Detailed Explanation of the Mulch-Cover Cultivation Technique for Chinese Caterpillar Fungus

Chinese caterpillar fungus, also known as cordyceps, is a valuable tonic medicinal material commonly used among the people of our country. Its nutritional content is higher than that of ginseng. It can be used as medicine and also eaten, and is a superior delicacy with very high nutritional value. Chinese caterpillar fungus can enhance the body's immunity and nourish the lungs and kidneys, and has a marked inhibitory effect on lung cancer, liver cancer, and others. Clinically, it has therapeutic effects on chronic cough due to lung deficiency, asthma, hemoptysis from pulmonary tuberculosis, night sweats, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees due to kidney deficiency, impotence and seminal emission, neurasthenia, and decreased red blood cells after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Chinese caterpillar fungus is a Chinese medicinal material used both as medicine and food. In recent years, the demand for Chinese caterpillar fungus has been growing rapidly, and the price has been continuously rising. More and more medicinal herb growers are paying attention to its cultivation. The efficient mulch-cover cultivation method is introduced below.

In the mulch-cover method of growing Chinese caterpillar fungus, based on its characteristics of thick and strong root growth, many fibrous roots, and luxuriant stems and leaves, two-thirds of the time is spent growing underground so that it grows roots, and one-third of the time is spent growing above ground under strong sunlight to grow stems and leaves, and short-term vegetables are planted on the soil surface covering the Chinese caterpillar fungus. Planting short-term vegetables not only does not affect the growth of Chinese caterpillar fungus, but actually further promotes its growth, because when sufficient fertilizer and water are applied to the vegetables above, the Chinese caterpillar fungus below absorbs them in the same way, so the roots of the Chinese caterpillar fungus can grow thicker and more numerous.

For planting Chinese caterpillar fungus, choose fertile, loose, well-drained, wind-sheltered, sunny sandy loam or soil rich in organic matter for cultivation. Around the Beginning of Summer, after deep plowing and loosening the soil, make raised beds. The bed width is 1.5 m to 1.6 m, the bed height is 30 cm, and the bottom of the ditch is 20 cm wide. Apply 3000 kg to 4000 kg of farmyard manure and miscellaneous compost per mu as base fertilizer. Open shallow furrows at a spacing of 14 × 20 cm, place the seed roots of Chinese caterpillar fungus into the furrows, then cover with soil, leveling it as the best approach. Then plant short-term vegetables on the covered soil, generally for half a month or one month, because short-term vegetables need sufficient fertilizer and water. After about one month, the Chinese caterpillar fungus gradually grows out of the soil surface by about 3 cm, and vegetables should no longer be planted. At this time it is precisely midsummer, the time when Chinese caterpillar fungus grows stems, leaves, and roots, and its growth period is about four months or so.

Between the Cold Dew and Frost's Descent seasons, cut off the stems of the Chinese caterpillar fungus at ground level. After drying in the sun, they can be used as medicine or eaten. Then cover the cut Chinese caterpillar fungus with about 3 cm to 5 cm of soil, and then plant short-term vegetables on the covered soil surface. Around February of the following year, the Chinese caterpillar fungus sends out new sprouts and grows out of the ground again. At this time, use a shovel or hoe to cut off the newly grown sprouts of the Chinese caterpillar fungus from above the old roots, about 10 cm or so, to sell at a high price. After cutting, still cover and restore the soil, and again plant short-term vegetables on the restored soil surface.

Using the mulch-cover method to grow Chinese caterpillar fungus, planting only once each year not only improves the utilization rate of the land, but also improves the quality and yield of Chinese caterpillar fungus, and ultimately increases economic benefits. A rough calculation shows an increase in economic benefits of about onefold, making it a method worth promoting.