When to plant purslane? A detailed guide to planting time and methods

Purslane is a herbaceous plant with both edible and medicinal value, with good planting prospects that can bring decent economic returns. So, what are the planting time and methods for purslane?

1. Purslane planting time

Purslane planting time differs from place to place: in subtropical regions such as Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi it is late February; in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region it is mid-to-late May; in North China it is early-to-mid June.

2. Purslane planting techniques

1. Propagation methods

There are two ways to propagate purslane: one is seed propagation, and the other is vegetative propagation. Purslane seeds are relatively small, and the amount of seed used per mu of land is about 100 grams. Seed propagation is convenient for large-scale production. Vegetative propagation can be done by cuttings, but it is not very commonly used.

2. Key planting points

Purslane seeds are tiny, so the soil must be finely prepared before sowing, and drilling in rows or water sowing is best. Each mu of land needs 4000 jin of decomposed fertilizer, deep plowing to 15 cm, clods broken up, and the bed surface leveled, loose and fine. Make beds 1 m wide with 40 cm-wide furrows, and open two shallow sowing furrows 21-24 cm wide on the bed surface for drilling in rows.

3. Pest and disease control

The main diseases of purslane are viral disease, powdery mildew and leaf spot. Viral disease can be controlled by spraying a sugar-vinegar solution on the leaves; powdery mildew is commonly controlled with thiophanate-methyl; leaf spot is mainly controlled with pesticides such as chlorothalonil, carbendazim and procymidone.

4. Harvesting precautions

Purslane is a crop that is harvested over a long period, so each harvest should not be excessive, so that it can grow back better next time. When harvesting, try to pick only the freshest and most tender parts of the stems and leaves, and leave about 4-5 nodes on the roots and stems. The growth cycle of purslane after the first harvest is about 2-3 weeks, so it should be harvested in time; harvesting too late is not good for subsequent growth.

Purslane grows in vegetable gardens, farmland and roadsides, and is a common weed in fields. It has strong vitality, so planting it artificially is not difficult either; you just need to pay attention to some basic management work.