When to Plant Dahurian Angelica? Detailed Cultivation Techniques
Dahurian angelica is currently distributed in many parts of China and is a relatively popular traditional Chinese medicine. Consuming dahurian angelica has a good effect on symptoms such as rhinitis and headaches, and it is a medicinal material with strong efficacy. Now many people want to increase their economic income by growing it, so understanding its cultivation techniques is the first step.
When to Plant Dahurian Angelica
The sowing period for dahurian angelica is divided into spring and autumn. Spring sowing is around Qingming, but the yield is low and the quality is poor, so it is generally not used. Autumn sowing cannot be too early or too late. It cannot be earlier than Chushu; otherwise, it will grow rapidly in the winter of that year, and most plants will bolt and bloom in the second year, and their roots cannot be used for medicinal purposes. But it cannot be later than Qiufen; because after Qiufen the rainfall gradually decreases and the temperature turns lower, dahurian angelica will not germinate for a long time after sowing, affecting growth and yield. Therefore, sowing should be done in early August to early September.
Cultivation Techniques for Dahurian Angelica
1. Cultivating seeds. Dahurian angelica is propagated by seed. Seed can be retained by selecting individual plants for transplanting or by retaining plants in place. In production, the former method is mostly used, generally carried out when harvesting dahurian angelica. In Sichuan, purple-stemmed dahurian angelica with an unbranched main root that is robust and disease-free is selected for seed. In Henan and Hebei, dahurian angelica with slender roots, small rhizome heads, no fibrous roots, fine white skin, and robust growth is selected for seed. Before transplanting, remove the leaves and plant at a row spacing of 50-70 cm. Weeding and fertilizing are carried out in winter and the following spring. From June to July, the seeds mature successively. When the fruit skin turns yellow-green (yellow-white in Henan), harvest them together with the infructescence. They can be harvested in batches, then spread in a ventilated and dry place, air-dried and threshed, and impurities removed for later use.
2. Sowing. Both drilling and dibbling can be used. Zhejiang, Henan, and Hebei use drilling, with row spacing of 13-20-27 cm, furrows 1-1.5 cm deep, and 1-1.5 kg of seed per mu. After sowing, rake the bed surface level, water, and keep the soil moist. Sichuan mostly uses dibbling, with row spacing of 30-33 cm and hole spacing of 23-27 cm, and the bottom of the holes should be flat. The sowing rate is 0.5-0.8 kg per mu. After sowing, do not cover with soil, then immediately apply dilute human and livestock manure water, about 1000 kg per mu, and then cover it with plant ash mixed with human and livestock manure water, without exposing the seeds. Then press with a wooden board or tread lightly so that the seeds and soil are in close contact to facilitate germination. Seedlings can emerge in 15-20 days.
Fertilizer and Water Techniques for Dahurian Angelica
1. Fertilizing. Generally, topdressing is done 3-4 times. The 1st and 2nd times are both after thinning and intertillage. Each time, apply 1500-2000 kg of dilute human and livestock manure water per mu. The 3rd time is after final thinning, applying 2000-3000 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu, plus 3 kg of urea. Around Qingming, carry out the 4th topdressing, applying 2000-3000 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu, broadcasting 150 kg of plant ash, and then hilling up the soil. In Zhejiang, the 1st time is after thinning in March, the 2nd time after weeding in April, and the 3rd time before Lixia. Generally, barnyard manure is applied in winter. When fertilizing, note that it is advisable to apply less in the current year to prevent excessive growth and early bolting and flowering. In the 2nd year, more should be applied, supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, to promote thick and strong roots.
2. Watering. If the soil is dry after sowing dahurian angelica, irrigate in time to keep the soil moist to facilitate emergence. During the growing period, if the weather is dry, water in time to ensure the needs of plant growth. When there is excessive rain or water accumulation in the field, drain in time to prevent disease or root rot.
Pest Control for Dahurian Angelica
1. Septoria leaf spot: Control method: remove diseased leaves in time and burn them in a centralized manner; before or at the early stage of the disease, spray with 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture or 65% zineb wettable powder 400-500 times liquid, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.
2. Black snout. It harms the roots. Control method. Use 25% ammonium thionophosphate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times liquid to irrigate the soil around the plant roots.
3. Fruit borers. They bite and eat the seeds, often causing a total loss of seed yield. Control method. Spray with 90% crystallized trichlorfon 1000 times liquid to kill them.
4. Black spot disease. Black diseased spots appear on the leaves in autumn. Control method. Remove diseased leaves or spray 1:1:120 Bordeaux mixture 1-2 times.
When planting dahurian angelica, it is necessary to choose a good time and then carry out site selection. Its planting method is still relatively simple. In the later stage of planting, its field management work should be strengthened. Proper watering, fertilizing, and pest removal are all necessary tasks. Only by doing these well will the planted dahurian angelica grow well and have high yield.