Is the ginseng fruit real? A detailed explanation of the Journey to the West ginseng fruit growing method
Many people know ginseng fruit from “Journey to the West”, and are full of curiosity about it. How could there be a fruit that looks like a little doll? So is the ginseng fruit in "Journey to the West" real? How is it grown?
In fact, what is in "Journey to the West" is not the real ginseng fruit; they are all the result of growing zucchini inside artificial molds.
Generally, the kind of rather cute so-called “ginseng fruit” with a smiling face that we see on the street is not authentic. It tastes about the same as cucumber, but the price is astonishingly expensive, usually selling for 20 yuan each, yet it is only grown by grafting zucchini and putting a doll-shaped mold over it when it is about the size of a table tennis ball. It is generally more for ornamental value, but the taste is average, and it is not recommended to eat much of it.
So is there no real ginseng fruit? Of course there is, but the appearance of its fruit is different from what we imagine. It is oval, and the skin of different varieties looks a little different; some are golden yellow, and some also have purple-red stripes. You can buy it at a larger supermarket.
Authentic ginseng fruit is a good thing. It contains relatively more trace elements and protein, and even has the reputation of being the “king of anti-cancer”.
As for how they are grown, like other fruits, the cultivation of ginseng fruit also has to go through land preparation, variety selection, seedling raising and field management, only it also requires making molds and growing it with molds, and paying attention to the following points:
1. During land preparation, apply enough base fertilizer first, mainly farmyard manure, phosphate fertilizer and potassium fertilizer; it is not recommended to apply urea.
2. During seedling raising, choosing cutting propagation is the easiest to survive and more efficient, and the time is best chosen before July each year.
3. After planting, set up trellises to secure the ginseng fruit branches.
4. After flowering and fruiting, promptly remove those deformed and diseased fruits;
5. Harvest only when the peel and flesh show a light yellow color; harvesting too early or too late will affect its quality and taste.