The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Asarum

Asarum is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine, with the effects of opening the orifices and relieving pain, dispelling wind and dispersing cold. It mainly treats headaches, coughs, rheumatism and other diseases, and is deeply favored by physicians. With the expansion of market demand, artificial cultivation of Asarum has risen. Nowadays, large-scale cultivation and planting are carried out in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places in China. Let's take a look at the cultivation techniques for Asarum below.

1. Site Selection and Land Preparation

Asarum generally grows in coniferous forests and broad-leaved forests, so understory cultivation can be chosen, and the soil requirement is preferably humus loam with deep soil layers. Farmland cultivation can also be chosen; farmland cultivation requires loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam, and soil that is low-lying, highly clayey, and poor in nutrients should be avoided. For understory cultivation, overly dense trees should be cut down, then tree roots should be cleared, and the land should be plowed, leveled and made into high beds; for farmland, the land should be leveled and harrowed fine, then made into high beds.

2. Sowing

Seeds must be sown immediately after harvesting to prevent the seeds from naturally falling off and causing losses. After the fruits are picked, place them in a dark environment for 1-2 days to soften the fruits, then rub off the fruit skin, rinse with clean water, and sow after a brief drying. If not sown in time, the seeds can be buried in wet sand and taken out when sowing. Broadcasting and drilling methods can be used when sowing. For broadcasting, spread the seeds evenly on the seedbed, then cover with a layer of fine soil, and then cover the fine soil with a layer of fallen leaves or rice straw to keep warm and moist, and remove it the following year. Broadcasting generally uses 10 kg of seeds per mu. For drilling, open furrows on the seedbed, generally 5-6 cm wide and 3-5 cm deep, with the furrow bottom leveled and compacted; after sowing in the furrows, cover with a layer of shallow soil, also cover with fallen leaves or rice straw, and remove the following year, generally using 6-7 kg.

3. Seedling Stage Management

After sowing, keep the soil moist. Water during drought, and drain during rainy periods to prevent waterlogging from causing seed rot. When the ground thaws in early spring the following year, promptly remove the covering material to raise the ground temperature and speed up emergence. Also pull out weeds, and for forest cultivation, thin and adjust the tree canopy to increase light. Starting from the third year, apply fertilizer once each year during overwintering, generally using decomposed farmyard manure or decomposed fallen leaves from the forest.

4. Transplanting

Asarum is a perennial plant with an extremely long growth and development cycle. It generally only blooms and bears fruit 6 years after sowing, so in artificial cultivation, wild seedlings are usually used for transplanting to expand the planting area. Sowing and transplanting can be carried out in both autumn and spring. For spring transplanting, it should be done before the buds sprout; otherwise, Asarum has already begun to emerge or unfold leaves, and at this time transplanting requires a large amount of watering and also a long slowing-down period, which is unfavorable to the growth and development of Asarum. Autumn transplanting is in October. Dig up Asarum that has grown for 2-3 years, grade them by plant size for planting, spread the root system flat in the hole when planting, and also plant at a reasonable density.

5. Field Management

After transplanting, management should be strengthened. Loosen the soil and remove weeds 3-4 times each year, and also raise the ground temperature, conserve water, prevent and control diseases, and promote its growth. In addition, fertilization is also essential. Apply fertilizer 2-3 times each year. The first time is in January, applying 5-7.5 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu; the second time applies 3000-4000 kg of farmyard manure per mu. For forest cultivation, clear the forest regularly to avoid insufficient light in the forest due to overly dense branches, while for farmland, build a shade shed to regulate light.

The above are the cultivation techniques for Asarum. We hope they can help you. To learn more about Chinese herbal medicine cultivation knowledge, please follow us.