Detailed Explanation of the Mulching Cultivation Technique for Houttuynia cordata

Houttuynia cordata (fish mint) is a medicinal and edible Chinese medicinal herb. In recent years, demand for Houttuynia cordata has been growing rapidly, and prices have continued to rise. More and more herb growers are paying attention to its cultivation. The efficient mulching cultivation method is introduced below.

The mulching method of growing Houttuynia cordata takes advantage of its characteristics of thick-growing roots, numerous fibrous roots, and lush stems and leaves, allowing Houttuynia cordata to grow underground for two-thirds of the time, during which it grows roots, and to grow above ground for one-third of the time, receiving strong sunlight to grow stems and leaves. Short-term vegetables are planted on the soil surface covering the Houttuynia cordata. Planting short-term vegetables not only does not affect the growth of Houttuynia cordata, but actually promotes it even more, because when sufficient fertilizer and water are applied to the vegetables above, the Houttuynia cordata below absorbs them just the same, so the roots of Houttuynia cordata can grow thicker and more numerous.

For growing Houttuynia cordata, choose fertile, loose, well-drained, sheltered and sunny sandy loam or soil rich in organic matter. Around the Beginning of Summer (Lixia), after deep plowing and loosening the soil, make raised beds 1.5 m to 1.6 m wide, 30 cm high, with a furrow bottom width of 20 cm, and apply 3000 kg to 4000 kg of farmyard manure per mu as base fertilizer. Open shallow furrows at a plant-to-row spacing of 14×20 cm, place the Houttuynia cordata seed roots into the furrows, then cover with soil, leveling it as flat as possible. Then plant short-term vegetables on the covering soil; generally they are ready in half a month or one month, because short-term vegetables need sufficient fertilizer and water. After about one month, when Houttuynia cordata gradually grows about 3 cm above the soil surface, vegetables should no longer be planted. This is the height of summer, the time when Houttuynia cordata grows stems, leaves and roots, and its growth period is about four months.

Between the Cold Dew (Hanlu) and Frost's Descent (Shuangjiang) seasons, cut off the stems of Houttuynia cordata at ground level; after drying in the sun, they can be used either medicinally or as food. Then cover the cut Houttuynia cordata with about 3 cm to 5 cm of soil, and plant short-term vegetables on the covering soil. Around February of the following year, Houttuynia cordata sends out new shoots that emerge from the ground. At this time, use an iron shovel or hoe to cut off the newly sprouted shoots of Houttuynia cordata from above the old roots, about 10 cm long, to sell at a high price. After cutting, still cover and restore the soil, and again plant short-term vegetables on the restored covering soil.

Using the mulching method to grow Houttuynia cordata, planting only once a year, both increases the land use rate and improves the quality and yield of Houttuynia cordata, and ultimately increases economic benefits. A rough calculation shows economic benefits increase by about one fold, making it a method worth promoting.