How to Grow Gentian? A Full Breakdown of the Latest Cultivation Techniques
Gentian can be simply called gentian, and it can also be called dan cao. It is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Gentianaceae family and can be grown in most parts of our country. For example, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong and other places. Wild gentian generally grows in grasslands, roadsides and other places, so how should gentian be grown artificially? Below are the cultivation methods for gentian. Let's learn about them together.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
Gentian has the characteristics of liking moisture and coolness, and its requirements for the planting site are not high. Usually, a relatively moist plot with sufficient water is chosen; the planting site should be relatively flat with sufficient sunlight; sandy loam soil is best, and it should contain abundant organic matter with relatively sufficient soil fertility. Clay soil and heavy clay soil are taboo. Before sowing, prepare the land by deep plowing the soil, doing so in combination with fertilization, mixing the base fertilizer evenly, applying a heavy base fertilizer, leveling the soil surface, breaking up the soil clods finely, and then opening furrows and making beds.
2. Planting Methods
There are two methods for planting gentian, namely seed propagation and division propagation. Seed propagation can generally be done in spring sowing and autumn sowing. For spring sowing, the seeds need to be treated and then sown, while autumn sowing is carried out in November each year. When sowing, use the drill method, with a distance of 35 cm between each row and 15 cm between each plant. Division propagation is carried out in April each year, planting at the same spacing as seed propagation.
3. Planting Management
After planting, the main thing is to maintain soil moisture and water irregularly. Secondly, weeds should be removed in time. There is no limit to the number of times weeds are removed in gentian cultivation; we mainly remove weeds in early summer according to the growth of the weeds, clearing them as early as possible. Next, gentian needs to be watered frequently, so to prevent soil compaction, it is necessary to loosen the soil and earth up the plants to improve soil permeability. Also, in order to promote the growth of gentian, we need to topdress in time. First, spray foliar fertilizer, generally about twice; second, apply cake fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer and farmyard manure in furrows. Finally, note that in order to improve the yield and quality of gentian and reduce nutrient consumption, it is necessary to thin the flowers and remove flower buds, so that nutrients can be supplied in a concentrated way and the growth of the rhizome can be promoted.
4. Pest and Disease Control
The most important disease of gentian is leaf spot, which mainly harms the leaf surface of the plant and eventually causes the leaves to wither and die. So first we need to disinfect the soil, second disinfect the gentian seedlings, then reasonably control the planting density, and also use chemicals for control, mainly mancozeb or dufulin. Finally, destroy diseased plants, thoroughly remove the soil near the diseased plants, and replace the soil, solving the problem completely from the source of infection.
Gentian is actually very common in our lives, but to people who do not know it, it is just a wild grass or weed. So its vitality is very tenacious, and naturally it is relatively easy to grow and also easy to survive. Today's sharing by the editor ends here. If you still have any questions later, you can raise them with the editor.