Latest Cultivation Techniques Tutorial for Dutchman's Pipe, Detailed Planting Methods

Dutchman's pipe, also known as Shuimaxiangguo, Sheshenguo, Sanjiaocao and Qiumuxiangguan, gets its Chinese name because its mature fruit hangs like a bell from a horse's neck. It is a perennial twining herbaceous plant of the genus Aristolochia in the family Aristolochiaceae. Its roots, stems and fruits are used in medicine to clear the lungs and direct qi downward, relieve cough and calm panting, and clear the intestines and eliminate hemorrhoids. Now let us take a look at the cultivation techniques for Dutchman's pipe!

Growth Habits of Dutchman's Pipe

Dutchman's pipe grows in valleys, along ditch edges, in shady and damp places beside roads and in hillside thickets at an altitude of 200-1500 m. It likes light, tolerates slight shade, prefers sandy yellow soil, is cold-resistant and highly adaptable. It is distributed in all provinces and regions of China south of the Yellow River to the south of the Yangtze River basin, as well as in Shandong (Mengshan) and Henan (Funiu Mountain), etc. It is often cultivated in Guangdong and Guangxi, and is also distributed in Japan.

Seedling Raising Techniques for Dutchman's Pipe

1. Seed harvesting: When the fruits of Dutchman's pipe turn from green to yellow, pick them in batches; if too late, the fruits will split open. The seeds do not tolerate dry storage. After harvest, they should be sown immediately or buried in wet sand and kept in a cool place.

2. Seedbed site selection: For the seedling-raising site of Dutchman's pipe, choose sandy loam soil that is fertile, loose and well drained, with a water source. After plowing the seedbed, apply 75000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure or compost per hectare as base fertilizer, then level and harrow finely, and make beds 1.2 m wide.

3. Seed treatment: If Dutchman's pipe seeds are taken out and sown in late autumn or the following spring, germination will be uneven; the germination rate is high under alternating temperature conditions of 10-20°C. It is also possible after harvest to soak the seeds in gibberellin 5*10-4 for 1 day and then store them in sand in a greenhouse. Spring sowing is suitable from late March to early April, either by direct sowing or by seedling raising.

4. Sowing method: Open furrows on the seedbed with a row spacing of 25 cm, furrow depth of 3-6 cm and sowing width of 10 cm. Sow the seeds, cover with soil and press lightly, then cover with rice straw to keep the seedbed moist. Remove the covering after emergence. Use 15-22.5 kg of seeds per hectare. By the following April, open holes and set out plants at a row spacing of 40*30 cm. For direct sowing, use hole sowing or furrow sowing.

5. Fertilization at seedling stage: Dutchman's pipe seedlings need appropriate irrigation and 1 application of nitrogen fertilizer during the seedling stage. After planting, up to the flowering stage, apply nitrogen fertilizer 2 times as topdressing. In mid- and late August, when flowering, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Carry out timely intertillage and weeding. After the plant height reaches 30 cm, set up trellises to facilitate the climbing growth of its stems and vines.

Cultivation Techniques for Dutchman's Pipe

1. Site selection and land preparation: For the planting site of Dutchman's pipe, choose loam soil rich in humus. After harvesting the previous crop, plow once to a depth of about 30 cm. While preparing the land, apply 45000 kg of farmyard manure or compost per hectare as base fertilizer. Before planting, plow once more, level and harrow finely, and make beds 1.2 m wide. Prepare drainage ditches around the plot and wait for planting.

2. Timely transplanting: Before the winter freeze for Dutchman's pipe, dig planting holes 20 cm deep at a row spacing of 35×25 cm. Apply 10 kg of farmyard manure per hole as base fertilizer, fill the holes with fine soil to the top, and raise them 10 cm above the ground. In early March to early April of the following spring, open the planting holes, plant the cultivated seedlings into the holes, 1 plant per hole, and after planting water thoroughly to settle the roots. kg

3. Loosening soil and weeding: During the seedling stage of Dutchman's pipe, loosen the soil and weed frequently. Generally, when the seedlings are 5 cm high, carry out intertillage and weeding once, and keep it shallow to avoid damaging the roots. Afterward, combine with topdressing and carry out intertillage and weeding 3-4 more times to prevent weed infestation. When the seedlings are 5 cm high, thin them while loosening the soil and weeding, removing the weak and keeping the strong. When the seedlings are 10 cm high, thin to a spacing of 3-5 cm. When the seedlings are 15-20 cm high, they can be lifted from the nursery and planted out. kg

4. Reasonable topdressing: In winter or early spring, control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to Dutchman's pipe to avoid excessive stem and leaf growth and damage from pests and diseases. Before flowering, mainly apply decomposed barnyard manure and add an appropriate amount of phosphorus fertilizer. At the late growth stage, in mid-August, apply 750 kg of superphosphate and 150 kg of potassium fertilizer per hectare as topdressing, which can both increase the fruit-setting rate and benefit root growth; this is an important step for increasing yield.

5. Watering and trellising: Dutchman's pipe is drought-tolerant and afraid of waterlogging, so it generally does not need watering. However, if it is too dry during the growing period, water appropriately; in the rainy season, drain promptly to avoid root rot. Dutchman's pipe is a trailing herb. After transplanting, when the seedlings are 30 cm high, set up trellises in time. Set up supports with bamboo poles between the rows and pull ropes in the middle, 1.8-2 m high, to guide the stems and vines to climb and grow. kg

6. Pruning and earthing up: When the plants of Dutchman's pipe enter vigorous growth in May-June, cut off the excessively vigorous stems and vines without flower buds to reduce nutrient consumption. After harvesting the fruits in October, cut off all stems and vines, remove all weeds in the field, and carry out earthing up and topdressing before winter to facilitate heat preservation and overwintering, laying the foundation for a high yield the following year.

7. Pest and disease control

① Root rot: It mostly occurs in July and August. After the roots rot, the plants die. The control method is to pull out diseased plants and burn them, and spray the holes with a 1000-fold solution of 50% wettable powder of Tuzet.

② Leaf spot: It mostly occurs in the rainy season, and spots are prone to appear on the leaves. Pay attention to clearing drainage ditches and draining accumulated water in time, and spray with 1:1:150 Bordeaux mixture.

③ Dutchman's pipe swallowtail: The larvae bore into and feed on the leaves, forming notches, and it mostly occurs in July-August. The control method is to clean the field, clear the garden in winter, and dispose of leftover plants. At the young larval stage, spray a 1500-fold solution of 50% phosphamidon or a 500-fold solution of Bacillus thuringiensis (100 billion spores/g). kg kg