A Detailed Guide to Polygonatum Planting Time and Cultivation Techniques

Polygonatum is a well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb, and it can now be seen in many parts of our country. Polygonatum has high medicinal value and sells very well on the market. At present, many people have the idea of growing Polygonatum. Before planting, understanding its cultivation techniques is essential.

Cultivation Techniques for Polygonatum

1. Site Selection and Land Preparation

Choose a moist plot with sufficient shade. The soil should preferably be loam or sandy loam with a loose texture and good water retention. Before sowing, deep plow once, and while preparing the land, apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, plow it into the soil as a base fertilizer, then rake finely and level, and make beds 1.2 m wide.

2. Propagation Methods

1. Rhizome propagation: In late autumn or early spring around late March, select healthy, pest- and disease-free rhizomes from 1-2 year old plants, take the young tender parts at the tip, cut them into several sections with 3-4 nodes each, let the wounds dry slightly, and plant them at a row spacing of 22-24 cm, plant spacing of 10-16 cm, and 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 mature, plump 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 shaded place and keep moist. Wait until late March of the following year, sieve out the seeds, 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, water, and 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 appropriately where they are too dense, and transplant after 1 year. To provide the shade conditions needed for Polygonatum growth, corn can be planted on the bed ridges.

Planting Time for Polygonatum

Polygonatum prefers a warm and moist climate and a shady, damp environment. It is cold-resistant and has strong adaptability to climate. It can be cultivated in semi-high mountain areas or on flat land, in deep, fertile, loose, and moist soil. From September to October, divide and plant while harvesting.

Planting Methods for Polygonatum

1. Site selection and land preparation: For Polygonatum cultivation, choose a moist plot with sufficient shade. The soil should preferably be loam or sandy loam with a loose texture and good water retention. While preparing the land, apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, plow it into the soil as a base fertilizer, then rake finely, level, and make beds.

2. Seedling raising and transplanting: In northern regions, Polygonatum transplanting is mostly carried out in early April. On the prepared planting plot, dig holes at a row spacing of 30 cm and plant spacing of 15 cm, then plant the grown seedlings into the holes, 2 plants per hole, cover with soil and press firmly, and water thoroughly once.

Pest Control Techniques for Polygonatum

1. Polygonatum black spot disease. This is the main disease of Polygonatum. The pathogen is a type of imperfect fungus. It damages leaves. In the early stage of the disease, irregular yellow-brown spots appear from the leaf tip on the leaves, and there is a purplish-red edge at the boundary between diseased and healthy tissue; afterward, the spots spread downward, and it becomes more severe in the rainy season. The diseased leaves turn yellow and withered.

Control method: Clear the garden at harvest time, eliminate diseased residues, and before the disease occurs and in the early stage of the disease, spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture or 50% Tuzet 1000 times solution, once every 7-10 days, for several consecutive times.

2. White grubs: They belong to the order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae. The larvae cause damage by biting off seedlings or eating seedling roots, causing broken seedlings or hollow roots, and the damage is severe. Use the same medication as for cutworms, or kill them with conventional low-toxicity pesticides.

3. Cutworms: They damage seedlings and rhizomes. Control method: Seed dressing with 75% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate at 0.1% of the seed amount; during the field occurrence period, irrigate with 90% trichlorfon 1000 times solution; use black light lamps or poison bait to trap and kill adults; apply manure only after full decomposition, preferably high-temperature compost.

Polygonatum can be cultivated in early autumn each year. Before cultivation, the work of site selection and land preparation should be carried out. In fact, as long as you master the key points, growing it is relatively simple. Polygonatum is quite susceptible to pest attack, so pest and disease control work should also be done well in the later stages.