Latest Prices of Mugwort Seeds and a Detailed Guide to Growing Them
Mugwort, also known as bingtai, ec ao, xiang'ai and other names, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Artemisia genus in the Asteraceae family. The plant has a strong aroma, and the whole herb used as medicine has effects such as warming the meridians and removing dampness, dispelling cold and stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation and relieving asthma, relieving cough and preventing miscarriage, and fighting allergies. Its leaves, dried in the sun and pounded, yield “moxa wool” which can be made into moxa sticks for moxibustion, and can also serve as a raw material for “seal ink paste.” Now let us take a look together at the price of mugwort seeds and how to grow them!
How much do mugwort seeds cost?
The price of mugwort seeds is about 60 to 80 yuan per jin, and good-quality seeds cost about 120 to 160 yuan per jin; prices vary considerably depending on seed quality, variety, purchase quantity and other factors. Mugwort is closely related to the lives of Chinese people. Every year at the Dragon Boat Festival people always place mugwort in their homes to “ward off evil.” The whole herb used as medicine has effects such as warming the meridians, removing dampness, dispelling cold, stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, relieving asthma, relieving cough, preventing miscarriage and fighting allergies. It is also a very good food; among traditional foods in southern China there is a kind of ciba (glutinous rice cake) made with mugwort as the main raw material.
Sowing methods for mugwort
1. Saving seed: For seed saving, mugwort plants 2 to 3 years old are best. Select plants that grow vigorously, are high-yielding and free of pests and diseases, and leave them unharvested. When the fruits are ripe, cut off the fruiting branches and spread them out to dry, then thresh, sift and winnow away impurities. Put the seeds in cloth bags and store them in a cool, dry place.
2. Sowing: Mugwort should be sown in early spring, in February to March in the south and March to April in the north. It can be direct-sown or raised as seedlings and transplanted. For direct sowing, the row spacing is 40 to 50 cm, and after sowing the soil covering should not be too thick. Pay attention to management after the seedlings emerge; when the seedlings are 10 to 15 cm tall, thin them to a final spacing of 20 to 30 cm between plants.
Growing methods for mugwort
1. Planting density: In February to March, when the seedlings are 5 to 10 cm tall, choose a time when the ground is moist and plant them at a spacing of 30×40 cm between plants and rows, with 2 to 3 plants per hole, then cover with soil and firm it down. If there is no rain within 2 to 3 days after planting, water drop by drop to preserve soil moisture.
2. Timely fertilization: After the mugwort plants have survived transplanting, when the seedlings are 30 cm tall apply 90 kg per hectare of urea as a seedling-promoting fertilizer, broadcasting it on cloudy and rainy days and spraying it on the leaves on sunny days. In early November, apply farmyard manure, stable manure, cake fertilizer and the like as a base fertilizer.
3. Reasonable watering: In early to mid-June, after the Qiai mugwort is harvested, turn and sun the garden plot, clear away dead branches and fallen leaves, and thin out overly dense stem bases and old roots. In dry seasons, when the seedlings are under 80 cm tall, use foliar sprinkler irrigation; when the seedlings are over 80 cm tall, flood-irrigate the whole plot.
4. Harvesting and processing: Mugwort is usually harvested in summer. Before it flowers, while it is lush, cut the above-ground stems and branches with leaves, remove impurities and dead leaves, spread them in the sun to dry, then tie them into bundles and store them in a dry place, protecting them from moisture and mold.