The latest tutorial on planting techniques and methods for white peony (Paeonia lactiflora)

We are very familiar with white peony. It is a common Chinese herbal medicine, and its flowers are extremely beautiful, so it is also an ornamental plant. It has the effects of nourishing blood and regulating menstruation, astringing yin and stopping sweating, and is mainly used for symptoms such as irregular menstruation, night sweats, headache and abdominal pain. It has a long cultivation history in our country, and its planting techniques are relatively mature. Below, the editor brings you the planting techniques for white peony. Let's take a look.

1. Land selection and land preparation

Choose a plot with good drainage, ventilation and sunlight for planting. The soil is required to be loose and fertile with a deep soil layer, and the previous crop is best corn, wheat or legumes. The root system of white peony is relatively deep, so during land preparation, deep plowing and careful cultivation are required, and base fertilizer should be applied well. It is required to plow 30-40cm deep, then apply 3000-400 kilograms of farmyard manure while plowing, mix it evenly with the soil, then rake it level and make beds about 1.5-2.5 m wide. If it is an area with relatively high rainfall, or the soil drainage is poor, the bed can be about 1 m wide.

2. Propagation

White peony has two propagation methods: root division propagation (bud head propagation) and seed propagation. Root division propagation is chosen for planting from August to October. If the planting time is too late, the bud heads have already sent out new roots and are easily broken during planting. When harvesting bud heads, cut the bud heads off from the root system, then select bud disks that are thick and large, not hollow, and free of pests and diseases, and naturally cut them into several pieces for seed. When planting, use the hole planting method, dig holes 3-6cm deep, with a plant-row spacing of 50×30cm, place one or two bud heads in each hole, apply manure when covering with soil, then bury the soil into small mounds shaped like steamed buns. Single-petaled peonies set much seed. Harvest the seeds when they mature in August, and sow them immediately after harvest, also using the hole sowing method. When sowing, mix with fine soil and sow. The propagation period of seeds is too long; generally it takes 2-3 years from sowing to field planting, so it is used relatively rarely.

3. Intertillage and weeding

During planting, intertillage and weeding should be carried out 4-6 times each year to promote plant growth, but note that intertillage should be shallow to avoid damaging the root system and causing dead seedlings. At the end of October or the beginning of November, when the temperature drops and the ground temperature also drops accordingly, the branches and leaves more than 10cm above the ground need to be cut off, which is beneficial for overwintering.

4. Water and fertilizer management

After applying sufficient base fertilizer, generally no additional topdressing is needed in the same year. Usually topdressing begins in the second year after planting, 3 times each year. The first time is in March-April when the temperature rises, when applying manure is sufficient; the second time is at the end of April, likewise applying manure and urine fertilizer once, 500 kilograms per mu; the third time is before the end of October-November, applying 200 kilograms of barnyard manure per mu. White peony is a plant that likes drought and fears waterlogging, so generally there is no need for watering and irrigation. Only in severe drought should one thorough watering be given. In rainy seasons, drainage and waterlogging prevention should be carried out in time to avoid root rot caused by excessive water accumulation.

5. Harvesting

White peony can be harvested after 3-5 years of planting. The harvest time is from June to September, and it should not be too early or too late. Harvesting too early will affect yield and quality, while harvesting too late means the starch has already transformed, making it too dry, not firm, and easily broken. When harvesting, choose a sunny day, cut off the aboveground stems and leaves separately, dig out the rhizomes, remove the soil, cut off the bud heads for seed, and process the root system for medicine.

The above are the planting techniques for white peony. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about medicinal herb planting knowledge, please stay tuned to us.