The Latest Agrimony Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Agrimony is a perennial herb of the genus Agrimonia in the rose family (Rosaceae), also known as Tuoli grass, melon-fragrance grass, old ox sinew, and wolf's tooth grass. Its tender stems and leaves are edible and are not only nutritious but also have strong anti-cancer effects. The whole plant, roots, and winter buds are used as medicine and have the effects of astringing and stopping bleeding, reducing inflammation, stopping diarrhea, detoxifying, killing insects, and tonifying qi and strengthening the heart. Now let us take a look at agrimony planting techniques!
Agrimony Growth Habits
Agrimony prefers a warm and humid environment, with a suitable growth temperature of 20-30°C. It has no strict requirements for soil, but deep, loose, and fertile sandy loam is best. It is propagated by seeds or root division. For spring sowing, it is late March in the south and mid-to-late April in the north. For autumn sowing, it is late September to early October in the south and late October to early November in the north before the ground freezes. Root division propagation can be carried out in both spring and autumn.
Agrimony Propagation Techniques
1. Seed propagation: Agrimony can be propagated by sowing in spring or autumn. For spring sowing, it is mid-to-late April in the north; for autumn sowing, it is carried out in late October before the ground freezes. When sowing, open sowing furrows 1-2 cm deep at a row spacing of 30-35 cm. For autumn sowing, scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with a thin layer of soil, press lightly, and water promptly after sowing. The seeding rate is 1-1.5 kg per mu.
2. Division propagation: Agrimony division propagation can be carried out in both spring and autumn. Dig out the roots and split them, ensuring each root has 2-3 root buds, and plant promptly. For hole planting, use a hole spacing of 30*15 cm, dig holes 15 cm deep, plant 1 root per hole, cover with 5 cm of soil and press firm. If sprouts have already emerged, expose the buds above the soil surface when planting, and water after planting.
Agrimony Planting Techniques
1. Land selection and preparation: For agrimony cultivation, avoid low-lying plots with poor drainage. Apply 2000-3000 kg of barnyard manure or compost per mu as base fertilizer, spread it evenly, and then plow. Make flat beds or raised beds about 1-3 m wide.
2. Proper thinning: When agrimony seedlings are 3-5 cm tall, begin thinning and filling gaps, pulling out overly dense small and weak seedlings. When seedlings are 15 cm tall, thin to 1-2 plants per spot at a plant spacing of about 15 cm. If root buds are used as medicine, the plant spacing can be appropriately increased to 30 cm to favor root development and increase root bud yield.
3. Cultivation and weeding: Prompt weeding and loosening of the soil during the seedling stage of agrimony is key to ensuring high yield. In the later growth stage, after the plants close the rows, there is no need to loosen the soil again, but weeding is still needed.
4. Timely topdressing: Apply fertilizer once each before final thinning and before the rows close for agrimony. Thereafter, topdress again in early spring each year and after each harvest. If the whole plant is used as medicine, more nitrogen fertilizer can be applied. Apply 1000-1500 kg of manure or 10-15 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu each year, followed by hilling. If root buds are used as medicine, appropriately increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, applying 25-30 kg of superphosphate per mu in early spring to promote root bud growth.
5. Removing flower stalks: Agrimony flowers and sets seed heavily. Except for plants kept for seed, promptly remove flower stalks to promote root growth.
6. Disease and pest control: The main pest of agrimony is red spider mites, which pierce and suck stems and leaves, causing leaves to turn yellow, fall off, and the plant to die. Propargite, fenbutatin oxide, and similar agents can be used for spray control.
7. Seed-saving techniques: Agrimony generally blooms from May to July. In mid-to-late August, when the seeds turn green, turn brown, and are slightly dry, cut the plants down, dry them, thresh the seeds, and store the seeds in a ventilated, dry place for later use.