When to plant and when to harvest canna edulis? Planting benefits and cultivation methods

Canna edulis, also known as ginger taro, banana taro, canna lotus, canna sprout, banana sprout, and fragrant pearl, is a common Chinese medicinal herb in most parts of China. Because of its wide range of uses, combining ornamental, edible, medicinal, feed, and brewing purposes in one, it is widely cultivated. So when is canna edulis planted? When is it harvested? What are the planting benefits? How is it planted?

Planting time:

Generally in spring from February to April, when the temperature steadily stays above 12-14°C.

Harvest time:

From mid-to-late November to December, when the temperature drops noticeably and the first frost appears and the aboveground parts wither, cut off the stems and leaves, dig out the rhizomes, remove the fibrous roots, wash them clean, and they can be processed. If frosty weather occurs, harvest should be done before the frost. For seed taro, select canna edulis that is undamaged, free of pests and diseases, plump and robust, with thick and complete buds, strong vitality, and individual weight of 50-150 g. It can be buried directly in soil, or spread out to dry for 3-4 days and then buried in soil, covered with canna edulis stems and leaves, rice straw, or other dry grass. Before frost and snow damage arrives, add a plastic film covering to keep warm and prevent freezing. When spring temperatures rise, the tubers will sprout and grow into seedlings.

Benefit analysis:

Planting canna edulis is simple and extensive, with low input and quick results, making it a fast way to increase income. In 2017, Quxi Village, Quxi Township, Liancheng County planted more than 70 hm2 of canna edulis, producing 45-90 t/hm2 of fresh canna edulis tubers. The purchase price of fresh tubers was 1.0-1.2 yuan/kg, and the output value of fresh tubers was 45,000-90,000 yuan/hm2. When processed to extract starch, every 100 kg of fresh tubers produces 15-16 kg of starch. The market price is 12-14 yuan/kg, and the output value is between 90,000 and 165,000 yuan/hm2, making it deeply popular among farmers.

Utilization value:

1. Canna edulis has lush stems and leaves, and the leaves do not wither or scorch easily. It has a long foliage-viewing period and is easy to manage, making it a good material for beautifying courtyards. Its rhizomatous tubers are sweet, bland, and cool in nature and flavor, and have the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, calming the mind, and lowering blood pressure. Its roots and flowers can also be used as medicine; the tubers are rich in starch and can be boiled for food or used to extract starch, making them an excellent raw material for starch processing.

2. Canna edulis starch has large granule size, low gelatinization temperature, good paste transparency, high amylose content, and good film-forming properties. Its molecular weight is very large, and it has good application properties, making it a new raw material source for high-value starch; the starch can be directly processed into foods and food ingredients such as vermicelli and noodles, and can also be used to produce monosodium glutamate, brew alcohol, produce oral and injectable glucose, sorghum syrup and other starch sugars, as well as various non-staple foods such as lotus root starch substitutes;

3. In the textile industry, sizing yarn with canna edulis starch has characteristics such as high adhesion and good smoothness compared with sizing yarn with grain starch; canna edulis starch and stem-leaf fiber can also be used for feed, papermaking, shoemaking, hatmaking, clothing, and cultural supplies, etc.

4. Canna edulis residue, stems, and leaves can be used as breeding feed, driving the development of the breeding industry. Canna edulis has broad application and market prospects.

High-yield cultivation techniques:

1. Land selection and preparation

Canna edulis has strong adaptability to soil and prefers moist, fertile, deep soil. It is relatively drought-tolerant and avoids waterlogging. It is best to choose a plot with sufficient sunlight, facing the sun and sheltered from wind, and with good drainage. In most areas of southern China, it can be planted regardless of altitude. The best soil is gently sloping sandy loam with deep soil layers, loose and fertile, good drainage, neutral to slightly acidic pH, and rich in organic matter and humus. It also adapts to fertile clay soil. It can be planted in large areas in rice fields, hillside land, and remote plots, and can also be planted in scattered spots around houses, beside mountains and ditches, and at field edges.

