Summary of Eucommia ulmoides planting and cultivation experience and detailed technical explanation

The seedling-raising land should be chosen as sunny, deep soil layer, loose and fertile, and convenient for irrigation and drainage sandy loam land. After the land is selected, apply 3500 kg of farmyard manure, 100 kg of cake fertilizer, and 50 kg of superphosphate per mu, then deep plow 30 cm, harrow fine and level, and make raised beds 1.2 m wide and 20 cm high. For the planting land, sunny gentle slope land in the mid-mountain areas of mountainous regions can be selected, deep plowed and harrowed level, and planted in holes.

Propagation can be carried out by seeds, cuttings, layering, division, grafting, and other methods, mostly by seed propagation. Eucommia ulmoides seeds have a short lifespan, and the germination rate of seeds from the previous year is very low, so new seeds must be collected for sowing. It is advisable to choose female plants that grow robustly, have straight and thick trunks, thick bark, and large leaves, and have not been peeled for more than 20 years as mother plants for seed collection. In late October to early November, when the fruit peel turns light brown, collect the seeds, spread them in a cool and ventilated place to dry in the shade, and they must not be dried in the sun.

Select fresh, plump, light brown, glossy seeds for autumn sowing or spring sowing. Autumn sowing can be done as soon as the seeds are collected, while spring sowing requires moist sand stratification treatment. Spring sowing is carried out from late March to early April, when the temperature stabilizes above 10°C. On the prepared seedling bed, open furrows 2—3 cm deep at a row spacing of 25—30 cm, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with 2 cm of fine soil, level the bed surface, and cover with grass to preserve moisture and warmth. The sowing rate is 6—8 kg per mu. Keep the bed soil moist regularly, and seedlings can emerge in about 15 days. After 1—2 years of cultivation, when the seedlings are 80—100 cm tall, they can be planted out.

Planting is carried out after leaf fall in autumn and winter or before sprouting in spring. On the prepared planting land, dig holes at a plant-row spacing of 2 m×3 m, with each hole 50 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter, loosen the bottom of the hole, apply 20 kg of farmyard manure, 1 kg of superphosphate, and 1 kg of cake fertilizer per hole, cover with 10 cm of fine soil to cover the fertilizer, then plant the seedlings and seal the holes with fine soil.