What precautions are there for planting Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata)? Growers need to master them in advance

Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata) is a common Chinese herbal medicine that can be used to treat symptoms such as colds, headaches and joint pain throughout the body. Fangfeng can be grown as a couple of plants on a home balcony, or grown on a professional scale. So how should Fangfeng be planted? What are the precautions for planting Fangfeng?

1. Planting methods for Fangfeng

There are mainly three planting methods for Fangfeng, namely sowing, transplanting seedlings and root segments.

1. Sowing. Fangfeng can be sown either in autumn or in spring. In the north, autumn sowing is done before the late-autumn freeze, while spring sowing should be done in mid-to-late May, when the soil temperature reaches above 15 degrees C. Now is a good time for spring sowing.

2. Transplanting seedlings. Transplanting seedlings is carried out by growing them in a seedbed, and they should be watered in good time so that the soil moisture content reaches 40%, to help the seedlings emerge. After the seedlings emerge, weeding and loosening the soil should be carried out 3 times in a row, and when they grow to about 8 cm, fertilizing begins.

3. Root segments. In early spring or at harvest time in autumn, select root strips of more than 0.7 cm, cut them into small segments 3-5 cm long and plant them in dug holes.

2. Precautions for planting

1. For Fangfeng, the best soil choice is loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam and light clay loam; clay, waterlogged low-lying land, highly acidic soil or heavily saline-alkaline land are not suitable for planting. After sowing, the soil needs to be kept moist to prevent the soil surface from caking.

2. Fangfeng is a cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant plant, and must by no means be too wet or waterlogged. During the rainy season, drainage must be carried out in good time, otherwise the roots and basal leaves will rot.

3. Before June, Fangfeng needs repeated weeding to keep the field clean. When winter comes, in combination with clearing up, earth up the soil again to help the roots survive the winter.

4. In August, Fangfeng needs a suitable additional application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. When fertilizing, pay attention to the distance between the fertilizer and the roots, otherwise the seedlings may be burned.

5. Powdery mildew is the most common disease of Fangfeng. If this occurs, it is necessary to apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer as well as strengthen light and air permeability. When the disease occurs, spray 50% thiophanate-methyl at 800—1000 times dilution for control.

6. The yellow swallowtail butterfly, the yellow-winged fennel borer and the carrot micro-tube aphid are the most serious pests of Fangfeng. Generally, trichlorfon solution or dichlorvos solution is used for spraying, once every seven or eight days, for about three consecutive sprays.

7. When the branches and leaves of Fangfeng gradually turn yellow-green and the tubers are 30 to 35 cm, harvesting can be carried out.

The above are the main planting methods and some precautions for Fangfeng. Planting Fangfeng is relatively simple, and the recent period is a very suitable time for sowing Fangfeng, so you might as well start trying to grow Fangfeng yourself.