How to Grow Pokeweed? The Latest Planting Techniques and Method Tutorial

Pokeweed, also known as mountain radish, Jianzhongxiao, Daoshuilian, etc., is a perennial robust herbaceous plant of the genus Phytolacca in the family Phytolaccaceae. It is widely distributed in the red soil low hilly areas south of the Yangtze River. Among the varieties currently distributed in China, there are mainly Phytolacca acinosa (wild radish) and Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed, American pokeweed, ten-stamen pokeweed), which have relatively high cultivation value. Let us take a look at the cultivation techniques of pokeweed below!

Growth Habits of Pokeweed

Pokeweed has strong vitality and often grows wild at the foot of mountains, in forests, along roadsides, and around houses. It is distributed in plains, hills, and mountainous areas. It prefers warm and humid climate conditions, is cold-tolerant but not waterlogging-tolerant, and the suitable growth temperature is 14-30°C. The aboveground part withers when leaves fall in autumn and winter, while the underground fleshy root can withstand low temperatures of -15°C. It has wide adaptability to soil. Whether it is sandy soil or red loam soil, whether the soil is fertile or barren, it can grow with luxuriant branches and leaves.

Propagation Techniques of Pokeweed

1. Seed propagation: Pokeweed is sown directly in late February. As a wall-protecting green manure, shallow holes are opened on the walls of terraced fields at a plant-row spacing of 1.0x1.5 m for sowing, with 8-10 seeds per hole (its seed germination rate is 70-80%). After sowing, cover with soil 1-2 cm, and covering with burnt mud ash gives better results. Seedlings emerge 20-25 d after sowing. When the seedlings are 10-15 cm tall, thin them, leaving 1-2 seedlings per hole.

2. Fleshy root planting: From mid-November to mid-December, before the perennial roots sprout, select fleshy roots with buds and roots for planting. Cut the parts with buds and roots, leave 3-4 buds and roots per piece, smear the cut surfaces with plant ash, and then sow at a plant-row spacing of 40×40 cm, cover with soil 3-4 cm, then apply high-quality farmyard manure to cover the pond and preserve moisture. Water as appropriate to promote seedling emergence.

Cultivation Techniques of Pokeweed

1. Field management: After pokeweed seedlings are established or during severe drought, water continuously 2 times. When soil moisture is suitable, shallowly loosen the soil and weed, keeping the soil surface loose, moist, and free of weeds. Pokeweed blooms from June to August. Except for those kept for seed, cut off all flower stems to reduce nutrient consumption. To help pokeweed overwinter safely and increase organic fertilizer in the field, in late autumn and early winter, spread fragmented firewood and grass such as wheat and rice chaff at 6000 kg/hectare in the fields planted that year.

2. Reasonable topdressing: After pokeweed seedlings are established, spray the leaf surface with 0.5% urea solution, in small amounts multiple times, with the total amount not exceeding 225 kg/hectare. The following spring, before the plants emerge, open shallow furrows between the two rows and bury and apply about 1200 kg/hectare of potassium sulfate high-concentration compound fertilizer. From July to August, spray about 1800 kg/hectare of 1% potassium sulfate or 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, once every 15 days, continuously spraying 3-4 times.

3. Pest and disease control: Pokeweed has no diseases throughout the whole growth period. Because the stems and leaves are tender, the main pest is aphids, and 40% imidacloprid 600 times solution and 25% pirimicarb 1000 times solution can be used, with maximum use times of 3 times and 2 times respectively, and a safety interval of 7 days for both. Sometimes root rot may cause damage. The aboveground part of the affected plant withers and appears green-wilted, the rhizome turns brown, and in severe cases the roots rot. Choose well-drained plots for planting, drain promptly during the rainy season, and disinfect the soil with 15 kg/hectare of 70% quintozene.