What issues need attention when growing licorice?
1. Seed treatment. Before sowing, treat the seeds with water at 60-100°C for 30 seconds; then soak them in warm water for 1 day and night, and the germination rate can reach 50%. If treated with concentrated sulfuric acid, remove the seeds immediately once the seed coat turns black and rinse them in clean water, then soak them in warm water, and sow when the seeds swell; the germination rate can reach more than 90%.
2. Planting methods. 1. Spring sowing or summer sowing can be used. The sowing rate is about 300-500 grams per mu, the sowing depth is 3-4 cm, the row spacing is 50-60 cm, and the seedling stand per mu should reach 7000-10000 plants. 2. Raising seedlings and transplanting. Drilling or broadcasting in small beds can be used, increasing the density, and once strong one-year-old seedlings are produced, they can be transplanted; either spring planting or autumn planting is acceptable. When planting, a plow can be used to open furrows, with a row spacing of 60 cm and a plant spacing of 15-20 cm, planting about 7000 plants per mu. The planting depth should preferably have the rhizome level with the ground surface, and water after planting. Seedlings generally emerge 5-7 days after sowing, so there must be good soil moisture before sowing, and no watering is needed after sowing to avoid crusting. 3. Planting rhizomes. From freshly dug licorice rhizomes, select those with buds and cut them into 15-20 cm lengths, open furrows with a walking plow, place the mother roots vertically or obliquely in the furrows, cover with 10 cm of soil; cultivation can be done in either spring or autumn, and water after planting.
3. Field management. Licorice management is mainly about preserving soil moisture. In the 1st year, ensure the growth of the seedlings; after 2 years, the root system is deeply rooted, and some soil moisture is enough, and generally snowmelt water is sufficient to ensure normal growth. Dig in the 3rd year, taking care to retain the mother roots. After digging, level the ground well and water well to encourage new shoots.