When to plant perennial American ginseng and how many years until harvest? How to grow it for high yield

American ginseng, also known as flower flag ginseng, is a relatively common Chinese herbal medicine in China. Because its appearance closely resembles ginseng, it is called southern ginseng. It is currently widely sold on the market, and the price is not very expensive. So when is American ginseng planted and harvested? How many years until it can be harvested? How should it be grown for high yield?

Planting time for American ginseng:

Sowing is divided into spring and autumn. In Shaanxi Province, autumn sowing is good, with uniform and strong seedlings. Before sowing, water thoroughly to soak the bottom soil. After the water seeps down, loosen the soil and sow in drills at 6 cm * 6 cm. After sowing, cover with 3-5 cm of soil, then cover with about 6 cm of grass, fallen leaves, sawdust, and plant ash to help preserve moisture and promote seedling emergence. In addition, using plastic film is even better, as it can both preserve moisture and prevent weeds and disease. Sowing in drills is better: the furrow bottom is level, seedlings emerge uniformly, and management is easier.

Potted American ginseng can be planted in early March, or in mid-to-late October, and the seedlings should be planted as soon as they are lifted, which can increase the survival rate.

The seed collection time is generally from late August to early September. When the American ginseng fruit is fully red and ripe, it can be harvested. If harvested too early, the seeds do not develop well; if harvested too late, the fruit easily falls off and is prone to rodent damage. The harvested red fruits should promptly have the flesh rubbed off and be washed clean, and the shriveled seeds should be floated off. When the seeds are slightly dry and there is no water on the surface, they can be buried for storage. If keeping ten seeds, the seeds should be dried in the shade until the moisture content is below 15%.

Ginseng seed germination rate: The highest germination rate of American ginseng seeds is 80%-90%, and after sowing the seedling emergence rate is only 60%-70%. Apart from being affected by temperature and soil moisture conditions, this is also related to the seeds themselves not being plump, the embryo not developing completely, and rot during germination acceleration and storage. Germinated seeds must be selected grain by grain, using plump, already split (with fully developed embryo), disease-free seeds as sowing material. When necessary, test seed viability, and use high-quality seeds to increase the seedling emergence rate.

Harvest time:

American ginseng is generally harvested after 4-5 years, and some are harvested after even more years. The active ingredients of American ginseng are directly proportional to the number of years. The longer the years, the higher the chemical composition, the better the clinical effect, and the higher the economic benefit, but there are also more diseases. If the soil is very fertile and field management is good, direct sowing is best. This reduces infection opportunities and saves manpower and resources. After 4 years, when harvesting, the overly small ones can be transplanted, and then harvested 1-2 years after planting. The timely harvest season for American ginseng is autumn, when the aboveground stems have withered, the root nutrition is increased, and the quality is best: full of juice, solid in texture, and light yellow skin. When harvesting, remove the aboveground stems, and do not wound the ginseng roots.

How many years until it can be harvested?

The cultivation time of American ginseng is generally 3 to 6 years. Generally speaking, the longer the cultivation time, the larger the ginseng body. Of course, the size of the ginseng body is also related to cultivation conditions, and there will also be certain differences among individuals, just as radishes in one field also differ somewhat in size. The single root weight of 6-year-old original branches or round heads is generally above 15 grams, and a small portion will reach 30 grams. The larger the single root weight, the higher the price. American ginseng under 3 years has very few secondary metabolites and almost no active ingredients, with little medicinal value, so it is generally not harvested. Therefore, the artificially cultivated American ginseng sold on the market generally has a ginseng age of about 3-6 years.

Cultivation techniques:

1. Seed treatment: In August, when the ginseng fruit turns red, harvest fresh fruit, immediately rub off the flesh, wash clean, and let it dry slightly, then soak the seeds for 10-20 minutes in 1000 times 50% carbendazim, remove and dry, then soak for 24 hours in 50 ppm high-quality gibberellin, then remove and rinse once with clean water, then mix with sand (seed:sand = 1:3). After mixing with sand, place in a basin or box and keep in a cool place until November. The temperature should be controlled below 25°C, and the humidity should preferably be 10%-12% moisture content. Too wet easily rots the seeds; it should be moist enough that a handful forms a ball and crumbles when released. Seeds from the current year emerge vigorously, while seeds from the previous year emerge with weak growth.

2. Sowing time: In late November, those treated by the above method can have 70%-80% split, while those not treated with gibberellin have about 30% split. They can be picked out in batches and sown, with the sowing period lasting until the end of December. The remaining unsplit ones are placed at 0-5°C, and by February of the following year they can still split. After sowing, they can also emerge. Those that split even later cannot emerge, or cannot emerge completely, because the low-temperature treatment time is less than 70 days and physiological after-ripening cannot be completed.

3. Sowing method: On a leveled seedbed with sufficient moisture, spread 3 cm of sieved, evenly fine, moist weathered stone mixed with disinfectant, then level it again. Use a standard 5×6 cm spacing hole-making board to make holes (2 cm deep) and sow, so as to keep the depth standard consistent. After sowing, spread weathered stone mixed with disinfectant to cover the seeds. For smoothness, after covering with weathered stone, smooth it once with a board to ensure a sowing depth of 2 cm. Then cover with 10 to 15 cm of grass to preserve moisture and prevent freezing. Seedlings generally emerge around April 20.

Growing conditions:

American ginseng is suitable for growing in mountainous broadleaf forest zones at an altitude of about 1000 m, with annual rainfall of about 1000 mm, average annual temperature of about 13°C, a frost-free period of 150-200 days, and a mild climate with abundant rainfall. It prefers shade and moisture, and avoids strong light and high temperatures. The optimum temperature during the growing period is 18-24°C, and the relative air humidity is about 80%. It has strict soil requirements and is suitable for loose, relatively thick, fertile forest sandy loam rich in humus, with pH 5.5-6.5. It should not be continuously cropped.