The Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial for Plantain
Plantain, also known as chechacao, Plantago depressa, etc., is an annual or biennial herb of the genus Plantago in the family Plantaginaceae. It grows in grasslands, riverbanks, ditch sides, meadows, fields and roadsides, at altitudes of 5-4500 m, and is distributed in most areas of China. The young plants are edible and have the effects of promoting diuresis, clearing heat, improving eyesight and resolving phlegm. Let us take a look at plantain planting techniques together!
Plantain Planting Conditions
Plantain has strong adaptability and can be seen everywhere in China from south to north in mountain fields, roadsides and riverbanks. Plantain is cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant, has no strict requirements for soil, and grows well in warm, moist, sunny, sandy fertile soil. The stems and leaves can grow normally within the range of 20-24°C; when the temperature exceeds 32°C, growth becomes slow and the plant gradually withers until the whole plant dies. Slightly acidic sandy alluvial loam is preferable for the soil.
Plantain Planting Techniques
1. Land preparation and fertilization: Choose moist, relatively fertile sandy loam as the best option. The root system of plantain is mainly distributed in the 10-20 cm tillage layer, so land preparation must be careful. Plow the soil 15-20 cm, break up the clods and make beds, with beds 1 m wide and 10-15 m long, and apply 4000 kg of organic base fertilizer per mu.
2. Timely sowing: The drilling method is simple, saving labor and effort, with a row spacing of 15-20 cm and a plant spacing of 6-7 cm. Open shallow furrows 1-1.5 cm deep, cover with a little soil after sowing, just enough that the seeds are not visible, and press once to prevent soil moisture evaporation and favor seed germination. Because the seeds germinate slowly, if the soil is dry, spray water once 2-3 days after sowing, with a small water flow; after watering, shallowly loosen the dry soil to avoid exposing the seeds. Seedlings emerge 10-15 days after sowing. The seeding rate is 0.3-0.5 kg per mu.
Plantain Field Management
1. Thinning and weeding: After the seedlings are fully grown, promptly pull out weeds along with thinning. When the seedlings are 6-7 cm tall, the young plants can be harvested for food along with thinning. Plantain seeds are tiny, and after emergence the plants grow slowly and are easily suppressed by weeds, so weeds should be removed promptly during the seedling stage; generally, loosen the soil and weed 3-4 times a year.
2. Reasonable topdressing: Plantain likes fertilizer; after fertilization there are more leaves, more and longer spikes, and higher yield. Generally apply topdressing 3 times: the first in May, applying 1500 kg of thin human and livestock manure water per mu. The second in early July, applying 10 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu. The third after seed harvesting, applying 1500 kg of barnyard manure in furrows per mu.
3. Pest and disease control: The main disease of plantain is powdery mildew, in which a layer of grayish-white powder appears on the surface or underside of the leaves, and finally the leaves wither and die. In the early stage of the disease, spray 50% thiophanate-methyl 1000-fold dilution for control.
4. Harvesting and processing: Plantain is used medicinally for its seeds. When the fruits are ripe, cut off the fruit spikes, dry them in the sun and rub out the seeds, winnow away the impurities, yielding 40-50 kg of dry seeds per mu.