How to Grow Mugwort? The Latest Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial
Mugwort is also known as Bingtai, Ecao, Xiang'ai, Qiai, Aihao, Jiucao, Yicao, Huangcao, Airong, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous or slightly subshrub-like plant of the Artemisia genus in the Asteraceae family. It is widely distributed and found almost throughout the country except in extremely arid and high-cold regions, growing in wasteland, roadsides, riverbanks and hillsides from low to medium altitudes. Now let us take a look at mugwort cultivation techniques!
Growth Habits
Mugwort reproduces and grows very easily and has strong adaptability to climate and soil. It is cold-resistant and drought-resistant. Field edges, field corners, hillsides and wasteland can all be chosen as planting sites. Neutral soil with deep soil layers, good soil permeability and rich organic matter is best. In order to save land resources, hills and other areas should be selected for rational layout.
Site Selection and Land Preparation
The site should have irrigation water conditions, with no domestic water or industrial water pollution from nearby residents. Soil and atmospheric quality should meet national level II standards. Production water should meet farmland irrigation water quality standards. The soil should have no toxic or harmful pesticide residues and no pollution from human or livestock manure or household waste, and should be tested regularly according to regulations. According to the soil layer structure characteristics of the planting site, the number of plowing and harrowing passes should be moderately controlled. Combined with land preparation, apply fully decomposed, pollution-free farmyard manure at 22.5-30.0 tons/hectare, mix evenly and turn it into the soil layer, then dig trenches and make beds ready for planting.
Propagation Methods
Mugwort is mainly propagated asexually by dividing rhizomes, but it can also be propagated by seed. Generally, seed propagation is sown in March, and rhizome propagation is carried out in November. The bed width is about 1.5 m, and the bed surface is higher in the middle and lower on both sides, shaped like a “fish back” to avoid water accumulation and disease. Before sowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer. Generally, apply 4000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, deep plow and mix thoroughly with the soil, and after arranging, immediately water once with sufficient bottom water.
Planting Density
In February to March, when seedlings are 5-10 cm tall, choose a time when the ground is moist (preferably after rain or on a cloudy day), select seedlings separated from the stem base of the mother plant, and plant them at a spacing of 30 cm × 40 cm, with 2-3 plants per hole, then cover with soil and press firmly. If there is no rain within 2-3 days after planting, drip irrigation should be used to preserve soil moisture.
Field Management
After planting and survival, when the seedlings are 30 cm tall, apply urea at 90 kg/hectare as a seedling-promoting fertilizer, broadcasting it on rainy days and spraying it on the leaves on sunny days. In early April, carry out one cultivation and weeding to a depth of 15 cm. In early to mid-June, after harvesting Qiai, turn and sun the garden plot, remove residual branches and fallen leaves, and thin out overly dense stem bases and perennial roots to a depth of 15 cm. In early November, apply farmyard manure, barnyard manure, cake fertilizer, etc. as base fertilizer. In dry seasons, use foliar sprinkler irrigation when seedlings are below 80 cm tall, and flood irrigate the whole garden when seedlings are above 80 cm tall.
Harvesting and Processing
Mugwort leaves are harvested in summer. Before the plants bloom while they are lush, cut the aboveground stems and branches with leaves, remove impurities and dead leaves, spread them in the sun to dry until 50-60% dry, tie them into small bundles, then spread them in the sun again to dry fully, tie them into bundles, or use a baling machine to press them into large rectangular bales, secure them with straw rope, and store them in a dry place to prevent moisture and mold. Commercially, the best product is fully dried, slightly shrunken, with many leaves, small branches, greenish color, aromatic odor, bitter taste, and no sand, impurities or mold.