How to grow Salvia miltiorrhiza (red sage)? Mastering these four steps is enough

I. Site selection and land preparation

(1) Soil and topography: It is best to choose sandy loam plots with deep soil layers, loose and fertile soil, higher terrain, and good drainage for planting. Flat land should have drainage ditches; for mountain and ridge land, choose sunny low hillsides, and the slope should not be too steep, 10—30 degrees is better. The soil organic matter content should be greater than 8. The PH value should be between 6.5—7.5.

(2) Land preparation and fertilization: Salvia miltiorrhiza roots go deep, entering the soil about 33 cm or more. Therefore, after the previous crop is harvested, deep plow the soil more than 35 cm, and while preparing the land, apply 2500—3000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure or compost per mu, plus 50 kg of superphosphate, and plow it into the soil as base fertilizer. Before planting, plow once more, break up the soil and level it, make high beds 1.3 m wide, and open deep drainage ditches around them to facilitate drainage.

II. Cultivation methods

Seedling selection and cultivation: Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings have a relatively high survival rate, and it is easy to achieve complete, vigorous, and strong seedlings, with high and stable yield. Spring planting is done in April—May, and autumn planting in late October. It is better to plant early than late; early transplanting leads to early rooting and early greening the following year. When planting, dig holes on the bed surface at a row spacing of 33×23 cm. The depth of the holes depends on the root length. Apply an appropriate amount of manure at the bottom of the holes as base fertilizer, mix it evenly with the soil in the holes, and then plant 1—2 seedlings propagated from seeds in each hole. The planting depth should be based on the original natural growth depth of the seedlings, with the heart buds slightly exposed. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the roots. For large-area planting, semi-mechanized operations can also be used, that is, mechanical ditching, manual seedling distribution, and mechanical soil covering and pressing.

III. Field management

(1) Loosening soil and weeding: Salvia miltiorrhiza grows slowly in the early stage, so loosen the soil and weed in time. Generally, before the rows close, do this 1—2 times together with topdressing, and after the rows close, remove weeds promptly.

(2) Timely topdressing: In mid-June, apply 50 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu. Open shallow furrows on the side of the plants, broadcast the fertilizer, and then cover with soil.

(3) Pest and disease control: The main diseases and pests of Salvia miltiorrhiza include root rot and cutworms. After root rot occurs, the roots turn black and rot, and the aboveground stems and leaves wither and die. This disease is prone to occur in the rainy and hot season from June to August. For control, drain water in time, avoid continuous cropping, and drench with 50% carbendazim 1000-fold solution. Cutworms damage young seedlings. You can use 3% malathion powder mixed with soil at 1:10 and scatter it between the rows to kill them.

IV. Harvesting and processing

(1) Harvest time: For spring planting, harvest from late autumn of the same year to before the soil freezes; for autumn planting, harvest from October—early November of the second year after planting, when the aboveground stems and leaves wither. At harvest, first loosen the soil around the roots, then dig along the rows and lift out all the roots. Note that you should try not to keep the rhizome intact. For large-area cultivation, mechanical harvesting can be used.

(2) Processing method: After digging out the root strips, do not wash them with water. After removing the fibrous roots, trimming the reed heads, and cutting off the fine tails, spread them in a dry and ventilated place and dry them until 50—60% dry, then pile them to sweat for 2—3 days, then sun-dry until completely dry, and they can be sold.