For high-yield Gastrodia elata cultivation, do these four steps well
Gastrodia elatais a precious Chinese medicinal herb, with prices exceeding one hundred.Gastrodia elata cultivationhas become a planting craze among medicinal herb farmers. To achieve high yield and good quality in growing Gastrodia elata, besides favorable weather and geography, human factors are also crucial. So forGastrodia elata cultivation, which aspects need to be well controlled?
1. Gastrodia elata cultivation should control light well:
From planting to harvest, Gastrodia elata should avoid direct sunlight. When sunlight shines, a shade shed should be built to cool things down, ensuring the tubers can grow normally. Therefore, artificial cultivation of Gastrodia elata is mostly carried out indoors, in basements, or in greenhouses, with shade sheds built to cool things down to ensure the tubers can grow normally.
2. Gastrodia elata cultivation should control temperature well:
Temperature control is key to Gastrodia elata cultivation management. The suitable germination temperature for Gastrodia elata seeds is 22°C to 25°C. If the temperature is low in the early sowing period, plastic film or straw should be added to raise the soil temperature. The optimal growth temperature for Gastrodia elata is 15 to 25°C. When it exceeds 30°C, the growth of Armillaria mellea and Gastrodia elata will be severely inhibited; when it is below 15°C, the tuber growth rate of Gastrodia elata will be inhibited or even stop; when it is below 5°C, the tubers will freeze and rot. In summer, pay attention to preventing high temperatures and drought. A shade shed can be built or water sprinkled to cool down. Note that watering is best done after sunset when the soil temperature has dropped. In winter, prevent freezing. In areas below 1000 m in altitude, covering with 10-20 cm of branches, leaves, and weeds after planting is sufficient; in areas above 1000 m in altitude, the covering can be thickened to 30 cm.
3. Gastrodia elata cultivation should control humidity well:
Generally, the average relative humidity should be controlled at around 80%, keeping the planting sand often moist, watering frequently and lightly, preferring drought over waterlogging. From April to June, control soil humidity at around 60%. June to August is the peak growth season for Gastrodia elata, and it is advisable to retain water and cool down, preserve moisture and drain waterlogging. If humidity is below 60%, it is not conducive to the growth of Gastrodia elata; if above 80%, it easily causes tuber rot. September is when Gastrodia elata nutrient accumulation enters the late stage, reaching physiological maturity, and soil humidity should be controlled below 40%. In late October, when soil temperature has dropped to 10°C, Gastrodia elata enters dormancy and can be unearthed and harvested.
4. Gastrodia elata cultivation should pay attention to pest and disease control:
The main pests include white ants, mole crickets, and grubs. When cultivating Gastrodia elata, 5% chlordane powder and other pesticides can be scattered around the seedbed; or traps can be used to lure and kill white ants.
Gastrodia elata cultivationis a technical job. From cultivating Armillaria mellea spawn and culture materials to sowing Gastrodia elata seeds and harvesting, it generally takes more than 1 year. Only by mastering the growth habits of Gastrodia elata and doing these four steps well can high yield be possible.
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