A detailed guide to scientific Platycodon grandiflorus cultivation techniques, teaching you how to grow Platycodon grandiflorus

Platycodon grandiflorus, as a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for quite a long time, while its cultivation history is not long. In the past, Platycodon grandiflorus was mostly collected by herb growers themselves. With the development of modern science and technology, Platycodon grandiflorus has gradually become an important cultivation industry for herb growers.

How to grow Platycodon grandiflorus

1. Seedbed soil preparation

Before sowing Eustoma grandiflorum seeds, first prepare seedling soil or seedling blocks. For convenience, try to use separate small seedling pots, as this can avoid the phenomenon of leggy growth caused by different germination times. Then fill with soil and spray it with a spray bottle, and place it in a larger water basin below, so that the soil can be completely soaked through.

2. Sowing method

Platycodon grandiflorus seeds are especially tiny, like dust. Even a heavy breath seems likely to blow them away, so you must be very careful. It is best to have something underneath to catch them, laying a sheet of white paper, so that even if they accidentally fall, you will not have trouble finding them. Then slightly moisten a toothpick with water, touch it to the seeds, and they will stick to the toothpick. Then it is much easier to plant them in the seedling pot. Note that Eustoma grandiflorum seeds do not need to be covered with soil; just place them directly on the surface of the soil.

3. Moisture retention after sowing

After the Platycodon grandiflorus seeds are placed, if there is a lid, you can cover it to retain moisture. If there is no lid, you can cover with a layer of household plastic wrap, which can maintain humidity. Just open it every day to let in some air. You can also use a very fine spray bottle to spray water every day. If you feel you cannot get it right, you can directly place it in a water basin to maintain humidity. But be sure to remember, do not leave it in there for 24 hours; just spray lightly or let it sit for a while each day. Seeds also need to breathe. If soaked too long, the seeds will rot, and instead it will be harder for them to germinate.

4. Germination management

After sowing, Eustoma grandiflorum seeds generally germinate in about 15 to 20 days, and some later ones in 30 days. You must be patient and not give up on them. Before germination, always maintain humidity. After germination, there is no need to cover with a lid. They can receive diffused light, but absolutely do not expose them to strong sunlight, because newly sprouted seedlings are very fragile and can easily dry up and die from sun exposure. At this time, there is also no need to place them in a water basin every day; just place them in when they look slightly dry. For newly sprouted ones, spray as gently as possible, because the seedlings are very small and will fall over if sprayed too forcefully.

Growth characteristics of Platycodon grandiflorus

Platycodon grandiflorus is a deep-rooted plant, and its root thickness increases with age. In the first year, the main root can reach more than 15 cm in length. From July to September of the second year is the period of vigorous root growth. When dug up, the root can reach 50 cm in length. From seedling emergence until the stem reaches 6 cm, stem growth is slow. From a stem height of 6 cm until before flowering (April to May), growth speeds up, and after flowering it slows down. When the temperature drops below 10°C in autumn and winter, the aboveground part withers, and the root overwinters underground. One-year-old seedlings can overwinter safely at a low temperature of minus 17°C. Seeds begin to germinate above 10°C, and the optimum germination temperature is 20-25°C. The germination rate of one-year-old seeds is 50%-60%, and that of two-year-old seeds can reach about 85%. They also sprout quickly and uniformly. The lifespan of the seeds is one year.

Platycodon grandiflorus prefers a cool and moist environment. In the wild, it is mostly seen on sunny slopes and in grassy areas. For cultivation, choose hilly areas below 1,100 m in altitude. It has no strict requirements for soil quality, but grows better when cultivated in neutral sandy soil rich in phosphorus and potassium. Applying phosphate fertilizer can increase the dry-to-fresh ratio of the roots. Platycodon grandiflorus likes sunlight and tolerates drought, but avoids waterlogging.

Distribution of Platycodon grandiflorus producing areas

The producing areas of Platycodon grandiflorus are mainly distributed across the provinces of Northeast China, North China, East China, and Central China, as well as Guangdong, Guangxi (northern part), Guizhou, southeastern Yunnan (Mengzi, Yanshan, Wenshan), Sichuan (east of Pingwu and Liangshan), and Shaanxi. It is also found in Korea, Japan, the Russian Far East, and the southern part of Eastern Siberia.

In June 2012, Taihe County, Anhui Province was honored by the Flower Food Professional Committee of the China Food Industry Association with the title “Hometown of Chinese Platycodon grandiflorus”.

Cultivation prospects of Platycodon grandiflorus

Wild Platycodon grandiflorus is distributed throughout the country. At present, the dried wild Platycodon grandiflorus on the market is about 16 yuan per kilogram. Nationwide, there are only three major producing areas: Chifeng in Inner Mongolia, Taihe County in Anhui, and Zibo in Shandong. In recent years, due to consecutive years of planting, production has declined again and again (Platycodon grandiflorus is afraid of continuous cropping). In some places, bases that originally covered ten thousand mu now have only a few thousand mu left. The contradiction of demand exceeding supply has caused the price of Platycodon grandiflorus to rise. Dried products have risen from 7 yuan/kg to the current 16 yuan/kg, and export-grade fresh products have risen from 3 yuan per kilogram to the current 5 yuan per kilogram.

From the text, it can be seen that as demand for Platycodon grandiflorus continues to increase, while the planting area in its old producing areas continues to decline, the market price of Platycodon grandiflorus is also constantly rising. However, compared with some other Chinese medicinal materials, the market price of Platycodon grandiflorus is still somewhat lower. It is believed that in the near future, the cultivation benefits of Platycodon grandiflorus will continue to climb.