Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Artificial Cultivation Techniques for Snow Lotus

Snow lotus, called Qiaguo Suba in Tibetan, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. It is not only a rare and extraordinary flower rarely seen, but also a world-famous precious Tibetan medicine. Artificial cultivation of snow lotus has good market prospects and considerable profits. The artificial snow lotus planting and seedling-raising experience from the snow lotus base of the Muskrat Farm in Da'an City, Jilin Province is now introduced to friends far and wide.

I. Growth habits: Snow lotus grows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is suited to various complex climatic environments; the plant does not wilt at temperatures of 1°C to 39°C, grows vigorously at 15°C to 25°C, and the roots can safely overwinter at -32°C.

II. Seed selection: Choose plump, brownish-black, large and glossy seeds as seeds. Before planting, soak in a 1:1500 strong rooting powder solution for 1 minute, then sow.

III. Preparation of nutrient soil: Nutrient soil is generally prepared by mixing humus soil, fine-to-medium sand, and decomposed organic fertilizer in a ratio of 6:2:2. After disinfection, sift out impurities and hard clumps from the soil. The pH value of the nutrient soil is best at 5.5-7.5.

IV. Sowing: The soil temperature for snow lotus seed germination must be controlled between 20°C and 26°C, which is favorable for seedling emergence. The soil saturated water content should be about 60%. Place the seeds flat in the holes, with a covering soil thickness equal to the length of the seed or preferably 0.8 cm to 1 cm. Seedlings generally emerge in about 8 days.

V. Pay attention to 5 preventions during the seedling-raising process:

1. Prevent inverted seeding: Snow lotus seeds are cone-shaped. If planted with the pointed end down, seedlings emerge easily but the seedlings are not strong; if planted with the pointed end up, seedlings do not emerge easily, so they must be planted flat.

2. Prevent seed rot: In early spring, the weather is cold, the soil temperature is low, and humidity is high. If there is no seedling emergence after 10 days, it indicates the seeds have turned black and rotted. Therefore, when planting, be sure to pay attention to the key issues of soil temperature and humidity.

3. Prevent seedlings from emerging with caps: Seedlings emerging with caps directly affects plant development, causing the seed coat shell to be brought out when the cotyledons emerge. The cause is soil that is too loose and covering soil that is too dry.

4. Prevent watering with hard water: During the seedling-raising period, it is best to water before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. with snow water, rainwater, river water, or lake water. If tap water is used, it must first be stored in a bucket for a full day and night to let the chlorine in the water volatilize, and it is best to water when the water temperature is also close to the soil temperature.

5. Prevent damping-off and seedling blight: During seedling raising, due to low temperatures and high humidity, snow lotus seedlings are most prone to damping-off and seedling blight during the period of about 25 days when they have 2 to 3 leaves. Preventive measures: the nutrient soil must be fully sterilized before planting; apply decomposed fertilizer; control soil humidity; remove diseased plants immediately upon discovery, and spray the fungicide “Cu Dao Li Ku Jue” for prevention and control.

VI. Seedling transplanting: When seedlings grow to 5 cm to 6 cm, they can be transplanted into flower pots and fields. It is best to choose a cloudy day or after rain, which is favorable for seedling survival.