How to harvest lotus root properly? Master the correct harvesting method
How is lotus root best harvested? Please give guidance. Harvesting lotus root too early affects yield, while harvesting too late lowers quality. Therefore, the harvest time should be determined according to how early or late the plants develop and the intended use. ① Huaxiang lotus root. The newly formed lotus root is called huaxiang lotus root, also known as tender lotus root. This kind of lotus root has a very low starch content and features a fresh, tender, sweet and crisp flavor. When the lower-layer leaves of huaxiang lotus root are yellow-green, the middle-layer leaves are dark green, the upper leaves have all taken shape, and no new leaves appear in the whole plant, it can be harvested. Early September is the best time, but harvesting at this time affects yield, so only a small amount should be harvested. ② Mid-Autumn lotus root. Mid-Autumn lotus root can be harvested around the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the lower-layer leaves in the whole field have withered, the middle-layer leaves are yellow, and the upper-layer leaves are yellow-green. Harvesting Mid-Autumn lotus root is mainly to meet people's needs for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day. ③ Red-rust lotus root and white-rust lotus root. Red-rust lotus root is generally harvested in mid-October, named because the surface of the lotus root has a rust color at this time. At this stage the lotus root contains more starch and can be used for cooked food or processed into lotus root powder. By the end of October, the redness of the lotus root fades and turns white, and it is called white-rust lotus root. At this time the lotus root is rich in starch, suitable for processing and eating, and can also be stored until after the beginning of spring the following year.
How is lotus root best harvested? Please give guidance
Harvesting lotus root too early affects yield, while harvesting too late lowers quality. Therefore, the harvest time should be determined according to how early or late the plants develop and the intended use. ① Huaxiang lotus root. The newly formed lotus root is called huaxiang lotus root, also known as tender lotus root. This kind of lotus root has a very low starch content and features a fresh, tender, sweet and crisp flavor. When the lower-layer leaves of huaxiang lotus root are yellow-green, the middle-layer leaves are dark green, the upper leaves have all taken shape, and no new leaves appear in the whole plant, it can be harvested. Early September is the best time, but harvesting at this time affects yield, so only a small amount should be harvested. ② Mid-Autumn lotus root. Mid-Autumn lotus root can be harvested around the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the lower-layer leaves in the whole field have withered, the middle-layer leaves are yellow, and the upper-layer leaves are yellow-green. Harvesting Mid-Autumn lotus root is mainly to meet people's needs for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day. ③ Red-rust lotus root and white-rust lotus root. Red-rust lotus root is generally harvested in mid-October, named because the surface of the lotus root has a rust color at this time. At this stage the lotus root contains more starch and can be used for cooked food or processed into lotus root powder. By the end of October, the redness of the lotus root fades and turns white, and it is called white-rust lotus root. At this time the lotus root is rich in starch, suitable for processing and eating, and can also be stored until after the beginning of spring the following year.
Drain the water two weeks before harvesting lotus root. When harvesting, look for the terminal leaf. This leaf grows in the middle section of the lotus node, its blade spreads at a small angle and is mostly semi-unfolded, its petiole is slender, and the blade leans forward. The blade withers late. After Frost's Descent and the Start of Winter, although the blade has completely withered, it is more elastic than the petioles of other leaves. After finding the terminal petiole, you can estimate the depth of the lotus root according to the distance between the terminal leaf and the rear node leaf. When harvesting, use a foot shovel to step down along the petiole to the bottom of the mud, harvest the upper-layer lotus roots first, and then harvest the lower-layer lotus roots. The method is to scrape away the mud beneath the lotus root body, and use the right hand to grasp the rear handle of the lotus root to prevent it from breaking and causing mud to enter the holes and affect eating quality. Do not rush to wash the harvested lotus roots; wash them again before selling. This can reduce discoloration and improve the fresh quality of the lotus root.
If seeds are to be kept, choose a well-grown clay lotus root pond. Harvest all the lotus roots within about 2 m around the pond, leave 30 cm unharvested every 2 m in the middle of the field, or harvest the first two sections of the lotus root and keep the last node as seed lotus root for the next year. Because the seed lotus root must overwinter in the field, a certain shallow layer of water should be maintained in the field and it must not dry out, so as to prevent the soil from freezing and cracking and damaging the seed lotus root. If shallow water cannot be maintained regularly, it is advisable to cover with rice straw for cold protection. Before planting lotus root the next year, dig out the seed lotus root and plant it as it is dug, selected and planted.
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