What are the latest methods for growing Andrographis paniculata?
Andrographis paniculata, also called bitter gallbladder herb, is an annual medicinal plant that has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and reducing inflammation and relieving pain. It is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions. There is actually more than one way to grow Andrographis paniculata, and today we will introduce several commonly used methods for growing it, to help everyone apply them in actual cultivation, and also to learn about how Andrographis paniculata grows.
1. Sowing and growing
Andrographis paniculata seeds are very small, and their ability to emerge when sown directly is poor, so before sowing the seeds need to be soaked, and the planting soil must be finely tilled, with a shallower soil covering. For soaking the seeds, use hot water at 50 degrees and stir, and once the temperature drops to over 20 degrees, soak for two days. You can skip germination; the seeds sprout easily. Mix the seeds with plant ash and sow them in the seedbed, covering with a few millimeters of soil. After spraying water, cover with plastic film to keep warm and rice straw to keep warm. When 80% have sprouted, remove the covering. After that, frequently apply dilute fertilizer water.
2. Cutting propagation
To propagate Andrographis paniculata by cuttings, choose a robust main stem, cut the main stem into 5 cm lengths, keep a few leaves, and cut the lower end of the main stem at an angle; after that you can insert the cuttings. Choose a piece of partially shaded land; the soil needs to be loose sandy loam, or you can insert the cuttings directly in a sand bed, and mixing sand into the seedling bed also works. Insert the cuttings into the soil, then spray water every day to keep it moist. Roots will soon grow, and once roots are full, they become plants.
3. Home growing
Growing Andrographis paniculata at home is fairly casual; Andrographis paniculata is easy to keep alive. You can directly take branches and root them in water, then transplant them into a flower pot after they grow roots. After it resumes growth, you can water once at intervals, and it will grow very well. Or directly prepare river sand plus humus soil, sow directly, and wait for it to grow. Water and keep warm; even if some do not sprout, it does not matter much, as the loss is not great.
4. Points to note
When sowing and raising seedlings, be careful to sow evenly. It is best to sow when the temperature has risen above 20 degrees, as it sprouts easily and grows quickly. The rice straw used for covering should be clean, sterilized rice straw. When cuttings have few roots, do not transplant; three days before transplanting, water and loosen the soil to avoid damaging the roots. For home growing, generally you will not grow too many, and direct sowing will let them grow very well.
There are also several methods for growing Andrographis paniculata; you can choose the growing method yourself, and choose a suitable method according to your own conditions. But no matter which method, you must pay attention to some details so as not to affect the growth of Andrographis paniculata.