How to grow Isatis indigotica (woad)? Master these planting key points

Plant characteristics of Isatis indigotica: 30-35 cm tall. The root is used medicinally as Banlangen (Isatis root), and the leaves are used medicinally as Daqingye (Isatis leaf).        Growth habits: It has low soil requirements and can be grown in ordinary soil in both cold and warm regions. It is afraid of waterlogging and likes sunlight. It can be grown continuously.        Cultivation management: Propagated by seed, with spring sowing and summer sowing. Spring sowing: between March and May, choose well-drained, loose and fertile soil, and make furrows 15 cm deep with a row spacing of 18-20 cm. Evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, cover with soil, tread once with the foot, or push back and forth twice with a large hoe, then level and water. Generally at around 18°C, seedlings emerge in 7-10 days. Summer sowing is between June and July, using the same method as spring sowing, with seedlings emerging in 4-5 days.        Field management: Thin the seedlings when the seedlings are about 6 cm tall, with a plant spacing of about 5 cm. From Xiaoman to Mangzhong, apply 15 kg of ammonium nitrate and 15 kg of superphosphate per mu, cover with soil and water; from Xiazhi to Xiaoshu, cut the leaves; 4-5 days after cutting the leaves, when watering, apply 10 kg of urea.        Harvesting and processing: Spring-sown Isatis indigotica is cut once for leaves during the dog days; cut the leaves from the base, and it is best to dry them in one or two days. From Hanlu to Shuangjiang, dig up the roots, dry them in the sun and use them as medicine. For summer-sown plants, cut the leaves and dry them in the sun when digging up the roots, and the root-digging season is the same as above.