How to propagate and cultivate purslane? Growing methods for an annual herbaceous plant

Purslane, also known as ma xian cai, ant vegetable, an le cai, suan mi cai, long-life vegetable, melon-seed vegetable, five-element vegetable, ma she zi cai, ma, yu cai, is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the family Portulacaceae. Its root system is thick and well developed; the stems are erect, slanting or prostrate; the branches are cylindrical and yellow-green, turning reddish-brown on the side facing the sun. The leaves are alternate or opposite, obovate or spatulate. The whole plant is thick and juicy, smooth and hairless. The flowers are small, yellow, with 5 petals. The fruit is a conical capsule. The seeds are tiny, flat and round, dark brown, with small tuberculate protrusions on the surface.

Purslane is drought-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant, tolerates strong light, and likes rich soil and moisture. It grows faster and has better quality in fertile soil, and can also grow normally in poor, thin soil. The suitable temperature for growth is 20—30°C. It likes an environment with dry air and moist soil, grows quickly and tenderly under weak light, tends to grow leggy during continuous rainy days, and tends to age if the light is too strong. Sandy loam is the best soil.

Wild purslane is mainly distributed in fields, wasteland, roadsides and courtyards, and is especially likely to grow and multiply on earthen mounds and sand dunes.

1. Seed propagation

Sowing can be done when the temperature is above 15°C. Before sowing, the land should first be prepared and fertilized. Apply 2000 kg of decomposed base fertilizer per mu, and after plowing, make flat beds 1.2 m wide, then broadcast the seed over the entire bed on the basis of moist soil. The sowing rate is 700 g per mu. Because purslane seeds are too small, the seeds can be mixed evenly with 5 times their volume of fine sand before broadcasting, and after sowing cover with 0.5 cm of fine moist soil. In early spring, to prevent cold waves, plastic film or straw should be spread over the soil after sowing to keep it warm and moist. When the seedlings emerge, the film should be removed or the straw cleared away. If sowing in summer, shade netting should be put up at the initial stage of seedling emergence, and weeds should be removed in time and rainwater drained away. When soil moisture is good, seedlings can emerge 2—4 days after sowing. Thin the seedlings 10 days after emergence, with a plant spacing of about 5 cm. Then water and topdress, applying 10 kg of urea per mu, and remove weeds in time. About 30 days after sowing, the stems and leaves have fully grown, and harvesting should be done during the tender stage before flowering and budding. If seed collection is needed, the fruits should be harvested before the capsules open, otherwise the seeds will open the capsules by themselves and scatter after ripening.

2. Propagation by root division

Dig up the mature plant with its roots, and split it with a knife from the branching point at the base of the root, so that each divided plantlet has an appropriate amount of fibrous roots and lateral roots. After drying in the sun until slightly wilted, they can be planted out in the bed, or they can first be dipped in rooting powder solution and then planted. When planting, bury 1 stem node in the soil, with a plant and row spacing of 10 cm×10 cm. After planting, cover with soil, press down lightly, and then water. Generally, the seedlings recover in 3—5 days. After recovery, topdressing and watering can be carried out to promote stem growth.

3. Propagation by layering

Around each plant, lay the longer stems and branches down on the ground, and every 3 nodes cover 1 stem node with moist soil (leave 2 nodes—1 node of stem in front of the soil-covered part), so that it roots in the soil. When the stem node under the soil has rooted, it can be separated from the main plant, thus forming a new independent individual.

4. Harvesting

Generally, about 1 month after sowing or planting out, the stems and leaves have fully grown. When the stems are thick, plump, tender and juicy, harvest in time before budding. If buds have already appeared, the flower buds should be removed, then the plants washed clean with clear water and tied in bundles for market.