A Detailed Guide to Pinellia Rhizome Seed Prices and Planting Methods
Pinellia rhizome, also known as white nanxing, mountain bud rice, snake corn, etc., is a herbaceous plant of the genus Pinellia in the Araceae family. In China, it is distributed in most areas except the northwest and Xizang, growing under forests, in thickets or grasslands. Its tubers are toxic and inedible, and can be used to make alcohol, paste materials, etc. As medicine, it can detoxify and reduce swelling, dispel wind and calm fright, and resolve phlegm and dissipate nodules. Now let us take a look at pinellia rhizome seed prices and planting methods!
How much does one jin of pinellia rhizome seeds cost?
The price of pinellia rhizome seeds is about 120-150 yuan per jin, but it varies depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market conditions. Pinellia rhizome propagation is mainly by tubers, and can also be propagated by seeds. It likes moist, loose and fertile soil and environments, and likes water and fertilizer. The tubers are not tolerant to freezing, but the seedlings that germinate from seeds in the same year only produce three small leaves in the first year, and in the second and third years the number of small leaves increases gradually and they are relatively more cold-tolerant.
Sowing methods for pinellia rhizome
1. Seed collection: Pinellia rhizome seeds mature in early August. After collecting the berries, place them in clean water and rub them to remove the pulp, then take out the seeds and sow them immediately in autumn.
2. Sowing method: On the prepared seedling bed, dig shallow furrows at a row spacing of 15-20 cm, then scatter the seeds into the furrows and cover with soil level with the bed surface.
3. Post-sowing management: After sowing, water once thoroughly, then keep the bed moist. Usually seedlings emerge in 10 days, and when the seedlings are 6-9 cm tall, thin them to a fixed spacing.
Planting methods for pinellia rhizome
1. Land preparation and fertilization: After choosing the land for planting pinellia rhizome, deep plow it in autumn and apply 3000-5000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure or compost per mu. Before planting, shallow plow once more, then break up the soil and rake it level into high beds or flat beds 1.2 m wide, with drainage ditches opened around them and the bed surface shaped like a turtle back.
2. Timely transplanting: Transplant pinellia rhizome in spring from April to early May. Choose an overcast day and transplant healthy small seedlings with a little soil around the roots into the field at a row and plant spacing of 20×15 cm. After planting, water once to settle the roots and help them survive.
3. Drainage and irrigation: During the growth period of pinellia rhizome, pay attention to watering and keep the soil moist often. The principle is to water frequently and lightly, not to flood irrigate. During the rainy season, pay attention to drainage and strictly prevent water accumulation, so as to avoid tuber rot.
3. Weeding and topdressing: When pinellia rhizome seedlings are 6-9 cm tall, carry out the first loosening of soil and weeding, the second in mid-to-late June, the third in late July, and the fourth in late August. Combine soil loosening and weeding with topdressing, and additionally apply an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to ensure increased yield.
4. Removing spathes: Removing the spathes of pinellia rhizome is commonly called "pulling the braids." In May-June, remove the spathes as soon as they appear, so as to reduce nutrient consumption and promote tuber growth. If planted in a courtyard, the inflorescences may be left unremoved and sold as cut flowers after they grow larger.
5. Selecting and breeding good varieties: At harvest time, select tubers of moderate size, place them in a ventilated place to dry until the surface is slightly dry, and store them in a cellar. Take them out just before planting the next year, then select tubers that are spotless, disease-free, free of rotten skin and relatively round and regular as seed tubers.
6. Harvesting and processing: Pinellia rhizome is harvested between "Autumn Equinox" and "Cold Dew." Dig out the tubers, remove stems, leaves, fibrous roots and soil, peel them, rinse away the broken skin with clean water, then place them in a smoking pit and smoke them with sulfur for 6-8 hours, and dry them in the sun until they become white.