Latest Prices of Agrimony Seeds and a Detailed Guide to Growing Them
Agrimony, also known as laohe zui, mao jiao yin, longya grass and other names, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Agrimonia in the rose family. Its tender stems and leaves are edible and are not only nutritious but also strongly anti-cancer. The whole plant, roots and winter buds are used as medicine and have effects such as astringing to stop bleeding, reducing inflammation and stopping diarrhea, detoxifying and killing insects, and boosting qi and strengthening the heart. Now let us take a look at the price of agrimony seeds and how to grow them!
How much does one jin of agrimony seeds cost?
The price of agrimony seeds is about 300 to 500 yuan per jin, but prices vary greatly depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market. Agrimony is produced throughout both northern and southern parts of China, and can be propagated by seed or by division. When harvesting the aboveground parts, choose well-grown fields and leave them as seed fields, apply more fertilizer and strengthen management. After mid-August, when the seeds turn from green to brown and are slightly dry, cut them off and dry them in the sun, then thresh the seeds and store them in a ventilated, dry place for later use.
Sowing methods for agrimony
Agrimony can be sown in spring or autumn. For spring sowing in the north, sow in mid to late April; for autumn sowing, sow in late October before the ground freezes. When sowing, open sowing furrows 1 to 2 cm deep at a row spacing of 30 to 35 cm, sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with thin soil, press lightly, and water promptly after sowing. The seeding rate is 1 to 1.5 kg per mu. If the whole plant is used as medicine, harvest in the second year after sowing; if the root buds are used as medicine, harvest in the autumn of the second year.
How to grow agrimony
1. Site selection and land preparation: Agrimony is not strict about soil requirements, but low-lying land and poorly drained plots should not be chosen. After selecting the plot, apply 2000 to 3000 kg of barnyard manure or compost per mu as a base fertilizer, spread it evenly, then plow the land and make flat beds or raised beds about 1 to 3 m wide.
2. Reasonable thinning: When agrimony seedlings are 3 to 5 cm tall, begin thinning and filling in gaps, pulling out overly dense small and weak seedlings. When the seedlings are 15 cm tall, thin to 1 to 2 plants per spot at a plant spacing of about 15 cm. If the root buds are to be used as medicine, the spacing can be appropriately increased to 30 cm.
3. Cultivation and weeding: Prompt weeding and loosening of the soil during the seedling stage of agrimony is key to ensuring a high yield. Usually weeding is done together with loosening the soil. After the plants close the rows in the later growth stage, there is no need to loosen the soil again, but any weeds should be pulled promptly.
4. Timely topdressing: Agrimony is fertilized once before thinning and once before the rows close, and thereafter topdressing is needed again each year in early spring and after each harvest. If the whole plant is used as medicine, more nitrogen fertilizer can be applied; if the root buds are used as medicine, appropriately increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
5. Removing flower stalks: Agrimony grows very vigorously and flowers and sets seed especially abundantly. Therefore, except for plants kept for seed, promptly remove the flower stalks to promote root growth and thereby increase yield.
6. Disease and pest control: The main pest of agrimony is the red spider mite, which pierces and sucks the stems and leaves, causing the leaves to turn yellow, fall off and the plants to die. Propargite, fenpyroximate and similar pesticides can be used for spray control.