Latest Prices of Plantain Seeds and a Detailed Guide to Cultivation Methods

Plantain seed, also known as Pingcheqian, plantain herb, ox-tongue vegetable, etc., is the dried ripe seed of the Plantaginaceae plant Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa. It is distributed throughout the country and often grows in grasslands, riverbanks, ditches, meadows, fields and roadsides. As a medicine it has the effects of promoting diuresis and treating strangury, draining dampness and stopping diarrhea, clearing the liver and improving eyesight, and clearing heat and resolving phlegm. Now let us take a look together at the price of plantain seeds and their cultivation methods!

How much is a jin of plantain seeds?

The price of plantain seeds is about 45 to 80 yuan per jin, but prices vary depending on the quality, variety, place of origin and purchase quantity of the plantain seeds. Plantain is generally propagated by seed and has strong adaptability. From south to north in China, it can be seen everywhere in mountain fields and by roadsides and riversides. It is cold-resistant and drought-resistant and has no strict requirements for soil. It can grow well in warm, moist, sunny, sandy fertile soil. Slightly acidic sandy alluvial loam is better, and the usual seeding rate is 0.5 to 1 jin per mu.

What varieties of plantain are there?

1. Plantago major: The leaves are ovate or broadly ovate, and the base of the petiole is often enlarged into a sheath-like form. It has spike inflorescences and 7 to 15 seeds. It is mainly produced in Hebei, Liaoning, Shanxi, Sichuan and other places. In addition, it is also produced in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Qinghai, Shandong and other places.

2. Plantago depressa: The leaves are long elliptical or elliptically lanceolate, and all leaves are basal. It has spike inflorescences, circumscissile capsules, and 4 to 5 seeds. It is distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and other places.

Sowing methods for plantain

1. Site selection and land preparation: For planting plantain, moist and relatively fertile sandy loam is best. The land should be prepared carefully, plowed 15 to 20 cm deep, clods broken up and beds made, with 4000 kg of organic base fertilizer applied per mu.

2. Timely sowing: The drilling method for plantain is simple, saves labor and effort. Open shallow furrows 1 to 1.5 cm deep, cover with a little soil after sowing, just enough so the seeds are not visible, and press once, which helps the seeds germinate.

3. Seed dressing with chemicals: When sowing plantain, to ensure the seedling survival rate, seeds can be dressed and disinfected with 25% carbendazim powder, and phoxim mixed with fine sand can be spread on the ground to control underground pests.

4. Post-sowing management: Plantain seeds germinate slowly. If the soil is dry, spray water once 2 to 3 days after sowing. The water flow should be gentle. After watering, shallowly loosen the dry surface soil to avoid exposing the seeds. Usually seedlings emerge 10 to 15 days after sowing.

Cultivation methods for plantain

1. Thinning and weeding: Plantain seeds are tiny, and after emergence the plants grow slowly and are easily suppressed by weeds. Therefore, weeds should be removed in time during the seedling stage. Generally, loosening soil and weeding are carried out 3 to 4 times a year.

2. Reasonable topdressing: Plantain is generally topdressed 3 times. The first time is in May, with 1500 kg of dilute human and livestock manure water applied per mu. The second time is in early July, with 10 kg of diammonium phosphate applied per mu. The third time is after seed collection, with 1500 kg of barnyard manure applied in furrows per mu.

3. Disease and pest control: The main disease of plantain is powdery mildew. A layer of grayish-white powder appears on the surface or underside of the leaves, and finally the leaves wither and die. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold liquid for control.

4. Harvesting and processing

① Seed harvest: Plantain can be harvested when the outer husks of the fruits on the lower part of the ear begin to turn light brown, the outer husks of the fruits in the middle begin to turn yellow, and the fruits on the upper part have finished flowering. It is best to harvest in the morning or on cloudy days. After the seeds are sun-dried, store them in a dry place.

② Whole-plant harvest: When plantain seedlings grow to 6 to 7 leaves and are 13 to 17 cm tall, they can be harvested for use as a vegetable. In the late vigorous growth stage and before the bolting stage, when the ear has already emerged to the same length as the leaves and has not yet flowered, the medicinal effect is highest, and the whole plant can be harvested.