A Detailed Guide to the Planting Methods and Key Techniques for Abrus cantoniensis

Abrus cantoniensis is a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, with effects such as clearing heat and removing dampness, detoxifying, relieving pain, and benefiting the liver. It can be used to make chicken soup, and can remove dampness from the body. It is mainly grown in Guangzhou and Guangxi. So how do you plant Abrus cantoniensis?

1. Land

Abrus cantoniensis does not have high requirements for soil, but the scale of planting is not large, which is mainly related to market demand. General dry land, hillsides, plains, wasteland and so on can all be used for planting, except that the soil needs to be improved before planting. Deep plowing of the land is very necessary, especially for wasteland. Then the weeds, stones and so on in the soil must be cleared away. After disinfection, sufficient base fertilizer should be spread, and a drainage system should also be prepared in advance.

2. Sprouting and sowing

The seed coat of Abrus cantoniensis is relatively hard, and it is also covered with a waxy layer. If it is sown directly without treatment, it is very difficult for water to be absorbed, so the germination rate is especially low. The usual treatment method is to put the seeds in warm water to soak, take them out after the seeds swell, then rub off the waxy layer on the seed coat, and then sowing can be carried out. Sowing is generally done in drills, with the distance between each row at about 30 cm. Spread the seeds evenly in the small furrows, cover with soil to hide the seeds, and wait for the seedlings to emerge.

3. Thinning and filling in seedlings

Generally after about one month, thinning and filling in seedlings can be carried out. At this time, Abrus cantoniensis is about 6 to 8 cm. We need to remove the places in the field where the seedlings are relatively dense according to a reasonable spacing, then check the situation of missing seedlings, dead seedlings, and sparse seedlings in the field, and carry out reasonable thinning and filling in of seedlings. Finally, the row spacing for final planting remains 30 cm, and the plant spacing is about 25 cm. About 10,000 to 11,000 or 12,000 plants can be planted per mu.

4. Management

During the entire growth process of Abrus cantoniensis, weeding and fertilizing must be carried out multiple times. Abrus cantoniensis does not grow very fast, so we need to promote the growth rate of Abrus cantoniensis by enhancing the permeability of the soil. The next point is to fertilize after each weeding, which is more conducive to the absorption of nutrients, and nutrient loss will also be less. At the same time, it also has a great effect on improving the soil. Fertilization needs to be carried out together with urea, potassium fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer, and farmyard manure, which can enhance the resistance of the plants. Abrus cantoniensis is relatively drought-tolerant. Under normal weather, basically no watering is needed, but after a long drought, an appropriate amount of watering is needed, and in the rainy season, drainage should be carried out in time, and preparations for waterlogging prevention should be made well.

The yield per mu of Abrus cantoniensis can reach 400 kg. If planted on a large scale, the benefits are still fairly considerable. If conditions permit, you might as well try planting it.