Field Management Methods and Technical Key Points for the Chinese Medicinal Herb Angelica dahurica

Nature, flavor and meridian entry: pungent, warm. Enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. Disperses wind and dispels cold, opens the orifices and relieves pain, reduces swelling and discharges pus, dries dampness and stops vaginal discharge. It is the root of plants in the Apiaceae family, including YuAngelica dahurica, Xing'an Angelica dahurica, Chuan Angelica dahurica, Hang Angelica dahurica or Yunnan Niu Fangfeng; Yu Angelica dahurica is mainly produced in the Yuzhou area of Henan. Some provinces and regions in the north cultivate it, mostly for local production and local sales, with a small amount transferred outside the province. The field management methods for Angelica dahurica are as follows:

1. Watering

In places with sufficient rainfall, watering may not be needed, but in arid and semi-arid regions, deep watering must be done before sowing, and the land should be plowed to preserve soil moisture; after sowing, watering must be done if drought occurs or if there is a long dry spell. If the soil moisture is poor, watering is necessary; about 4 waterings are enough for germination, and afterward the soil should often be kept moist to favor seedling growth. Before Minor Snow, the plants should be watered thoroughly to prevent Angelica dahurica from dying of dryness in winter. In the second year, spring watering should be done around Qingming, not too early, because when the ground temperature is low and the water is cold, the seedlings are unwilling to grow. After that, water once every 10 days, and in summer water once every 5 days. Especially from Grain in Ear to before Grain Rain, if there is too little water, the main root cannot extend downward, and then there will be many fibrous roots, affecting yield. During the dog days, even more attention should be paid to maintaining sufficient moisture, and the seedlings must not be allowed to droop from lack of water; otherwise the main root becomes lignified and its quality is reduced.

2. Thinning

In spring, when the Angelica dahurica seedlings turn green and reach 6 cm in height, thinning is carried out, appropriately removing weak seedlings so that the seedlings are evenly distributed and have ventilation and light. When the seedlings are 13-16 cm tall, final thinning is done, leaving 1-2 strong seedlings per hole; for drill sowing, leave one strong seedling about every 16 cm, taking care to remove overly weak seedlings and overly large ones. Seedlings with stems showing a greenish-white color should be selected out to reduce the occurrence of future bolting in Angelica dahurica; in short, keep the seedlings uniform.

3. Cultivation, Weeding, and Thinning

In the year the Angelica dahurica seedlings emerge, thinning begins when the seedlings are about 5 cm tall. First thinning: for hole sowing, leave 5-7 small seedlings per hole; for drill sowing, leave 1 small seedling every 3-5 cm. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, carry out the second thinning: for hole sowing, leave 3-5 small seedlings per hole; for drill sowing, select and leave 1 small seedling every 7-9 cm. During thinning, select and keep small seedlings whose leaf stalks are green-purple. Any seedlings whose leaf stalks are greenish-white or yellow-green and whose leaves are concentrated in the upper part with excessive growth will often flower early in the future, causing hollow roots, and should all be pulled out. In early spring of the following year, in late February, carry out the final thinning, that is, final stand establishment: for hole sowing, establish 3 plants per hole; for drill sowing, establish 1 plant every 10-15 cm (that is, plant spacing). Final stand establishment should follow the principle of "pull the large and keep the small" to avoid excessive growth, bolting, and flowering in Angelica dahurica. However, for weak and small seedlings that emerge during the year and are not topdressed, the principle of "pull the small and keep the large" should be followed. In the main production area of Zhejiang, farmers in Yuhang do not thin in the current year and only begin thinning in early spring of the second year, with final stand establishment only after Qingming. This saves time, labor, and cost, and is also more economical. After each thinning, combine with one cultivation and weeding.

4. Topdressing

Scientific fertilization is the key to improving the yield and quality of Angelica dahurica. Angelica dahurica is a fertilizer-loving plant, with tall plants, fast growth, and strong fertilizer uptake. However, if fertilizer is applied blindly, especially too much fertilizer at the seedling stage, growth becomes excessive and bolting and flowering are likely, reducing yield; if fertilizer is insufficient, growth is poor and yield is also low. Generally, topdressing is done 4 times. The 1st and 2nd times are carried out together with thinning, applying 1500 kg of dilute human and livestock manure water per mu each time; the 3rd time is after final stand establishment, applying about 2500 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu, plus 30 kg of superphosphate; the 4th time is after Qingming, applying 3000 kg of human and livestock manure water per mu, plus 150 kg of fire soil ash, broadcast on the bed surface, and cover with soil after application. 5. Drainage and Irrigation Keep the field soil moist. If the soil is too dry, it is unfavorable to main root growth, and branch roots increase, affecting the yield and quality of Angelica dahurica. Therefore, when drought occurs, irrigate promptly and strengthen field moisture management. But if there is too much rain and drainage is poor, and field humidity is too high, it will cause root rot and other diseases, so drainage must be done promptly. 6. Removing Bolting Plants In May-June of the following year after sowing Angelica dahurica, a few plants grow excessively and are about to bolt and flower, and they should be pulled out promptly. Once Angelica dahurica flowers, the root becomes hollow or rots and cannot be used for medicinal purposes; even the seeds it forms have an extremely low germination rate and cannot be used as seed. 7. Intercropping To make economical use of the land, intercropping can also be carried out in Angelica dahurica fields. In principle, short and small crops are better. After sowing Angelica dahurica, plant vegetables between its rows, such as celtuce, spinach, garlic sprouts, etc. The intercrops must be harvested before Beginning of Spring to favor the growth of Angelica dahurica, with spinach and garlic sprouts being the most common. Spinach is sown in drills between the rows, while garlic sprouts are planted every 3 cm.