What are the latest cultivation methods for zedoary?

Zedoary is also called turmeric; it is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb, and in some places it is also called green ginger and black-heart ginger. In China it is mainly produced in Taiwan, China, Fujian, Jiangsu, as well as Guangdong, Guangxi and other places. It has the effects of breaking blood stasis, promoting qi flow, relieving pain, aiding digestion and reducing stagnation, and it is mainly used to treat stagnation of qi and blood, distending pain in the heart and abdomen, retention of undigested food, blood stasis and amenorrhea, etc. So how is zedoary cultivated? Today let us learn about the cultivation methods of zedoary together.

1. Fine tillage

Zedoary has very strict requirements for its growing environment, so the selection and preparation of the planting site also need to be very meticulous. Generally, the soil should be relatively deep, close to a water source, easy to irrigate and drain, loose on top and firm below, not prone to waterlogging but with moist soil, and the plot should have sufficient sunlight and fertile soil; never plant it in clay. Apply sufficient barnyard manure or compost, deep-plow the soil, mix the fertilizer and soil, break up the clods finely, make the beds, and level the bed surface.

2. Propagation methods

The planting time of zedoary is related to its variety and the climatic conditions of the planting site. Generally, zedoary is planted in May and June, while warm zedoary is planted in April, and in Guangxi planting generally starts in February. The propagation method of zedoary is generally rhizome propagation. In winter we need to select good tubers and treat the tubers with plant ash. When the sowing time comes, place the tubers at a row spacing of 30 cm and a plant spacing of 25 cm, cover with a layer of fine soil, and then cover the top with a layer of plastic film, which can increase the emergence rate.

3. Field management

About 15 to 20 days after planting, we should check the emergence of zedoary. Under normal circumstances, zedoary will break through the plastic film on its own, but there are also special cases, so manual help is needed to break the film, so as not to affect the growth of zedoary seedlings. During the growth period of zedoary, we should check the humidity in the field and carry out watering and drainage reasonably, so as to avoid withering and root rot. After the seedlings have all emerged, we should carry out one round of intertillage and weeding, and apply the first topdressing, mainly by watering with manure and urine water. After another 20 days, apply topdressing again, still by watering with manure and urine water, and later it is basically enough to apply fertilizer once every one and a half months.

4. Pest and disease control

⟦NL>Zedoary has quite a lot of pests and diseases, so we need to take careful care of it during cultivation. The main diseases include root rot and leaf spot; the peak period of these diseases is generally in June and July when temperatures are high and there is abundant rain, and we need to use 1000-fold liquid of tebuconazole wettable powder and about 800-fold liquid of mancozeb for control. Secondly, pests such as cutworms, white grubs and ginger skipper also cause considerable harm to zedoary. Cutworms and white grubs can be poisoned with trichlorfon, and blacklight lamps can be used to trap and kill them. Ginger skipper is generally removed manually, or sprayed and killed with trichlorfon and dichlorvos.

The above is the editor's full introduction to the cultivation methods of zedoary. Because zedoary has relatively high requirements for the growing environment and pests and diseases also occur frequently, we need to firmly grasp its growth habits and carry out scientific fertilization, watering, weeding and later management, so that we can succeed in cultivating it.