What are the conditions for growing Gastrodia elata? When to plant Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia elata is a saprophytic plant, which is why it appeared in Mr. Lu Xun's Hundred Plant Garden, but it can also be found in some other places. To make money from Gastrodia elata, you must clearly understand its growth characteristics, follow its natural growth patterns, and understand the requirements of growing Gastrodia elata for the natural environment.

What are the conditions for growing Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia elata grows under forests with plenty of humus and moisture, and is also found in sun-facing shrubland and grassy slopes. It must live symbiotically with the fungus Armillaria mellea of the family Tricholomataceae and the fungus Mycena purpureofusca for its seeds to germinate, form round corms, and grow into healthy Gastrodia elata tubers. Mycena purpureofusca provides nutrients for seed germination, while Armillaria mellea provides nutrients for the protocorm to grow into Gastrodia elata tubers.

When to plant Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia elata cultivation is generally from late October of the current year to April of the following year. Sowing from late October to early December, before the soil freezes, is winter planting; sowing after the soil thaws in spring from March to April is spring planting; in high-altitude mountainous areas the sowing time can be extended to May. For the Gastrodia elata cultivation site, any land plot can be chosen, such as in front of or behind a house, wild sloping land, orchard land, and so on, with sandy loam soil that has strong air and water permeability being the best. The soil pH is 5-6.

Field management of Gastrodia elata

1. Temperature: Outdoor Gastrodia elata growth mainly relies on natural temperature, and the most suitable temperature is 10-26°C in the fungus material 30 cm deep below the soil surface; at other temperatures it enters a dormant state. In the soil layer, Gastrodia elata has short-term low-temperature tolerance, based on the weather forecast: outdoors -30°C to 33°C, indoors -10°C. Its short-term high-temperature tolerance is 40 degrees. Therefore, in winter a thin layer of weeds or dry leaves should be spread on the soil surface, then a plastic film placed over it, and on top of the film another 20 cm or more of mixed branches and weeds, to keep warm, retain moisture, and prevent freezing. As winter passes and spring comes, when the ground temperature stabilizes above 10 degrees, remove the plastic film and let rainwater soak through naturally. Gastrodia elata planted in spring does not need plastic film, but should be covered with grass to shade it and retain moisture.

2. Water: In disaster years with especially dry or waterlogged conditions, such as when either lasts more than 20 consecutive days, protective work should be strengthened; during waterlogged periods, after heavy rain for half an hour it is best to cover with film, let the water drain into ditches, and uncover it immediately when the weather clears, preserving soil moisture and draining waterlogging, with comprehensive management. In June, July, and August, Gastrodia elata enters the physiological maturation stage, so water must be sufficient; if there is drought for more than 15 days, water must be added to obtain high yields, and watering should be done after sunset when the soil temperature has dropped.

From September onward, water should be controlled to prevent Armillaria mellea from growing too vigorously and instead digesting Gastrodia elata into empty shells, reducing yield. From October to the end of April of the following year, digging and sowing can be done at any time. One sq m of Gastrodia elata generally yields 7 kg of fresh Gastrodia elata, processed into 2 kg of dried Gastrodia elata; at the Anhui Bozhou medicinal materials market value of 260 yuan/kg, the income is 520 yuan, and at the Kunming medicinal materials market value of 380 yuan per kg, the income is 760 yuan. At the same time, 2 kg of first-generation seed corms can be harvested, worth 240 yuan, used to expand planting by 3-4 sq m the following year, yielding 6-8 kg of dried product; in the third year, harvest the large ones and keep the small ones to expand planting by 3 times, and calculate the benefit yourself.

Since Gastrodia elata is a variety that degenerates year by year, after 2 to 3 years of cultivation the seed stock must be replaced to ensure high yield and high efficiency. Therefore, compared with mining, real estate, and contracting projects, Gastrodia elata cannot really be called risky, but in the second and third years its profits are instead several times higher by comparison. This is the principle long spoken of in business through the ages: “Do business in a market of your own, and in buying and selling seize the initiative.”

The producing areas of Gastrodia elata

The producing areas of Gastrodia elata are distributed in the mountainous regions of the tropics, subtropics, temperate zone, and cold temperate zone. From New Zealand and New Caledonia in the east, to Madagascar in the west. From Australia and New Zealand in the south, to Northeast China and the Far East region of the former Soviet Union in the north. It mainly includes China, India, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Japan, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands that were once tributary states of China, Kalimantan Island, the Malay Peninsula of Malaysia, New Caledonia Island, as well as Korea, the Philippines, Russia's Far East Amur Oblast, Primorsky Krai, the Kuril Islands, and other areas. This plant has not been found on the African continent, in Europe, or in the Americas.

Since Gastrodia elata does not have very high environmental requirements, its planting conditions are not difficult to create; it only needs to be able to live symbiotically with ordinary mushrooms and fungi. However, field management of Gastrodia elata is very important and is a major factor affecting its harvest, so growers need to pay close attention to it.