How to Grow Scutellaria baicalensis from Seed? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Growing Techniques
Scutellaria baicalensis is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Scutellaria in the Lamiaceae family, also known as mountain tea root, earth gold tea root, etc. Its root used as medicine has effects such as clearing heat and drying dampness, purging fire and detoxifying, stopping bleeding, and preventing miscarriage. Its antibacterial properties are better than those of Coptis chinensis, and it does not produce drug resistance, so market demand is very large, and its cultivation value is very high. Now let us take a look at how to grow Scutellaria baicalensis from seed!
Growing Environment
Scutellaria baicalensis grows on mountaintops, hillsides, forest edges, roadsides and other sunny, relatively dry places. It can be grown in most provinces and regions of northern China. It likes warmth and tolerates severe cold. The underground part of adult plants can still overwinter safely at a low temperature of -35°C, and will not die from drought at a high temperature of 35°C, but it cannot withstand continuous high temperatures above 40°C. It is drought-tolerant and afraid of waterlogging. If water accumulates in the ground or there is too much rain, growth will be poor, and in severe cases the roots will rot and the plant will die. Land with poor drainage is not suitable for planting. The soil should be loam and sandy loam, and neutral and slightly alkaline pH is best. Continuous cropping should be avoided.
Direct Sowing in the Field
1. Seed treatment: Soak Scutellaria baicalensis seeds in warm water at 40-45°C for 5-6 hours, or soak them in tap water at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Remove them and let them dry slightly, then place them at about 20°C with moisture maintained to promote germination. Once some seeds have cracked and sprouted, they can be sown.
2. Sowing time: Scutellaria baicalensis is generally sown in spring from March to April, or in autumn from September to October. When soil moisture is guaranteed, around mid-April is best, when the soil temperature at 5 cm underground is stable at 15°C. The sowing methods are broadcast sowing, dibbling, and drilling, and sowing should be shallow rather than deep.
3. Sowing method: For Scutellaria baicalensis, use 1-2 jin of seed per mu. After sowing, cover with 2-2.5 cm of fine moist soil, and at the same time press down and cover the ground as appropriate, keeping the soil moist until emergence.
⟦NL>Raising Seedlings and Transplanting
1. Seedbed selection: For Scutellaria baicalensis, if direct sowing on dry hillside land makes it difficult to keep seedlings, the method of raising seedlings and transplanting can be used. For raising seedlings, choose a warm, sunny place as the seedbed. Either a sunny cold frame or a hotbed can be used, 130-135 cm wide, with length depending on need.
2. Sowing method: Apply 5000 kg of decomposed stable manure or compost per mu to the Scutellaria baicalensis seedling land, dig deeply and rake finely, level the seedbed surface, and water thoroughly. In early to mid-April, mix the pregerminated seeds with wet sand and evenly broadcast them on the seedbed surface, then cover with 0.5-1 cm of sieved manure soil and cover with plastic film to increase temperature and retain moisture.
3. Seedling management: After the Scutellaria baicalensis seedlings emerge evenly, ventilate appropriately. When the seedlings are 3 cm tall, remove the film, and promptly weed and thin the seedlings. When the seedlings are 5-7 cm tall, transplant them into the field at a row spacing of 40-45 cm and a density of 25-30 plants per meter of length, and water promptly after transplanting.
Field Management
1. Cultivation and weeding: From emergence of Scutellaria baicalensis to field closure, loosen the soil and weed 3-4 times. After that, depending on weed growth and other conditions, cultivate and weed another 1-2 times. In the second and third years, before green-up in spring, clean the field and loosen the soil by raking. After green-up and before field closure, still cultivate and weed about 2 times.
2. Thinning and filling gaps: After the Scutellaria baicalensis seedlings emerge evenly, promptly thin overly dense areas. When the seedlings are 5 cm tall, set the seedlings in a staggered pattern at a plant spacing of 6-8 cm, and transplant seedlings into missing spots to fill gaps. Transplant with soil attached, and water promptly after planting to help survival.
3. Timely topdressing: During the growing period, Scutellaria baicalensis should be topdressed 1-2 times each year, and compound fertilizer has the best yield-increasing effect. In the first year, apply soil topdressing after seedling setting; in the second year and later, apply once from green-up to before field closure. Apply topdressing timely and in appropriate amounts according to plant growth.
4. Irrigation and drainage: After sowing Scutellaria baicalensis and until emergence, keep the soil moist. From emergence to seedling setting, do not water again unless there is special drought. In other seasons and in the following two years, water should also be given in case of severe drought or when topdressing. During the rainy season, drain promptly to prevent waterlogging.
5. Pruning flower branches: When growing Scutellaria baicalensis, in fields not kept for seed, promptly cut off flower branches after budding and before flowering to reduce nutrient consumption and promote root growth, thereby increasing the yield of Scutellaria baicalensis.
6. Harvesting and processing: Scutellaria baicalensis is best harvested 2-3 years after sowing. The harvest season is in late autumn or before spring sprouting. When harvesting, dig carefully and never break the roots. After digging out, shake off the soil, sun-dry until half dry, knock off the outer skin, then quickly sun-dry or oven-dry.
7. Skin-knocking method: The method for knocking the skin of Scutellaria baicalensis is to knock the first time when sun-dried to 30% dry, knock the second time when sun-dried to 50-60% dry, knock the third time when sun-dried to 70-80% dry, and when sun-dried to fully dry, knock at noon until it becomes yellowish-white. Each mu can yield 150-200 kg of dried medicinal material.