Detailed Explanation of Cultivation Techniques and Planting Methods for Black Gastrodia

Black GastrodiaIt has good form, a high dry-to-fresh ratio (3 jin of fresh product dries into 1 jin of dry product), and superior quality, and its price is three to four times higher than that of red gastrodia and yellow gastrodia. The reason black gastrodia commands a high price is also because both the areas where it is artificially cultivated and where it is distributed in the wild, as well as its quantities, are very few. Therefore, artificial cultivation of black gastrodia requires grasping the following key points:

1. Cultivation region. Black gastrodia is mostly distributed in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, and is also found in the three northeastern provinces. In the Yangtze River basin, black gastrodia is only distributed or artificially cultivated in high mountains above 1500 m in altitude. Therefore, for artificial introduction and cultivation, it is best to choose places at 1500-2000 m. According to our experiments, introduction and cultivation in places below 1200 m in altitude gives very poor results. Therefore, artificial cultivation of black gastrodia should choose cold, cool high-mountain locations in order to achieve both high quality and high yield.

2. Selection of seed gastrodia. Because black gastrodia arrow gastrodia has a relatively low water content, seed gastrodia is the same. Therefore, for white gastrodia of the same quantity and the same form and size, 1 jin of red gastrodia is usually 40-50 pieces, while black gastrodia is only 30-40 pieces. Thus, when introducing black gastrodia seed, it is necessary both to weigh it and to calculate the number of seed gastrodia. To plant 1 sq m of red gastrodia requires 1 jin of seed gastrodia, while to plant 1 sq m of black gastrodia requires 1.2 jin of seed gastrodia.

3. Culturing Armillaria fungus wood. Trees such as cork oak, sawtooth oak, oriental white oak, cherry tree, rowan, Elaeagnus umbellata, and Platycarya strobilacea have solid wood that resists decay, and their bark is thick and not easy to fall off. These kinds of trees are best for cultivating black gastrodia. The tree diameter should be 5-12 cm, and when cutting into logs, 50 cm in length is suitable. Branches with a diameter below 5 cm can be chopped into short pieces 5-10 cm long and evenly placed around the thick fungus wood. The amount of fungus wood should be prepared at 8-10 pieces per sq m (or per pit), weighing 25-30 kg, with 8-10 kg of short branches. For culturing fungus wood, in spring from March to April, use two bottles of fungus spawn per pit; in autumn from August to September, use 1.5 jin of fungus branches per pit.

4. Cultivation method. When sowing, place the seed gastrodia close to the fungus wood, placing 6 seed gastrodia on one piece of fungus wood, 4 in the middle of the fungus wood and one at each end. Either pit planting or row planting may be used. The cultivation depth is about 15 cm. When covering the cultivation pit with soil, use fine soil and firm it in place. Ensure there are no gaps between the seed gastrodia and the soil, or between the fungus wood, fungus branches, and the soil. Cover the top of the cultivation pit with broadleaf tree fallen leaves, thatch, rice straw, corn stalks, and other such materials, with a covering thickness of 2-3 cm. Then open drainage ditches properly.

5. Field management.

(1) In winter and early spring, use mulch to keep warm, maintaining the soil temperature below 10 cm in the pit at 0-5°C. In the three months of July, August, and September, mulch or a shade shed must be used to regulate temperature, keeping the temperature within 26°C.

(2) Water management. From December to March, control moisture and prevent freezing, with soil water content at 30%; it is enough that moisture is visible. From April to June, increase water to promote growth, with soil water content at 60-70%; it forms a ball when held in the hand and crumbles when dropped to the ground. From July to August, reduce moisture and lower temperature, with soil water content at about 60%. From September to October, control water to suppress bacteria, with soil water content at about 50%; it forms a slight ball when held in the hand and crumbles with a light squeeze. In November, soil water content is about 30%, dry and loose. At the same time, during the growing season, pay attention to removing weeds and preventing and controlling pests and diseases.

6. Harvest. Dig after Frost's Descent. When digging, it should be done on a clear day when the soil is dry; avoid digging on rainy days or within 1-2 days after rain. When digging, prepare two types of baskets and boxes, one specifically for seed gastrodia and one specifically for commercial gastrodia. The seed gastrodia should be sown promptly or transported and stored as required. Commercial gastrodia should also be processed and dried promptly.