For high-yield cultivation, after selecting a suitable plot, carry out winter plowing to promote soil maturation and fragmentation. In spring, while preparing the land and making beds, apply 1500 kg/hm2 of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer and 30 t/hm2 of organic fertilizer as base fertilizer. Land preparation should involve deep plowing and careful cultivation, with broken soil and level mud, and fertilizer evenly mixed without being exposed on the soil surface. High beds are preferable, with a bed height of more than 30 cm. For single-row planting, the bed width is 70 cm; for double-row planting, the bed width is 110 cm, with a ditch width of 30 cm. Open drainage ditches around the perimeter to prevent water accumulation.

2. Seedling selection and treatment

In production, tuber propagation is mostly used. When harvesting in autumn and winter of the previous year, bury the seed taro in soil and cover it with rice straw, etc., to keep warm and prevent freezing. When spring temperatures rise and the tubers sprout and grow 2-4 leaves, select strong seedlings with healthy growth and no pests or diseases to transplant to the field. After lifting the seedlings, soak the taro seedlings in 800-fold carbendazim solution for 5-10 minutes to improve disease resistance.

3. Planting density

The row spacing is 60-70 cm and the plant spacing is 60-70 cm. Use high-bed cultivation or hole cultivation, with a planting density of 15,000-19,500 plants/hm2. When planting in scattered spots such as field edges, around houses, etc., pay attention to applying more decomposed organic fertilizer as base fertilizer and water thoroughly after planting.

4. Intertillage and hilling

In the early growth stage, timely intertillage and weed removal should be carried out to avoid weeds competing with canna edulis for nutrients and space. During the entire growth period, intertillage and hilling should be done 2-3 times, and soil from the bed ditches should be hilled onto the bed surface to benefit the growth of canna edulis. During intertillage and hilling, according to the growth characteristics of the underground stems of canna edulis, cultivate deeply in the early stage and shallowly in the later stage, to accelerate the division and expansion of tubers and prevent lodging.

5. Rational fertilization

Fertilizer application is a key measure for high yield of canna edulis. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer, rational topdressing should be carried out. At the seedling stage, apply 75-150 kg/hm2 of 45% potassium sulfate compound fertilizer by watering; in the middle and late stages, combine with intertillage and hilling. In the middle stage, apply 450-750 kg/hm2 of 45% potassium sulfate compound fertilizer; in the later stage, mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and avoid partial application of nitrogen fertilizer; before flowering, apply 225-450 kg/hm2 of potassium sulfate and 750 kg/hm2 of superphosphate, or 750-900 kg/hm2 of 45% potassium sulfate compound fertilizer. When fertilizing, fertilizer should be applied evenly on the left and right sides of the roots to facilitate full nutrient absorption and balanced plant growth. 3.3.4 Scientific water management. Canna edulis needs more water during the growth period, but has strong drought tolerance and avoids waterlogging. Water accumulation in the field can easily cause root rot and seedling death from waterlogging. The principle of water management is to water once every 15-20 days during drought. After fertilizing, pay attention to timely watering, and do not irrigate or soak. In the rainy season, do a good job of drainage and waterlogging prevention.

6. Flower pruning

To avoid nutrient consumption, when canna edulis blooms, the flowers should be cut off in time so that nutrients are concentrated on the growth of the underground stems and yield is increased.

7. Pest and disease control

Canna edulis has strong resistance to pests and diseases, and there are relatively few pests and diseases. The main ones are canna edulis blast, bud rot, and stem rot. Canna edulis blast is controlled with carbendazim and thiophanate; bud rot and stem rot can be controlled with chlorothalonil and Fuhuo No. 1. In the early and middle stages, aphids sometimes occur and can be controlled with pesticides such as dimethoate and imidacloprid.