Houttuynia cordata planting methods and cultivation technique key points

Houttuynia cordata is produced in the provinces south of the Yangtze River basin in China. As early as the late 1980s, Gaoping Town, Guanghan City, Sichuan, introduced large-scale field cultivation, and it has now driven nearly ten thousand mu of planting area in surrounding townships, forming the largest Houttuynia cordata planting base in China at present. Let's take a look together at the planting methods of Houttuynia cordata below!

Houttuynia cordata propagation methods

For the propagation methods of Houttuynia cordata, division, cuttings and rhizome propagation are all acceptable. For division propagation, from late March to April, dig out the mother plant and transplant the divisions into a sandy soil seedbed for raising seedlings, or transplant directly. For cutting propagation, in spring and summer, cut healthy pest-free and disease-free branches as cuttings, cut them into 12-15 cm lengths, and insert them into flower pots, with row spacing of 16 cm × 10 cm or 14 cm × 10 cm. After inserting, water and shade, and after rooting, move the seedlings for planting. For rhizome propagation, it can be carried out in February to March. Select white, thick rhizomes without diseased spots, cut them into small sections with more than 2 axillary buds, and open shallow furrows in flower pots for raising seedlings or planting. In winter and early spring, attention should be paid to preventing freezing and keeping warm, and in summer and early autumn, attention should be paid to shading and keeping moist.

Houttuynia cordata planting methods

For planting Houttuynia cordata, cultivation should be carried out under conditions with natural shade (half shade and half sun) and loose, fertile potting soil. It can be planted all year round, but when planted in winter, spring and early summer, it can be harvested in the same year. Generally, the best sowing time is around the Beginning of Spring. In the flower pot, open furrows in the same direction for row planting, with furrow depth of 8-10 cm and width of 13-15 cm, and row spacing of 20-25 cm. Place Houttuynia cordata seed rhizomes in the furrows, with two rows placed in parallel in each furrow, and the spacing between seed stem sections is 5-8 cm, placed continuously, head to tail connected. The seed stems should be placed evenly, then covered with soil, and after planting, keep warm and moist. If planting in the high-temperature season in summer, there must be 3 nodes to ensure that the middle nodes can sprout and take root.

If planting before winter, plastic film or newspaper should also be added as a cover to facilitate normal growth and development in winter and early spring and obtain high yield.

Daily management of Houttuynia cordata

After planting, if the seedlings encounter drought, water in the morning and evening to moisten the ridge soil. From seedling survival to before row closure, cultivate and weed and topdress 2-3 times, with nitrogen fertilizer as the main fertilizer. Each time weeding is combined with topdressing, 20-30 grams of urea can be applied per square meter, applied dilute first and then concentrated. After each harvest, topdress mainly with nitrogen fertilizer to promote plant sprouting.

After entering autumn and harvesting, mainly apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and earth up to facilitate overwintering, laying a good foundation for sprouting the next year. In dry seasons, irrigate in a timely manner, and in rainy seasons, drain in a timely manner. Long-term water accumulation in flower pots should be avoided.

Weeds should be removed in a timely manner, and shallow cultivation and soil loosening should be carried out at the appropriate time. Combined with soil loosening, apply an appropriate amount of decomposed organic fertilizer between plants and rows. For plants whose aboveground stems and leaves grow too vigorously, pinch off the growing tips to inhibit height growth and promote the development of side branches.

Harvesting and storage of Houttuynia cordata

After Houttuynia cordata is planted, when the seedlings are 8-10 cm tall, harvesting of tender stems and leaves can begin, and thereafter harvest once every 10-20 days. The harvested tender stems and leaves can be brought to market fresh, or dried and then brought to market. After half a year of planting, the underground stems can be dug and harvested at the appropriate time according to market demand, washed clean, impurities removed, and brought to market fresh or used for pickling and processing.

Underground stems kept for seed use can be harvested as needed. The whole plant of Houttuynia cordata can be used for medicinal purposes, and it can be harvested at any time, washed clean, dried in the sun for storage, or brought to market for sale.