Time, Methods and Technical Key Points

As a sacred blood-tonifying medicine, Angelica sinensis, along with the development of the times, has been continuously advancing in its medical applications. Although this era may seem like one of decline for traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese herbal medicine is still quietly making its own contributions, and Angelica sinensis is an excellent representative of Chinese herbal medicine.

Angelica sinensis Planting Techniques

1. Site selection and land preparation

For the seedling nursery, a cool, semi-shaded mountain slope is preferable, with loose, fertile sandy loam soil being best; for the cultivation site, choose a fallow field or secondary wasteland with deep soil layers. In mid-July, first cut down the shrubs and weeds, spread them on the ground, burn them to clear the land, then deep-plow the soil more than 25 cm and let it sun-weather and mature. Then, before planting, along with land preparation, apply 2500 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per mu, plowing it into the soil as base fertilizer. Before sowing, do one more shallow plowing, make high beds 1.3 m wide with furrow ditches 40 cm wide, and dig drainage ditches all around.

2. Transplanting

Generally, transplanting in early to mid-April is the suitable period. Too early, and the seedlings are prone to damage from late frost after emergence; too late, and the seedlings have already sprouted, reducing the survival rate. On the prepared and finely raked planting ground, take the stratified seedlings and dig holes in a staggered triangular arrangement at a row spacing of 33×27 cm, with holes 20 cm deep. Then, select seedlings with a root crown diameter of 0.3-0.4 cm, and plant 3 seedlings per hole arranged in a pinwheel pattern. After planting, cover with soil while pressing firmly, and when the soil covers half the hole, gently lift the seedlings upward to let the roots spread out, then fill the hole with soil, apply an appropriate amount of burnt soil ash or farmyard manure, and cover with fine soil to just bury the root crown 2-3 cm.

Field Management of Angelica sinensis

1. Seedling stage management: After sowing, the soil must be kept moist to facilitate seed germination. At around 40 days, loosen the covering grass. When the seedlings are about 3 cm tall, do one loosening of the soil and remove weeds immediately. After the dog days of summer, choose a cloudy day to remove all the covering grass. During the seedling stage, pay attention to drought prevention and drainage.

2. Lifting and storing seedlings: From Cold Dew to Frost's Descent, when the temperature drops to around 5 degrees C and the seedling leaves begin to wither, dig up the seedlings, keep a little soil on them, tie them into small bundles, air-dry off excess moisture, and store them in cellars or heaps. Seedlings that are too old should not be heap-stored. When heap-storing, pay attention to placing them with the heads facing outward and the roots facing inward.

3. Replanting and thinning: Under normal conditions, about 20 days after transplanting when the seedlings have all emerged, carry out thinning and replanting. It is best to replant with small seedlings with soil on cloudy and rainy days. About 3 months after planting, finalize the stand by removing diseased and weak seedlings, keeping 1 plant per hole.

4. Cultivation and weeding: In mid-May, carry out the first weeding, preferably with shallow hoeing so that soil does not bury the seedlings. In mid-June, do the second weeding, which can be deeper hoeing to promote root development.

5. Removing bolting stalks: After transplanting, plants that flower and fruit in the same year are called early bolters, and their roots cannot be used medicinally, so they should all be pulled out.

6. Topdressing: Angelica sinensis is a fertilizer-loving plant. In late June during the peak leaf stage and in early August during the root growth stage, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers should be applied as topdressing.

Seed Saving of Angelica sinensis

When collecting seeds from Angelica sinensis, one must frequently observe in the field. Looking down from the top of the flower stalk, when the first umbel appears pink, the second umbel appears light red, and the third umbel appears light yellow, it is time to harvest (generally in early to mid-August). Seeds that are over-mature will bolt early after seedling raising and transplanting, so it is best when the seeds are 80% mature to snap off the fruit clusters, insert them in water or moist soil, or wrap them in sweet wormwood, and after 12-48 hours, when they turn white, the after-ripening process is complete. Tie the harvested fruit clusters into small bundles, hang them with stems and branches in a smoke-free, dry and ventilated place to dry thoroughly (moisture content below 8%), then thresh to remove impurities, and store sealed in a dry, cool place. Avoid exposure to the sun, baking and rain.

For direct seeding cultivation, one must select and keep biennial seeds with high maturity and plump, full grains. Direct seeding with such seeds results in early emergence, vigorous sprouting and rapid growth, which are important factors for obtaining high yields. However, such seeds are only suitable for direct seeding and cannot be used for seedling raising.

Main Producing Areas of Angelica sinensis

Domestically, Angelica sinensis is mainly distributed and cultivated in the main producing areas of Gansu, Yunnan, Sichuan, Ningxia and other places, growing in cold, high-altitude and rainy mountainous areas. Angelica sinensis is always a cultivated product, mainly produced in Minxian, Tanchang, Wudu, Zhangxian, Weiyuan, Wenxian and other places in Gansu. It is also produced in Weixi, Deqin, Zhongdian, Lanping and other counties in Yunnan Province, as well as in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Hubei and other provinces. Among them, Minxian and Tanchang in Gansu have high yields and the best quality, and are known as the “Hometown of Chinese Angelica sinensis”.

Overseas distribution of Angelica sinensis: Angelica sinensis is native to western Asia, and is widely cultivated in European and North American countries. In 1957, China introduced European angelica from Europe.

At present, the market demand for Angelica sinensis has not decreased, and the number of people growing Angelica sinensis is also constantly increasing. Compared with medicinal herb farmers who have long dealt with medicinal materials, new-era Angelica sinensis growers still lack corresponding planting experience. Therefore, on the basis of mastering Angelica sinensis planting techniques, what is more important is to practice and learn more.