Detailed Guide to Saposhnikovia divaricata Cultivation Techniques: Planting Time and Cultivation Methods

Saposhnikovia divaricata is currently distributed in a small number of regions in China. It is a medicinal herb that can withstand severe cold and drought. Saposhnikovia divaricata has a very wide range of uses, so it is very popular among consumers on the market, and many people want to grow it to increase their economic income. So first you need to understand its planting time and techniques.

Cultivation Techniques for Saposhnikovia divaricata

1. Land preparation: Saposhnikovia divaricata prefers well-drained, loose sandy loam and light clay loam. It has a certain tolerance to salinity and alkalinity, and can also be planted in lightly saline-alkaline land. Do not choose overly waterlogged or overly wet soil to avoid rotting of the roots and basal leaves. Heavy clay soil easily causes too much forking of Saposhnikovia divaricata roots and a decline in quality. Before sowing, the land should be deeply plowed and deeply tilled. In combination with land preparation, apply 3000 kg of farmyard manure, 20 kg of superphosphate, and 10 kg of potassium sulfate per mu. Level the soil, harrow it fine, and wait for sowing.

2. Sowing: For spring sowing, soak the seeds in warm water for 1 day to allow them to fully absorb water and facilitate germination. Then, in the prepared beds, open furrows at a row spacing of 30—40 cm and sow in drills, with a furrow depth of 2 cm, then evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, cover with soil and level, press lightly, cover with grass and water to keep the soil moist. Use 2—3 kg of seed per mu.

3. Thinning: When the seedlings are 5-6 cm tall and the plants have produced their first true leaf, thin the seedlings to a plant spacing of 6-7 cm; when the seedlings are 10-12 cm tall, set the final spacing at 13-16 cm. During thinning, if missing seedlings are found, they should be replanted promptly.

Planting Time for Saposhnikovia divaricata

Seeds can be sown in both spring and autumn. For spring sowing, the Yangtze River basin sows from late March to mid-April, and the North China region sows in early to mid-April. For autumn sowing, the Yangtze River basin sows in September—October, and the North China region sows before the ground freezes, with seedlings emerging the following spring.

Cultivation Methods for Saposhnikovia divaricata

1. Site selection. Saposhnikovia divaricata is not very strict about soil requirements, but a sunny site with high, dry terrain should be chosen, and loose, fertile, deep sandy loam with good drainage is most suitable. Clay soil, waterlogged low-lying land, highly acidic soil, or heavily saline-alkaline land is not suitable for planting.

2. Fertilization. To meet the nutritional needs of the growth and development of perennial Saposhnikovia divaricata, sufficient base fertilizer must be applied, with 3000-4000 kg of high-quality farmyard manure per mu, plus 20-30 kg of superphosphate or 8-10 kg of diammonium phosphate. It is best to apply it to the soil surface before deep plowing in autumn, and then turn it into the plow layer. At the latest, it must be applied before land preparation and bed making. Fertilization should be uniform.

3. Seed treatment and sowing. Soak carefully selected seeds in warm water 3-5 days before sowing. Soak in 35°C warm water for 24 hours, or in 40°C-50°C warm water for 8-12 hours, so that the seeds fully absorb water and facilitate germination. During soaking, stir while scattering the seeds, remove the shriveled seeds and impurities floating on the water surface, take out the plump seeds that sink to the bottom after soaking, let them dry slightly, and then sow.

4. For seedling raising in a hoop-supported plastic tunnel, when broadcasting in the field, prepare the bed surface well, spray it thoroughly with water, then broadcast the seeds by hand, using 2.5-3.0 kg of seed per mu. After even broadcasting, sift on 2.0 cm of moist new soil with a bamboo sieve or iron sieve to preserve moisture, cover the seeds completely, and then insert arches and cover with film. For open-field flat-bed seedling raising, use drilling: open furrows manually with a hoe, with a row spacing of 15-20 cm and a furrow depth of 2-3 cm (slightly shallower in loam, slightly deeper in sandy soil), evenly sow the seeds into the furrows with a dibbler, cover with 1-1.5 cm of soil, and after it dries slightly, tread and press to preserve moisture.

Harvesting Saposhnikovia divaricata

Harvest in winter from late October to mid-November, or in spring before sprouting. Saposhnikovia divaricata propagated by seed can be harvested in the second year. For Saposhnikovia divaricata propagated by spring root division, under conditions of sufficient water and fertilizer and lush growth, when the roots are 30 cm long and more than 1.5 cm thick, they can be harvested in the same year. Autumn-sown plants are harvested in October-November of the following year. When harvesting, a deep furrow must be opened from one end of the bed and the roots dug out in sequence; after the roots are dug out, remove the remaining stems and soil. Each mu can yield 150-300 kg of dried product.

There are two planting times for Saposhnikovia divaricata: spring planting and autumn planting. You can make a choice when planting, and site selection is also very important. After sowing, later management also needs to be strengthened. Then harvest at the appropriate time. Only by doing this series of work well can the growth of Saposhnikovia divaricata be ensured.