Detailed Explanation of Allium victorialis Cultivation Techniques in Feng County

Allium victorialis, also known as Allium victorialis, is a medicinal and edible plant, and both its stems and leaves are edible. In recent years, it has been introduced and cultivated in Feng County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Below, the editor will explain the Allium victorialis cultivation techniques in Feng County.

I. Sowing and seedling raising

After sowing, cover the seeds with 1.5 cm of soil. Because the seeds germinate in the spring of the following year, to retain moisture and prevent weed growth, cover them with 10 cm of rice straw or crop stalks. To prevent underground pests, after covering with soil, apply 45% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution. To reduce land occupation time, summer sowing can be carried out.

Before sowing, the seeds should be stratified in sand: in early May, soak the seeds for 24 hours, then mix them evenly with wet sand at a 1:3 volume ratio. The sand moisture should be such that it forms a ball when squeezed in the hand and breaks apart when released. Dig a shallow pit in a wind-sheltered, sunny place and bury them, cover with 10 cm of soil, and cover with 10 cm of rice straw to retain moisture. Observe frequently and sow before the seeds germinate in early July. In the spring of the following year, after the snow melts, remove the covering rice straw. After emergence, weed promptly and water during drought. Quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer can be applied as a top dressing, but the amount should be small: urea 2 g/sq m applied with water, 2-3 top dressings. Two-year-old seedlings are transplanted after the aboveground parts wither in autumn or in the following spring. They can be planted in beds or on ridges; for bed planting, the plant and row spacing is (8-10) cm × 10 cm. After growing for 1-2 years, they are planted out.

II. Planting management

1. Site selection and land preparation: Choose sparse woodland or farmland with a high groundwater table for shade cultivation. Ridge planting or bed planting can be used. Deeply plow the land 20-25 cm, apply 20-30 tons/ha of decomposed organic fertilizer, and mix in 300-400 kg/ha of ammonium phosphate.

2. Planting out: 3- or 4-year-old seedling plants are used for planting out. For vegetative propagation, division seedlings are used for planting out. Plant in autumn or spring, with autumn planting preferred. Plant on low ridges (8-10 cm high), with a ridge spacing of 60 cm and a plant spacing of 35-40 cm.

3. Shading: Regardless of the cultivation form, shading must be carried out after emergence or when leaves unfold. A shade net with 40-50% light blocking can be used for shading. In Jilin Province, the shading period is from early May to early August. During the seedling period (1-3 years) and the year of transplanting, shading must be carried out, with a shading level of 50%. For mature plants, the shading level is 40%.

III. Harvest management

Harvesting can be carried out after 5-6 years of growth. There are 3 harvest methods: the first is whole-plant harvesting, that is, digging out the entire clump; the second is leaf-picking harvesting, that is, after the leaves unfold, harvest 1-2 leaves from each tiller, which can be harvested every year; the third is cutting the aboveground parts after the leaves unfold. After cutting, the plant will still produce new leaves, but the leaf shape becomes narrower and smaller, and growth becomes weaker. In the second year after cutting, the leaf shape returns to normal, but the leaves are still slightly smaller, so harvesting should be done every other year.

According to the record in “Qianjin · Dietary Therapy”, Allium victorialis is slightly warm in nature, pungent in taste, and non-toxic. It enters the lung meridian, has dispersing and warming properties, and its fragrance repels turbidity. It can be used for wind-cold common cold and for symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal fullness. It is a well-known medicinal material, and cultivation can bring good economic benefits.