A Detailed Guide to the Planting Methods and Key Techniques for Mingyue Cao

Mingyue cao is a fairly common household potted plant; it grows rather quickly, and its leaves can be steeped in water to drink, with the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. So what are the planting methods for Mingyue cao?

1. Propagation methods: this plant is mainly propagated by division or cuttings, mostly carried out from March to May each year. It is easy to cultivate; keep the growing medium moist, and roots will form in about 1 to 2 weeks. Sowing can also be used to raise seedlings. For the growing medium, a mixed substrate made from leaf mold, river mud and garden soil can be used, in a ratio by volume of 2:4:4.

2. Potting method: this can be done once the Mingyue cao seedlings have taken shape. A medium-sized flower pot without drainage holes is mostly used as the container for planting. To achieve a better ornamental effect, 1 seedling can be placed in each pot, and watering after the operation is complete is all that is needed. To make it easier for the plants to recover, the planting operation is best carried out on an overcast day.

3. Hydroponic method: Mingyue cao is not strict about water quality and can be grown in fresh water with lower hardness; salinity should not be too high. The pH of the water is best kept between 6.5 and 7.0, that is, slightly acidic to neutral.

4. Fertilizing: Mingyue cao has a relatively high demand for fertilizer; during the vigorous growth stage, applying fertilizer once every 2 to 3 weeks is enough. If grown in a pot or container, only a small amount of fertilizer is needed, such as the quick-acting fertilizer Huabao No. 2, or the slow-release fertilizer Magic Fertilizer (which can maintain fertilizer efficiency in water for a long time).

5. Light: Mingyue cao likes an environment with sufficient light; in a shaded environment the plant grows poorly. It grows well in full sun; under half-day sun its leaf stalks will stretch longer, growing toward the light, and it needs slight adjustment of its posture to look more attractive. It is best to let it receive 4 to 6 hours of scattered sunlight each day; with special fluorescent lamps, giving the plant 8 to 10 hours of artificial light per day also allows it to grow normally.

6. Temperature: Mingyue cao likes warmth and fears cold; it grows well within a temperature range of 10 to 25 degrees, and the overwintering temperature should not be lower than 5 degrees. Under good management conditions, Mingyue cao is not prone to disease and is also less subject to attack by harmful animals.

In fact, in the market, many merchants exaggerate the effects of Mingyue cao, calling it a “miracle drug that cures all diseases”; such exaggerated claims should be treated with caution. Although Mingyue cao is good for the body, it is not omnipotent.