A Detailed Guide to Peony (White Peony) Planting, Cultivation and Harvesting Techniques

When it comes to white peony, I think everyone is very familiar with it. It is a relatively common traditional Chinese medicine, and the cultivation of traditional Chinese medicine in our country already has a history of several thousand years. In ancient times there was only the culture of traditional Chinese medicine, so traditional Chinese medicine has continued from ancient times to the present and has always been deeply recognized by everyone.

White Peony Planting, Cultivation and Harvesting Techniques

1. Site selection and land preparation. Peony should not be planted continuously on the same land. Generally, a well-drained, ventilated, sunny site with deep, fertile soil is chosen. Before planting, the soil should be carefully tilled, with deep plowing of 30-40cm, plowing 1 to 2 times. Along with plowing, apply 2500-4000kg of barnyard manure or compost per mu as base fertilizer, then rake level and make high beds 1.3-2.3m wide or cultivate on flat ground, with drainage ditches 20-30cm between beds; the length of the beds can be determined according to the terrain.

2. Propagation techniques are mainly root division propagation, though seed propagation can also be used; however, because seed propagation has a long growth cycle, it is currently used less in production. ① Root division propagation. Root division propagation is a commonly used method in peony production and has a short production cycle. At harvest, cut the peony buds from the roots, select robust buds, cut them into small pieces, with 2 to 4 buds per piece, leaving about 2cm of the head below the peony bud to facilitate growth. Plant immediately after cutting or temporarily store in sand or in a cellar before planting. Peony is planted from August to October, with hole planting at a row spacing of 50cm×30cm, holes about 10cm deep, placing 1 to 2 buds per hole, with the bud scales facing upward, placed flat, then covering with about 5cm of soil and firming it. Plant about 2500 plants per mu. ② Seed propagation. Single-petaled peony sets much seed. The seeds mature in early to mid-August; sow immediately after harvesting, or mix with wet sand and store until sowing in mid to late September. The seedlings are planted out after 2 to 3 years of growth. 3. Field management. Loosen the soil in early spring to preserve moisture. After emergence, cultivate and weed 4 times each year, and hill up soil around the roots while weeding. In late October, before the ground freezes, cut off the branches and leaves 7-10cm above the ground, and mound about 15cm of soil around the root zone to facilitate overwintering. From the second year onward, apply topdressing 3 times each year: in late March to early April, apply dilute human manure; the second time in late April, applying 500kg of human manure per mu; the third time in October to November, mainly with pen manure, 1500-2000kg per mu. In the fourth year, apply topdressing 2 times before harvest, and when topdressing it is best to open holes on both sides and apply. Peony generally does not need irrigation; in severe drought, it is best to irrigate once thoroughly in the evening, and in rainy seasons, drainage and irrigation should be carried out promptly. Each spring when buds appear, the flower buds should be removed promptly.

4. Pest and disease control. 1. Leaf spot. It often occurs in summer and mainly damages leaves; diseased plants drop leaves early and grow weakly. Control methods: ① promptly remove diseased leaves; ② before onset, use 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture or 50% Tuzet 800 times liquid, spraying once every 7 to 10 days, for several consecutive times. 2. Rust disease. It damages leaves, occurring in early May and becoming severe in July to August. Control methods:

① choose high, dry land with good drainage for cultivation;

② eliminate diseased plants; ③ in the early stage of onset, spray 0.3-0.4 degrees Baume lime-sulfur mixture or 97% ferrous dimethyldithiocarbamate 400 times liquid, spraying once every 7 to 10 days, for several consecutive times.

3. Root rot. It occurs frequently in summer when there is much rain and standing water, and damages the roots. Control methods:

① select robust peony buds as seed;

② in the early stage of onset, drench the roots with 50% carbendazim 800-1000 times liquid. 4. Pests. Mainly grubs, cutworms and others damage the roots, occurring from May to September. Control methods: pour 90% trichlorfon 1000-1500 times liquid at the roots to kill the insects. The use of any pesticide is prohibited 7 to 10 days before harvest, and highly toxic pesticides are strictly prohibited throughout the entire growing season.

Methods for Harvesting Peony It is best to harvest in August of the third to fourth year. At harvest, choose a sunny day, cut off the stems and leaves, dig out the roots, cut the thick roots from where they attach to the peony head, leave roots as thick as a pen holder on the peony head for use in division propagation, then trim off the lateral roots from the thick roots and the root tails, and cut into peony strips 9-12cm long with both ends of similar thickness according to the natural growth of the peony roots, grade them by size, and place them indoors for 2 to 3 days, turning the pile once each day.

Techniques for Keeping Peony Seed Stock At peony harvest, cut off the medicinal portion and leave about 6cm of the root head, cut vertically into pieces, keeping 4 to 5 bud scales per piece, dip the cut wounds in some lime and dry them briefly in the sun so the wound moisture dries, then store them by the sand storage method in a cellar or indoors, and plant from late September to early October. The seeds mature in mid to late July; cut them off together with the shell, place in a cool place for about 10 days, then thresh. Do not expose to sunlight; sow from late July to early August. After sowing, cover with grass to keep warm and moist.

In the process of planting white peony, in addition to mastering some planting techniques and methods, the prevention and treatment of its diseases is also very important. Only by mastering the prevention and treatment methods of some common diseases can it be very helpful for increasing the planting yield of white peony.