Schisandra chinensis is suitable for growing in the north; an introduction to its planting methods
Schisandra chinensis is a woody vine of the genus Schisandra in the family Magnoliaceae, distributed in Northeast and North China, and mainly produced in the Northeast. Schisandra chinensis is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal material in China, with effects such as replenishing qi, nourishing the kidney, astringing the lung, securing the essence, promoting fluid production, quenching thirst, benefiting the intellect, and calming the mind. It is also a relatively good nervous system stimulant, can enhance the body's defense against nonspecific stimuli, and has good therapeutic effects on neurasthenia, myocardial weakness, fatigue, lethargy, hepatitis, and more.
Schisandra chinensis is not only a rare traditional Chinese medicine resource, but also a berry resource with a distinctive flavor, and it has very broad development prospects in beverages, foods, and health products such as wines, fruit candies, fruit teas, jellies, and jams. Its young shoots in early spring are a wild vegetable with high nutritional value, and can also be processed into Schisandra chinensis tea with health benefits. The perennial old vines, commonly known as blood vine and mountain pepper, have the effects of invigorating blood, relieving pain, dispelling wind, and removing dampness. In folk use, its vines are dried and are also a very good seasoning. Schisandra chinensis is a multifunctional and multipurpose economic plant with high development and utilization value. Products already developed include Chinese patent medicines such as schisandrol, schisandrin tablets, liver-protecting tablets, Schisandra syrup, and Schisandra tincture, as well as various health products such as Schisandra medicinal wine and Schisandra beverages. The cultivation techniques for Schisandra chinensis are introduced as follows:
I. Selection of a cultivation site for Schisandra chinensis
A plot with good drainage, close to a water source, and convenient transportation should be selected, and the soil is required to be fertile, loose, deep, well aerated, and water-retentive loam or sandy loam. The soil and irrigation water of the site for cultivating Schisandra chinensis are required to be pollution-free, and there should be no seriously polluting factories nearby; the atmosphere and irrigation water must comply with China's “Ambient Air Quality Standards” and “Quality Standard for Irrigation Water in Farmland.” Special note: on plots where the pesticide chlorsulfuron and pesticides with long residual activity have been applied, planting should be carried out after the pesticide expiration period has passed, so as to avoid phytotoxicity and affecting the survival rate of Schisandra chinensis planting.
II. Digging planting trenches
Dig planting trenches in the selected site. On flat land, a north-south row orientation should be used, so that the plants can receive sunlight evenly; on sloping land, it should be determined according to the terrain [www.cyonE.com.cn/], and the orientation of the planting rows should be parallel to the contour lines. The planting row spacing is 150 cm, the plant spacing is 40-50 cm, the planting trench width is 60 cm and the depth is 30 cm, with topsoil and subsoil placed separately on each side. Fertilizer combination: apply about 3000 kg of uniformly mixed decomposed farmyard manure (pig, chicken, human manure and urine, etc.) and 25 kg of diammonium phosphate per 667 sq m (1 mu). Backfilling of soil and fertilizer: first fill a layer of topsoil into the trench, then fill half of the fertilizer into the trench, then cover with a layer of soil, mix the other half of the fertilizer into the upper layer of soil, and the backfilled soil should be 10 cm higher than the ground. Only topsoil can be filled into the trench, not subsoil. The trench should be dug at latest one week before planting, with clods broken up and raked level.
III. Prevention and control of diseases, pests, and weeds in the site
1. Site disinfection: in order to better ensure the robust growth of Schisandra chinensis, the soil of the site must first be disinfected. The following methods can be used for disinfection:
(1) Ferrous sulfate disinfection. Treat the soil with a 3% ferrous sulfate solution, using 0.5 kg of the solution per sq m. That is, after diluting ferrous sulfate with clean water into a 3% concentration solution, spray the soil surface with a sprayer, or directly pour it into the soil.
(2) Carbendazim disinfection. Carbendazim can prevent and control a variety of fungal diseases and has good control effects on diseases caused by ascomycetes and deuteromycetes. For soil disinfection, 50% wettable powder can be used, at 1.5 grams per sq m.
(3) Amobam disinfection. Amobam has strong bactericidal power, can penetrate into the plant body, and still has a certain fertilizing effect after decomposition in the plant body. Generally, a 350-fold dilution of 50% amobam is sprayed.
2. Early prevention of weeds in the site: the specific method is: after disinfecting the soil of the site, use oxyfluorfen (24% emulsifiable concentrate), and before weeds sprout, use 50 ml of the pesticide per 667 sq m, diluted in 60 kg of water, and spray the whole area evenly for soil sealing. When applying the pesticide, the field soil should remain moist to facilitate the complete formation of the chemical film.
IV. Preparation and planting of Schisandra chinensis seedlings
Select 1-2 year old Schisandra chinensis seedlings that are robust, have an intact root system, and are disease-free. The planting time is spring planting or autumn planting. Taking spring planting as an example: from the root upward, retain a height of 5 cm, shorten it, and then keep 2 plump buds, then plant at a plant spacing of 40-50 cm. When planting, spread the root system out completely, then gently lift the seedling and fill with soil, firm it, and water thoroughly; after the water sinks, cover with soil for 1-2 cm.
V. Plastic film mulching
After planting a row of seedlings, cover with plastic film while cutting the film to release the seedlings. When releasing the seedlings, use a small knife or wooden stick, etc., to cut a small hole in the plastic film over the seedling to lead the seedling out of the film, then cover the opening tightly. After releasing the seedlings, at any time use fine moist soil to seal the gaps tightly around the base of the seedlings, so as to maintain the temperature and moisture under the film. When the young seedlings unfold their leaves, water once more to protect the seedlings, by the method of watering 0.5-1 kg of water per seedling (depending on the soil moisture condition). For autumn planting, water once with overwintering water after planting, and in the following spring carry out the measures according to the requirements for spring planting.
VI. Trellising
After Schisandra chinensis is transplanted and established, trellises should be set up in time for it to climb on. Trellis materials can be adapted to local conditions. A single-sided trellis is preferable. The following uses a canopy trellis as an example to introduce trellis construction: first use 2.5 m long wooden stakes as trellis posts, set one post every 5-8 m along the bed, buried about 50 cm underground, then use No. 8 or No. 10 iron wire to pass through the posts at 1.5 m and 2.0 m above the ground, tighten it with a wire tensioner, and wrap it tightly around the posts at both ends, then use fine nylon string or old wool yarn (if conditions permit, bamboo poles or trellis rods are best) with one end fixed to the ground at the base of the seedling and the other end tied to the iron wire, and when the seedlings enter height growth, use these to guide the branches onto the trellis. Two guide lines (or rods) should be set for each seedling, one line (or rod) for each vine. The spacing between vines should be about 20 cm. In the second spring, after setting up a post between the rows and pulling one iron wire, then pull two more iron wires between the row directions to form a canopy trellis for the branches and vines to climb on. This trellis style is conducive to ventilation and light penetration for the plants.