A Detailed Guide to Salvia miltiorrhiza Planting Techniques and Cultivation Management Methods
AbstractIn North China, sow in mid-April, either in drills or in holes. For hole sowing, the row spacing is 30-45 cm and the plant spacing is 25-30 cm, with 5-10 seeds per hole. For drill sowing, the furrow depth is about 1 cm, with 0.6-1 cm of soil covering, and the sowing rate is about 0.5 kg per mu. If the climate is dry, water thoroughly before sowing. Generally, seedlings emerge half a month after sowing. When the seedlings are 6 cm tall, thinning and final spacing can be carried out. Cultivate and weed 3-4 times each year, and apply topdressing promptly in the second and third years.
When it comes to Salvia miltiorrhiza, many people should be fairly familiar with it, because Salvia miltiorrhiza is a rather well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb in China, and it is also fairly common in daily life. It not only has very high medicinal value, but also extremely high health benefits. Today, the editor will introduce the planting techniques of Salvia miltiorrhiza to everyone!
Salvia miltiorrhiza Planting Techniques
1. Root division propagation: The Sichuan production area mostly uses root division propagation. Salvia miltiorrhiza used as planting stock is generally left in the field, and when planting, it is dug and planted right away. Select annual lateral roots about 0.3 cm in diameter, thick and red in color, free of pests and diseases, and plant them in February-March. They can also be selected and planted at harvest in November. Plant in holes with a row spacing of 30-45 cm and a plant spacing of 25-30 cm, with holes 3-4 cm deep, and apply pig manure and urine at 1500-2000 kg per mu. When planting, break the selected root strips into root segments 4-6 cm long, breaking while planting, with the root strips facing upward, and plant 1-2 segments per hole. Cover with soil immediately after planting, generally about 1.5 cm thick. According to production practice, using the head and tail of the root for planting results in earlier seedling emergence, while the middle section emerges later. Therefore, they should be planted separately to facilitate field management. Using lignified mother roots as planting stock gives poor sprouting ability and low yield, so it is not suitable. When planting by root division, pay attention to preventing freezing, and straw can be covered for warmth.
2. Cutting propagation: North China and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang areas mostly use cutting propagation. Generally, North China does this in June-July, and Jiangsu and Zhejiang in April-May. Take the aboveground stems of Salvia miltiorrhiza, cut them into small sections 10-15 cm long, remove the lower leaves, cut off 1/2 of the upper leaves, and insert them as they are cut. On a prepared bed, open shallow furrows with a row spacing of 20 cm and a plant spacing of 10 cm, then insert the cuttings diagonally along the furrows, burying the cuttings 6 cm in soil. After cutting, water and shade them. Once the regenerated roots grow to about 3 cm, they can be transplanted to the field. Some also directly plant the split-off stems with roots, and with attention to watering, they can also survive.
3. Seed propagation: ① Seedling raising and transplanting: In the Beijing area, drill sowing is carried out in March, covering with 0.3 cm of soil, watering after sowing, and covering with plastic film to keep the soil moist. Seedlings emerge in about 15 days. In the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area, when the seeds mature in June, sow immediately after harvest, with soil covering just enough to cover the seeds. After sowing, cover with grass to retain moisture, and transplant to the field in October. ② Direct sowing: In North China, sow in mid-April, by drill sowing or hole sowing. For hole sowing, the row and plant spacing are the same as for the root division method, with 5-10 seeds per hole. For drill sowing, the furrow depth is about 1 cm, with 0.6-1 cm of soil covering, and the sowing rate is about 0.5 kg per mu. If drought occurs, water thoroughly before sowing and then sow. Seedlings emerge half a month after sowing. When the seedlings are 6 cm tall, thin and set the seedlings.
Salvia miltiorrhiza Cultivation Management Methods
When filling gaps with seedlings, it is better to do it early than late, so that they catch up as quickly as possible with the seedlings that have already survived. Achieve uniform growth. Cultivation and weeding need to be carried out 3-4 times each year. Weeding methods can use manual hoeing or hand pulling, or mechanical weeding, but chemical weeding cannot be used. The flowering period of Salvia miltiorrhiza is May-June. When seeds are not being collected, the flower spikes should be removed early. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a plant that likes potassium and organic fertilizer. During cultivation, in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, apply cake fertilizer or high-quality decomposed farmyard manure once after sprouting in spring (late April) in the second and third years. In addition, carry out foliar topdressing in early March and July each year, spraying foliar nutrient solution and humic acid on the leaves. The application rate per mu is 150 g. Foliar topdressing by spraying should be chosen before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., and the leaf spray should be uniform, spraying both the front and back of the leaves.
Growth Habits
Salvia miltiorrhiza likes a warm, humid environment with sufficient sunlight, and grows and develops well under conditions of an annual average temperature of 17.15°C and an average relative humidity of 77%. At a temperature of -5°C, the stems and leaves suffer frost damage. The underground roots are hardy and can overwinter in the open. During the seedling stage, if encountered with high temperature and drought, growth stalls or the plants die. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a deep-rooted plant and grows and develops well in deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil with medium fertility. If the soil is too fertile, the salvia roots do not grow robustly. In waterlogged, poorly drained low-lying land, root rot will be caused. Soil pH near neutral is best. In soil that is too sandy or too clayey, Salvia miltiorrhiza grows poorly.
After the Salvia miltiorrhiza plants turn green again, the stems and leaves grow relatively quickly in March-April. After the fruits mature, the plants die, and after lodging, new buds and leaves grow again, entering a second period of growth. The mother plant generally produces 3-5 tillers, begins branching in early April, and successively produces flowering stems. There are fewer flowering stems in autumn, only one third of those in spring. The long daylight hours in July-August are favorable for root growth.
Harvesting and Processing
Salvia miltiorrhiza can be collected for medicinal materials in the second year of growth. The harvest time is in mid-December when the aboveground parts wither, or before sprouting in the following spring. First remove the aboveground stems and leaves, and open a deep furrow at one end of the bed to expose the salvia roots. Dig out complete root strips along the bed forward, preventing them from being broken. After digging out, cut off the residual stems. If strip salvia is desired, the root strips with a diameter of 0.8 cm or more can be cut off at the mother root, arranged neatly along the strips, sun-dried, turned from time to time, and when 70-80% dry, tied into small bundles, then sun-dried until dry, and packed into boxes to become “strip salvia”. If not sorted by thickness, after sun-drying and removing impurities, packing into gunny sacks is called general salvia.
Through the above content, I believe everyone has gained a certain understanding of the planting methods of Salvia miltiorrhiza. In our daily lives, many people like to use Salvia miltiorrhiza to treat and prevent some diseases, and even consume it regularly for health preservation. Salvia miltiorrhiza sells very well on the market, so the prospects for planting Salvia miltiorrhiza are still very broad.