Detailed Explanation of Corydalis yanhusuo Planting Techniques and Management Methods

I. Late September to early October

1. Site selection: Choose a sandy loam soil with high terrain, good drainage and rich humus content.

2. Land preparation: When plowing, break up the soil clods, spread 1500—2000 kg of decomposed pig pen manure per mu and 50 kg of superphosphate, turn them into the soil, and rake level to make beds. Bed width 1—1.2 m, ditch width 45 cm, and the bed surface shaped like a turtle's back.

3. Sowing: There are three methods - drilling, broadcasting and hole sowing, with drilling being the main method. On the leveled bed surface, open shallow furrows with a hoe, furrow depth about 5 cm, row spacing 13—17 cm, plant spacing 5—7 cm, arrange two rows in each furrow with buds facing upward; cover with charred mud ash at 2500 kg per mu and 50 kg of cake fertilizer, finally lift the soil from the furrow onto the bed surface to 7—8 cm, covering as you plant, which benefits seedling emergence. The sowing depth is about 7—8 cm.

II. Late November to late December

Applying winter fertilizer: First lightly cultivate the bed surface once, scatter the cake fertilizer, 50 kg per mu; pen manure 1500—2000 kg (pig pen manure clods must be broken up); human feces 1000 kg per mu, and cover with a small amount of soil.

III. Late January to early February

1. Applying topdressing: A topdressing should be applied once when seedlings emerge. Generally, apply 1000—1500 kg of dilute human feces per mu or 1000 kg of 1% ammonium sulfate solution in the morning or evening. Afterwards, fertilize according to leaf color.

2. Weeding: Around the Beginning of Spring, weed frequently, pulling small weeds, four times in total. The first time when seedlings just emerge; the second time in mid-February.

IV. Mid-March to early April

1. Weeding: The third and fourth times, pull weeds on the bed surface and along the ditch edges by hand.

2. Irrigation: During dry seasons or when rainfall is low, irrigate or water promptly to keep the soil moist. When there is too much rain, dredge the ditches and drain promptly, ensuring no water accumulates in the furrows.

3. Disease and pest control: During the growing period, downy mildew, rust and sclerotinia may occur, and 40% fosetyl-aluminum wettable powder at 300 times dilution can be used for control. Spray once every 7—10 days, 2—3 times continuously. For sclerotinia, 5% chloronitroaniline powder can be applied at 2 kg per mu, or a 1:3 mixture of lime and plant ash can be spread.

V. Late April to early May

1. Harvest: When harvesting, first clear the weeds on the bed surface, shallowly turn the soil, and pick up tubers while turning. Then turn once more, break up the soil clods, and pick up all tubers.

2. Selecting tubers for retention: Select newly grown tubers of the current year and remove the mother tubers. Tubers for seed use should preferably be 1.4—1.6 cm in diameter.

3. Storage: Spread the tubers indoors for several days until the surface soil turns white and falls off, then they can be stored. (1) Indoor storage. Choose a cool, high and dry, well-ventilated mud floor, enclose a rectangle with bricks or stones, about one meter wide, length unlimited; first spread 7—10 cm of sun-dried yellow mud or fine sand at the storage site, place tubers 15—20 cm on top, then cover with a layer of mud or sand. (2) Bamboo basket storage. Choose a bamboo basket with small holes, spread straw or fine mud on the bottom and around the sides, place tubers on top, cover with fine mud or fine sand, and place in a cool, high and dry indoor location.