How to grow Aucklandia lappa? The latest planting techniques and method tutorial
Aucklandia lappa, also known as costus root or Guangzhou costus, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family and a common Chinese herbal medicine. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, soothing the liver and relieving depression, and regulating qi to relieve pain. So how should Aucklandia lappa be grown? Let's find out together.
1. Site selection and land preparation
Choose sandy loam soil with good drainage, good water retention, deep soil layers, and a loose, fertile texture. It is not demanding about the previous crop, but continuous cropping should be avoided. Before planting, plow it 3-5 times, and apply base fertilizer on the last pass. Generally, apply 2500-5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu. After fertilizing, level and rake the soil, and make raised beds 1-1.2 m wide to facilitate drainage and irrigation. If the terrain is flat, shallow plowing is preferable, and deep plowing should be avoided so as not to affect the growth of Aucklandia lappa.
2. Sowing
Seed propagation is generally used when planting. Sowing can be done in spring or autumn. In areas with moist soil, spring sowing is suitable, and the sowing time is before the rainy season. First soak the seeds in warm water at about 30 degrees for 24 hours, then dry them and sow. If the soil is dry, no treatment is needed. For autumn sowing in August, no seed soaking is required. You can open furrows 50 cm apart on the bed surface and sow directly. After sowing, cover with 3-5 cm of soil and press lightly. The seeding rate per mu is between 0.7-1 kg.
3. Field management
After emergence, field management should be strengthened. Thin the seedlings in time to increase air movement among the young plants and help them grow quickly. Also cultivate and weed in time so that weeds do not affect seedling growth. In the early growth stage, apply nitrogen fertilizer, while in the later stage, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote root expansion and increase yield. Every year at the Spring Festival, combine cultivation and weeding with an application of 50-100 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer and 1000-1500 kg of farmyard manure per mu. It is best to fertilize before rain, or fertilize and then water and irrigate. After 2 years of growth, in order to increase root yield and promote root growth, all flower stalks that are not being kept for seed should be removed.
4. Pests and diseases
Aucklandia lappa has relatively few diseases. The main disease is root rot, so choose a plot with good drainage when planting. In addition, take good drainage measures during the rainy season to avoid waterlogging that can trigger disease. In the early stage of the disease, spray the roots with thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim for control. Pests are mainly aphids, silver Y moths, and grasshoppers. Pest control should combine agricultural, physical, and chemical control methods to eliminate the pests thoroughly.
The above is an introduction to the cultivation techniques of Aucklandia lappa. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.