How to Grow Tinglizi (Descurainia sophia)? Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Tinglizi is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the seed of Descurainia sophia, a plant in the genus Descurainia of the Brassicaceae family. It has the effects of purging the lungs and directing qi downward, resolving phlegm and calming panting, and promoting diuresis to reduce swelling. It is mainly used to treat conditions such as panting and coughing with copious phlegm, edema with fluid accumulation in the chest and abdomen, and chronic cor pulmonale. So how should it be grown? Let us find out together.
1. Growth Habits
Tinglizi likes to grow in a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. It also has certain requirements for soil, preferring loose, fertile, moist soil with good drainage. Before planting, it is best to plow the soil several times so that it weathers fully. Then, during the final plowing, apply decomposed farmyard manure or organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer according to the soil fertility, which can provide sufficient nutrients for plant growth. After fertilizing, level and rake the soil smooth and prepare to sow.
2. Sowing
Tinglizi is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, so it can be planted in both spring and autumn, but the best sowing time is in autumn from September to November. Sowing during this period gives the highest seed germination rate and the best growth. When sowing, choose seeds of good varieties that are plump. Hole sowing or drill sowing can be used. For hole sowing, open holes on the seedbed at a spacing of 20×40 cm, sow a few seeds per hole, cover with soil, and water. For drill sowing, open shallow furrows on the seedbed at a row spacing of 40 cm, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, likewise cover with soil, and water.
3. Field Management
Generally, seedlings emerge 20-30 days after sowing. Weeds should be removed promptly at emergence to prevent them from affecting the growth of the seedlings. In addition, in November-December, thin and fill in seedlings while weeding. Leave 4-5 strong seedlings per hole, and remove weak and diseased seedlings promptly. After overwintering, in February of the following year, combine cultivating and weeding with one topdressing, preferably with human feces and urine. Later, according to the different growth stages of the plants, apply topdressing 1-2 times to promote robust plant growth and increase yield.
4. Pests and Diseases
Tinglizi has relatively few pests and diseases. The common disease during cultivation is sclerotinia rot, a fungal disease that can infect plants from the seedling stage and adult plant stage, mainly harming stems, vines, and fruits. For prevention and control, strengthen field management, do a good job of clearing the garden in winter to eliminate overwintering sources of the pathogen, and choose varieties with strong disease resistance when planting. When the disease occurs, spread a mixed powder of plant ash and slaked lime around the root system, or spray chemicals for control.
The above is an introduction to the cultivation techniques for Tinglizi. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.