How to grow Sedum kamtschaticum? Latest planting techniques and methods tutorial

Sedum kamtschaticum, also known as Sedum aizoon, Tusangi, or Feicai, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Sedum in the family Crassulaceae. It mostly grows on mountain forest edges, in shrub thickets, and in riverside grass, and is relatively shade-tolerant, drought-tolerant, and cold-tolerant. It can overwinter in the open field in the north and has no strict requirements for soil, with strong adaptability and high cultivation value. Now let us take a look at the cultivation techniques for Sedum kamtschaticum!

Growth habits of Sedum kamtschaticum

Sedum kamtschaticum is an ancient plant that grows on mountain slopes at forest edges, under valley forests, in shrub thickets, in shaded and damp riverside places, and in dry, ventilated areas. It avoids waterlogging, has no strict requirements for soil texture, is slightly shade-tolerant, cold-tolerant, and tolerant of drought and barren conditions, and can grow vigorously on mountain rocks and wasteland. In China, it is distributed in Sichuan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and other places.

Cultivated varieties of Sedum kamtschaticum

1. Narrow-leaf variety: leaves narrowly oblong-cuneate or nearly linear, less than 5 mm wide, flowering in June to July, fruiting in August, produced in Gansu, Shaanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, and Heilongjiang, growing on shaded mountain slopes at an altitude of about 1350 m.

2. Broad-leaf variety: leaves broadly obovate, elliptic, or ovate, sometimes slightly round, with rounded-obtuse tips and cuneate bases, 2 to 7 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, flowering in July, produced in Shandong, Hebei, Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang.

3. Milky-hair variety: leaves narrow, tips obtuse, plant covered with minute papillate protrusions, flowering in June to July, fruiting in August, produced in Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, Shaanxi, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia, growing on rocky mountain slope grassland below an altitude of 3600 m.

Propagation methods of Sedum kamtschaticum

1. Root division propagation: For root division propagation of Sedum kamtschaticum, dig out the roots in early spring, divide them into several plants according to the number of root buds, with each plant carrying more than 2 root buds. Then dig holes at a row spacing of 30 x 15 cm, plant with water, and firm the soil after covering.

2. Cutting propagation: For cutting propagation of Sedum kamtschaticum, select robust young shoots in summer, cut them into 10 to 15 cm long stem sections, insert them into a cutting bed, water frequently, and keep the soil moist. After about 15 to 20 days, they will take root and survive.

3. Seed propagation: For seed propagation of Sedum kamtschaticum, sow the seeds in mid-April of spring on a previously prepared seedling bed, open shallow furrows at a row spacing of 15×20 cm, water after sowing, and cover with grass to preserve moisture. When about 10% of the seedlings have emerged, remove the covering grass and carry out loosening of the soil and weeding.

Cultivation techniques for Sedum kamtschaticum

1. Land preparation and fertilization: Dry land suitable for crop growth can be used to cultivate Sedum kamtschaticum, but fertile sandy loam cropland and loam cropland are conducive to high yield. In advance, plow the land deeply and sun the soil clods. Apply 2000 kg of decomposed pig and cattle manure per mu, or 100 kg of decomposed rapeseed cake plus 50 kg of imported ternary compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. Till finely and harrow level, make beds with a width of 2 m including furrows, with furrows 30 cm deep and beds 20 to 40 m long, and open waist furrows and surrounding furrows properly. Level the bed surface and wait for planting.

2. Transplanting and planting: Open planting furrows at a row spacing of 25 cm, apply 1000 kg of decomposed pig and cattle manure per mu or 50 kg of decomposed rapeseed cake into the furrows, mix the fertilizer thoroughly with the soil, and then plant at a spacing of 15 cm. When planting, lift the seedlings from the seedling bed with soil, plant 2 to 3 seedlings per hole, with a planting depth of about 5 cm. After planting, water thoroughly, then cover with fine soil and press lightly, and water to settle the seedlings. The total number of planting holes per mu is 9500 to 10000 holes, and the total number of plants is 22,000 to 25,000.

3. Fertilizer and water management: After planting, topdressing should be applied less each time but frequently, generally once a month or applied with watering, with 10 kg of urea and 3 kg of monopotassium phosphate applied per mu each time. Before overwintering or regreening, apply 2000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure per mu or 50 kg of ternary compound fertilizer. After each harvest, promptly apply 10 kg of potassium chloride per mu or broadcast 100 kg of plant ash to promote branching and increase yield. If the soil is dry, water in time, and the water must soak through. Sedum kamtschaticum avoids waterlogging, so in the rainy season, clear the furrows and drain water in time.

4. Overwintering management: Sedum kamtschaticum has strong vitality. In winter in the northern part of Liaoning, it can be moved to the south-facing balcony of a heated building to continue growing, or placed in a corridor or outdoors in a wind-sheltered, sunny place. First water it thoroughly once, then cover it with rice straw, and after snow falls, cover it with some snow to let it overwinter in dormancy. In the spring of the second year, the new buds it sends out are more robust than those of Sedum aizoon grown year-round.

5. Disease and pest control: The main disease of Sedum kamtschaticum is powdery mildew, which generally occurs easily in rainy, hot, and humid seasons. The affected leaves first develop white powdery mildew spots, which gradually expand to cover the entire leaf, and later scattered black dots appear on the diseased spots. For control, pay attention to ventilation and light transmission, remove weeds in time, drain water in the rainy season, and burn diseased plants in autumn, which can reduce the occurrence of this disease. If the disease has already occurred, it can be controlled with 0.5 degree Baume lime sulfur mixture or with triadimefon.

6. Harvesting and processing: There are two harvesting methods for Sedum kamtschaticum. One method is uniform harvesting, that is, while leaving 3 to 4 nodes at the base of most branches, cut off the tender stems and leaves horizontally with a sickle in one go, generally once every about 60 days, with a yield of about 4000 kg per mu each time. The other method is harvesting in stages and batches, first harvesting the dense and robust tender stems and leaves, letting the thin and sparse stems and leaves continue to grow, and then harvesting them successively later. The total annual yield of the two harvesting methods is basically the same. The harvested tender stems and leaves can be sold directly on the market, or dried for consumption or brewed as tea.