How to Grow Guanyin Vegetable? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Techniques

Guanyin vegetable, also known as broad-leaf chive, large-leaf chive, wild kohlrabi, immortal vegetable, deer chive, mountain chive or stone chive, has leaves resembling orchid foliage. It can be used as medicine and is also an excellent nutritional health product. So, how do you grow Guanyin vegetable?

1. Soil and environment selection

Guanyin vegetable has extremely strong stress resistance, tolerates poor soil, is easy to cultivate, and has few pests and diseases. It can be cultivated all year round. Because this vegetable is mainly supplied to supermarkets, hotels and restaurants, the requirements for the product are relatively high. The production base should be selected in a place with fresh air, pure water quality, uncontaminated soil, and good ecological conditions for Guanyin vegetable. At the same time, fields with deep soil layers, high organic matter content, and strong water and fertilizer retention capacity are required, which is conducive to a bumper harvest.

2. Cutting propagation

Because adventitious roots easily form at the nodes of Guanyin vegetable, cutting propagation is commonly used, preferably in spring and autumn, which is conducive to rooting. Within 3-7 days after cutting, shade nets should be used during the day to help retain moisture, promote rooting, and ensure early establishment. Usually, water sparingly but frequently. Spray carbendazim once every 3-5 days at a concentration of 600 times. Generally, roots can form after 20 days and the plants can be transplanted.

3. Fertilizing and making beds

Guanyin vegetable is generally cultivated mainly under protected conditions and has a relatively long growth period, so sufficient base fertilizer must be applied before transplanting. Generally, apply 1500kg-2000kg of commercial organic fertilizer, 50kg of BB fertilizer or compound fertilizer, 5kg of urea, and 40kg of superphosphate per mu, then plow, level the land and make beds.

4. Planting management

When new roots of Guanyin vegetable have grown to about 10cm after 20 days of cutting, it is the right time to transplant. Before transplanting, be sure to water thoroughly and transplant with pesticide treatment. When planting, plant 4 rows per bed, with a row spacing of 40cm and a plant spacing of 35cm, planting 3000-3200 plants per mu. After planting, add 600 times carbendazim while watering to settle the roots, then cover with soil.

5. Field management

After planting, water the blood-tonifying vegetable once promptly to promote seedling recovery. Water once more after the seedlings have recovered. When the fleshy root grows to about 1 cm in diameter, water promptly to keep the soil consistently moist. Apply topdressing once 15—20 days after planting, with 15—20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. Remove weeds promptly. From 7—10 days after seedling recovery, spray the leaves 1—2 times with a 0.1—0.2% borax solution, with each application of 50—75 kg per mu. For open-field overwintering cultivation of blood-tonifying vegetable, if plastic film mulching or arched shed film cultivation is used in winter, the harvest can be brought forward for market. For planting in summer and early autumn, rainproof and sun-shading facilities are needed.

6. Pest and disease control

The blood-tonifying vegetable has strong resistance and rarely suffers serious pest or disease damage. Occasionally there are aphids, which should be controlled promptly.

7. Timely harvest

Generally, harvest begins 5—7 weeks after planting (80—90 days after sowing for direct-seeded cultivation), when the fleshy root diameter (transverse diameter) is more than 3.5 cm, and it is supplied to the market successively. The general yield is 1500—2000 kg per mu, and high yields can reach more than 2500 kg.

Because Guanyin vegetable is an organic vegetable, it has strict requirements for the environment and soil. Try to plant it in places with fresh air and pollution-free water quality.