How Can Maca Achieve High Yield? Latest Planting Technique Tutorial

Maca is an annual to perennial herbaceous or subshrub plant of the genus Lepidium in the Brassicaceae family. In terms of plant morphological characteristics, it shares many common features with other Lepidium plants. It originated in high-altitude mountainous areas and is suitable for growing in high-altitude, low-latitude land with large day-night temperature differences, slightly acidic sandy loam, and ample sunlight. Let us take a look at maca high-yield planting techniques below!

Maca's Growth Habits

Maca's growing conditions are very demanding. It is only suitable for growing in the alpine zones of plateau mountainous areas, requiring a day-night temperature difference of more than 30°C, abundant rainfall, and surrounding freshwater lakes. These unique growing conditions limit its cultivation. Moreover, due to its extremely strong “absorption capacity” for soil nutrients, after each harvest season, the land needs seven years of rest. The Andes Mountains in South America and the Yulong Snow Mountain area of Lijiang, Yunnan, China are the planting sites that best meet these harsh conditions. After sowing maca, 7 to 9 months later, when the plant grows to 12 to 20 cm long, the swollen maca root can be obtained. After several more months it can bloom, and one and a half months after flowering the fruit can be obtained. Under suitable conditions, it takes only 1 year to complete one life cycle.

Maca's Propagation Methods

1. Seedbed: Choose a wind-sheltered, sunny plot with gentle terrain, convenient drainage and irrigation, a relatively low groundwater table, deep and loose soil, sandy loam or light loam where no Brassicaceae crops have been grown in the past 3 years, and with a soil pH value of 6.5 to 7.5 for planting.

2. Land preparation: Before March, plow and sun the soil clods, break the soil into fine pieces, and remove weeds and stones from the field. Before the final plowing, spread 22.5 to 30 tons of decomposed farmyard manure and 1500 kg of phosphate fertilizer per hectare, then plow and rake level, and make flat beds 1 m wide and 5 to 8 m long.

3. Seeds: For maca seedling raising, select plump, glossy seeds. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at 25 to 30°C for 24 hours, then sterilize them by soaking in 300-fold formalin solution for 15 minutes, rinse clean with water, air-dry the moisture, and mix with fine soil before sowing.

4. Sowing: In mid-March, choose a windless, clear noon. Before sowing, water the seedbed thoroughly. After the water seeps away, evenly broadcast the seeds over it, cover with 0.5 cm of culture soil. After sowing, cover the bed surface with a layer of pine needles, then cover with a black shade net.

5. Seedling stage: Generally seedlings emerge in 5 to 10 days and full emergence occurs in 15 to 20 days. When 70 to 80% of seedlings have emerged, promptly remove the pine needles and spread a thin layer of fine soil over the bed surface to fill cracks and preserve moisture, preventing seedlings from lodging and exposing roots. After the young seedlings grow for 1 month, remove the shade net and carry out open-air hardening of the seedlings.

Maca's Planting Techniques

1. Site selection: Maca prefers a cool and moist climate, is relatively cold-tolerant, and has strong adaptability. It is suitable for planting in high-cold and cool mountainous areas at an altitude of 2700 to 3200 m. It avoids high temperatures and waterlogged depressions. Plots where no Brassicaceae crops have been grown for many years are best, and continuous cropping should be avoided.

2. Land preparation: Plow the maca planting field twice. Before the final plowing, apply 37.5 to 45 tons of decomposed high-quality farmyard manure and 75 to 1500 kg of superphosphate per hectare as base fertilizer, evenly spread on the surface, and bury them into the soil during plowing. After raking level, open furrows at a width of 2 m to make raised beds for planting.

3. Transplanting: From mid-May to early June, when there are 7 to 10 true leaves, take seedlings in batches. Use the method of marking lines and digging holes for transplanting, with a plant and row spacing of 20*20 cm, planting 1 plant per hole, and 150,000 to 180,000 plants per hectare. When transplanting, the seedlings must be exposed above the soil surface, and water thoroughly to settle the roots.

4. Water and fertilizer: After maca transplanting survives, water timely on sunny mornings depending on soil moisture. Apply topdressing 2 to 3 times according to seedling growth, each time applying 150 to 225 kg of N, P, KZ yuan compound fertilizer per hectare. During the growing period, carry out 3-4 times of intertillage and soil loosening, and manually pull out weeds in the field.

5. Diseases and pests: Maca has very strong disease resistance. Generally no diseases occur during the planting process. The main pest is aphid damage. Per hectare, 120 to 150 g of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder can be mixed with 450 to 600 kg of water for spraying control.

6. Harvest: From late November to early December, when most plants' leaves turn yellow and fade, the fleshy roots are fully swollen, and the bases are round and blunt, they can be harvested. After harvesting, remove the leaves, clear away soil and fibrous roots, wash clean with water, cut into slices and sun-dry to become a commodity.