When is the best time to plant Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)? A detailed explanation of planting time

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), also known as red ginseng, purple Danshen, red root, etc., is a perennial upright herbaceous plant of the genus Salvia in the Lamiaceae family of dicotyledonous plants. It likes to grow in an environment with a mild climate, sufficient light, and humid air. Areas with an annual average temperature of 17.1°C and an average relative humidity of 77% are the most excellent planting areas. Let's take a look below at when Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) is planted!

Root division propagation time of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)

At autumn harvest, select current-year Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) roots with a diameter of 0.7-1 cm, purple-red color, no pests or diseases, and full development as seed roots, and store them in moist sand until the following spring. In early spring from March to April, cut the seed roots into 4-6 cm small sections, and according to the specifications of row spacing, plant spacing, and depth of 35 cm × 25 cm × 6 cm, place the cut seed roots vertically into the holes, one section per hole, with the thick end facing up, and never upside down. Cover with about 2 cm of soil, not too thick, otherwise it will affect emergence. Use about 50 kg of seed roots per mu. When planted with root sections, flowering is late, and it is difficult to harvest seeds in the same year, but the roots grow faster and the medicinal material yield is high.

Cutting propagation time of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)

In the north from June to July, and in the south from April to May, select robust and disease-free Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) branches and cut them off at ground level, then cut them into 13-16 cm long small sections. The lower cut should be close to the stem node and shaped like a horseshoe. Remove the lower leaves, and according to row and plant spacing of 20 × 10 cm, insert the cuttings obliquely into the seedbed to a depth of 1/2-2/3 of the cutting, press the soil firmly, and leave 1-2 leaves above ground. Cut and insert as you go; they must not be left for long, otherwise the survival rate of the cuttings will be affected. After insertion, keep the soil moist and provide appropriate shade. In 15-20 days, new roots can grow from the lowest stem node. When the roots are 3 cm long, set them in the field.

Seed propagation time of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen)

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) seeds are small, with a germination rate of about 70%. The direct sowing method often results in uneven emergence, so the seedling transplanting method is mostly used. For seeds, it is best to choose seeds that mature after June, and sow them immediately after collection or sow them in September. Generally, sow in the seedbed in March, and both drilling and broadcasting can be used. For drilling, the row and plant spacing is 30 × 20 cm, the furrow depth is 1-1.3 cm, and the seeds are mixed with river sand and evenly scattered in the furrow, then covered with 0.5-0.7 cm of soil. For broadcasting, the seeds can be evenly scattered on the ground and stepped on once with the foot so that the seeds adhere tightly to the soil; there is no need to cover with soil. The sowing rate is about 0.5 kg per mu. After sowing, cover with plastic film to keep warm and moist. When the soil temperature reaches about 20°C, seedlings emerge in 15-20 days. When the seedlings have 3-5 true leaves, if they are found to be too dense, thinning should be carried out, and the thinned seedlings can be planted out and cultivated. After 2 months of growth after sowing, they can be transplanted.