Anemarrhena Seed Prices and Planting Methods Explained
Anemarrhena, also known as Chimu, Lianmu, wild polygonum, etc., is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Anemarrhena genus in the Liliaceae family. It is cultivated throughout China and has strong drought and cold resistance. It can grow in dry, rain-scarce barren hills, deserts, and wasteland. Its dried rhizome is a famous traditional Chinese medicine, with effects of nourishing yin and reducing fire, moistening dryness and lubricating the intestines, and promoting urination and defecation. Let's take a look at anemarrhena seed prices and planting methods below!
How much does a jin of anemarrhena seeds cost?
The price of anemarrhena seeds is about 20-30 yuan per jin, but prices vary due to differences in seed quality, variety, and place of origin. Anemarrhena has strong adaptability, growing wild on sunny hillside grasslands and among weeds. It is cold-resistant, prefers warmth, and tolerates drought. Loose humus loam soil is suitable, while low-lying waterlogged and overly compacted soil is not suitable for planting. It can be sown in all seasons throughout the year, but mainly in spring or summer.
Sowing Methods for Anemarrhena
1. Seed collection: Harvest mature fruits of anemarrhena from late July to late September, place them in a ventilated and dry place to dry, rub out the seeds, winnow away impurities, and store for later use.
2. Seed treatment: Soak anemarrhena seeds in warm water at 30-40°C for 24 hours, remove and dry slightly, then sow. The sowing rate is about 3 kg per mu.
3. Sowing time: Anemarrhena can be sown in autumn or spring. Autumn sowing is before the ground freezes, and spring sowing is in April. The germination rate of seeds from the current year is 80-90%, while that of seeds from the previous year is only 40-50%.
4. Sowing method: Anemarrhena is generally sown in drills. Open furrows at a row spacing of 15-20 cm with a depth of 1-2 cm, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, cover with soil, and keep the soil moist. Seedlings emerge in about 20 days.
Planting Methods for Anemarrhena
1. Land preparation and fertilization: For planting anemarrhena, choose well-drained sandy loam and neutral soil rich in humus. Deep plow 25-30 cm, harrow fine and level, make beds 1.2 m wide, dig drainage ditches, and apply 1500 kg of farmyard manure per mu.
2. Thinning and final singling: After anemarrhena sprouts in spring, thin the seedlings when they are 4-5 cm tall, removing the weak and keeping the strong. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, thin to a plant spacing of 4-5 cm. Reasonable dense planting is the key to increasing anemarrhena yield.
3. Loosening soil and weeding: After anemarrhena seedlings emerge, weed and cultivate in time. After thinning, do one round of loosening soil and weeding. Loosen the soil shallowly, just raking the soil surface, but weeds must be removed completely. After final singling, loosen the soil and weed once more, keeping the bed surface loose and free of weeds.
4. Timely topdressing: In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, anemarrhena mainly requires nitrogen fertilizer during the seedling stage, and nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are better during the middle and late growth stages. During the vigorous growth period from July to August each year, spray foliar fertilizer once every half month for 2 consecutive times. If it rains after spraying, spray once more.
5. Drainage and irrigation: Anemarrhena grows slowly in the first year, so water lightly. Before freezing, irrigate once with winter water to prevent winter drought. In the second year, it grows faster, so watering frequency can be appropriately increased to promote root growth. After rain, dredge ditches and drain water in time.
6. Mulching with grass to prevent disease: For 1-3 year old anemarrhena seedlings, cover with weeds after loosening soil, weeding, and topdressing each spring. This can keep warmth and moisture and inhibit weed growth.
7. Pest and disease control: Anemarrhena rarely suffers from diseases. The main pest is white grubs that bite the rhizomes. They can be killed by pouring a 1000-1500 times dilution of 90% trichlorfon, or by applying 0.5-1 kg of dichlorvos per mu at sowing.
8. Harvesting and processing: For seed-propagated anemarrhena, dig in spring or autumn of the third year. Dig out the rhizomes, remove the reed heads and fine roots, keeping the yellow fuzz and light yellow leaf scars, wash off the soil, and sun-dry or oven-dry to obtain hairy anemarrhena. If the outer skin is removed while fresh and then sun-dried, it is known as anemarrhena flesh.