How to Grow Dwarf Lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus)? A Full Breakdown of Detailed Planting Methods
In recent years, the market demand for dwarf lilyturf has been growing, but the scale of dwarf lilyturf cultivation has not expanded, so the market has seen a supply shortage, and the market price has risen somewhat. Naturally, some people have spotted the business opportunity and started growing it. So how is dwarf lilyturf grown?
I. How to Grow Dwarf Lilyturf
1. Seedlings. Dwarf lilyturf is generally propagated by division. When selecting plants, choose vigorous ones, then cut off their fibrous roots, divide them into single plants, trim away the remaining fibrous roots, and they are ready to plant. Do not let too much time pass; place the plants in clean water to absorb some moisture, then insert them into loose soil, cover with soil, and finally place them in a shady spot, watering once a day.
2. Planting
Carry out planting on a day when it is not raining, using the furrow row-planting method. First apply dilute pig manure water in the furrow, then plant the seedlings, 3 plants per clump. After planting, cover with soil and press firm to fix the seedlings in place.
3. Intercropping
The main production areas of dwarf lilyturf all use intercropping. In spring and summer, corn is planted, with one row of corn interplanted every five rows of dwarf lilyturf. During the dwarf lilyturf growing period, crops are generally not interplanted so as not to affect the yield of dwarf lilyturf.
4. Cultivation and Weeding
Half a month after planting the seedlings, weed once, and from the second half of the year until October, weed once every month, because weeds grow rampant during this period.
5. Irrigation
In summer, once the weather turns hot, water evaporates in large amounts, so the crop must be replenished with water in time. Winter is prone to drought, so irrigation is also needed. In summer, during rainy spells, drainage work must be done actively to prevent water from accumulating, which causes root rot, pests and diseases, and other problems that affect the growth of dwarf lilyturf.
6. Diseases
Black spot: This is a disease spread by fungi. It harms the leaves of dwarf lilyturf, generally parasitising the leaves and becoming active in April of the following year, causing the plants to develop the disease and the leaves to wither and die. We can spread plant ash, then use Bordeaux mixture and amobam wettable powder to soak the seedlings and spray them.
Root-knot nematode disease: This is a disease that harms the roots. Where conditions allow, paddy-upland rotation can be used, disease-resistant healthy seedlings can be selected, and the soil can be disinfected.
7. Pests
The pests generally include white grubs, mole crickets, cutworms, and click beetles, all of which are pests that harm the roots and stems. Rotation with rice is used for prevention and control, along with pesticide spraying.