Rehmannia Seed Latest Prices and a Detailed Guide to Planting Methods
The root of Rehmannia is one of the traditional Chinese medicines, named for its yellow-white underground tuberous root, also known as Shengdi, Huaiqing Rehmannia, Xiaojihejiu, and so on; it is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Rehmannia in the family Scrophulariaceae, and according to processing methods it is divided in medicinal materials into fresh Rehmannia, dried Rehmannia, and prepared Rehmannia. It is cultivated in various parts of China and abroad. Let us take a look together below at the price of Rehmannia seeds and the planting methods!
How much is a jin of Rehmannia seeds?
The price of Rehmannia seeds is about 50 to 100 yuan per jin, but it varies depending on seed quality, place of origin, variety, and so on. Rehmannia varieties are mixed, and with long-term asexual reproduction, degeneration occurs, and yields vary greatly. Rejuvenation through seed propagation is one of the means to overcome Rehmannia degeneration. In the field, select high-yielding, high-quality individual plants, collect the seeds and sow them in pots or in the field, first raise seedlings for one year, then the next year select the large and robust rhizomes and move them to the field to continue propagating, and in the third year select high-yielding and stable rhizomes for propagation. In this way, continuously for several years, eliminating the inferior and preserving the superior, an excellent variety can be obtained, and the yield is often 30 to 40% higher than that of local varieties.
Planting conditions for Rehmannia
Rehmannia prefers loose and fertile sandy loam soil; red loam, yellow loam, or paddy soil with high clay content is not suitable for planting. Rehmannia is a light-loving plant, and the planting site should not be close to forest edges or intercropped with tall crops. When the soil temperature is 11 to 13°C, emergence takes 30 to 45 days; 25 to 28°C is most suitable for germination. Within this temperature range, if soil moisture is suitable, germination occurs one week after planting and the seedlings emerge in 15 to 20 days. Below 8°C, the rhizomes cannot sprout. From planting to harvest takes 150 to 160 days.
Sowing methods for Rehmannia
Rehmannia is generally sown in spring, starting when the soil temperature is stable above 10°C, with furrows opened at a row spacing of 15 cm and a furrow depth of 1-2 cm. However, because Rehmannia seeds are tiny, with a thousand-grain weight of 0.15 grams, the soil covering must not be too thick, and about 0.5 cm is suitable. When using seed propagation, attention should be paid to moisture retention and sowing in moisture. Generally, they are dug up in the spring of the following year for use as planting stock in production fields. In many places in production areas, after sowing Rehmannia, peas, early-spring short-statured vegetables, and so on are interplanted beside the beds (ridges). Interplanted plants are best if short-statured with a short growth period; in addition, interplanted plants should not be too dense.
Planting methods for Rehmannia
1. Site selection and land preparation: For Rehmannia, choose sandy loam soil with deep soil layers, fertility, and good drainage, and at the same time apply 2000 to 3000 kg of decomposed compost and 25 kg of superphosphate per mu as base fertilizer. Then level and harrow finely to make beds. Pay special attention that Rehmannia should not be planted continuously on the same land.
2. Thinning and replanting: When Rehmannia seedlings are 10 to 12 cm tall, begin thinning, leaving 1 strong seedling per hole. If there are missing plants, replant promptly on cloudy days; when replanting, lift the seedlings with soil, so the survival rate is relatively high.
3. Cultivation and weeding: Rehmannia rhizomes enter the soil relatively shallowly, so cultivation should be shallow to avoid damaging the roots. Weeds around the seedlings should be pulled out by hand. After the plants close rows, stop cultivation.
4. Reasonable topdressing: Rehmannia likes fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, after thinning apply 100 kg of superphosphate and 30 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer per mu to promote rhizome development and expansion; when the rows close, broadcast burn soil ash once between the rows to promote robust plant growth.
5. Timely irrigation: Rehmannia has a high water requirement in the early stage, so it should be watered frequently; in the later stage, during the underground rhizome expansion period, water should be used sparingly. In the rainy season, drainage should be timely to prevent root rot.
6. Removing creeping surface roots: In addition to the main root, Rehmannia can also grow slender underground stems along the soil surface, called creeping surface roots. These creeping surface roots consume more nutrients and should be removed promptly during field management.
7. Disease and pest prevention: The main diseases of Rehmannia are leaf spot, ring rot, and fusarium wilt, which generally begin to occur in early May and become severe in June to July, so timely prevention and control should be noted. Pests include red spiders, cutworms, white grubs, and so on, which are controlled by conventional methods.
8. Harvesting and processing: For spring planting of Rehmannia, when the aboveground stems and leaves wither and yellow around November of that year, harvest promptly. When harvesting, open a 35 cm deep trench at one end of the bed, carefully take out the rhizomes in sequence, and then use a special roasting oven to process them into prepared Rehmannia, which is then a commodity.