How to Grow Mugwort Well? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Techniques
Mugwort is a relatively common plant in China, and some of it is now also used as a medicinal herb. Coupled with the rise in demand in recent years, artificial cultivation has begun in many places. So how can mugwort be grown so that it thrives?
1. Land Management
Although mugwort itself has low demands on the land and can generally be grown even in relatively barren places, we still need to prepare the land well to ensure quality. First, weeds and the like in the plot should be cleared away, farmyard manure should be chosen for compost as much as possible, and then the fertilizer should be mixed and stirred into the soil. Sandy soil is preferable, as soil with strong permeability helps mugwort reproduce.
2. Planting Management
Many friends do not manage it much after planting, which causes some areas to grow too densely and affect growth. Generally, transplanting should be carried out when the mugwort seedlings emerge 5 cm above the ground, with about 2 plants per hole; any extra should be moved away. After 10 cm, try not to move the seedlings again, as this is the best time for the mugwort roots to develop and determines its future growth. Generally, the distance between each plant is about 30 cm, and this density can ensure maximum benefit.
3. Fertilizer and Water Treatment
Mugwort places great importance on fertilizer and water, and the fertilization season must be chosen well. Many friends apply fertilizer at the initial sprouting stage and then choose to wait until the mugwort grows nodes before fertilizing again, or even do not fertilize at all. Here, two time periods should be grasped: one is the 10 cm development stage, when a top dressing should be applied once, in a small amount and mixed with water; the other is the growth stage at around 40 cm. Later watering is generally done by spraying, and it is enough to ensure that the soil surface is moist, but do not water too frequently, because at this time the mugwort roots cannot get any sunlight at all, and too much water can easily rot the roots.
4. Field Management
Weeding in the early stage is very important, and mugwort can only be easily weeded during the seedling stage; after it grows larger, ordinary weeds cannot harm the growth of mugwort, because mugwort itself is an extremely strong competitor for nutrients. Next is the handling of withered mugwort, which must be taken away in time. The same applies at harvest time: try to clean up the residual branches and fallen leaves on the ground, as this is beneficial for the next planting.
Mugwort is something that everyone can use in many ways in daily life, such as for repelling mosquitoes. The management required for daily cultivation is not intensive, as it is itself a plant with very strong survival ability. If you like the idea of a plant that requires less time for management and also has decent economic value, you might consider growing mugwort.