How to sow Eucommia ulmoides seeds? A detailed guide to growing this Chinese medicinal plant

Eucommia ulmoides is a species endemic to China with very high cultivation value. It prefers a warm, humid climate and a sunny environment, and it can withstand severe cold: mature plants can survive normally at -30°C. It can be cultivated in most parts of China. It is highly adaptable and is not strict about soil, but deep, loose, fertile, moist loam with good drainage is best. Let us take a look below at how to grow Eucommia ulmoides seeds!

Seed treatment

Eucommia ulmoides seeds have a lifespan of 1 year. The germination rate is closely related to maturity and freshness; fully mature seeds have a low germination rate, and the germination rate is even lower when sown in spring. Usually, after collecting the seeds at the end of October, hang them up for storage. In late December, soak them in clean water for 1-2 days, changing the clean water once a day. At the last water change, add a small amount of copper sulfate or amobam (zinc) or carbendazim to kill pathogens. Remove and drain until the seeds can be scattered by hand without sticking when sowing, then sow directly in the beds.

Sowing in beds

1. Land preparation and fertilization: For raising Eucommia ulmoides seedlings, choose sandy fields or sandy loam fields, and plow and harrow repeatedly 2-3 times before sowing. Before the last plowing and harrowing, apply compound fertilizer to "finish the stubble." Make beds 1 m wide, dig furrows 20-25 cm deep, apply barnyard manure in the furrows or broadcast compound fertilizer and rapeseed cake, or use human and livestock urine and manure as a base. Cover with soil so it is 1.5-2 cm below the bed surface.

2. Sowing into beds: Place Eucommia ulmoides seeds 1 per 5 cm in the furrows with base fertilizer, or scatter them evenly and sparsely in the furrows; pick up any that are too dense and place them in sparser spots. Cover with plant ash mixed with soil or fine soil to 1.5-2 cm. On the beds, lay rice straw or thatch flat along the direction of the furrows to keep warm. The grass cover does not need to be too thick, to avoid pulling out seedlings along with the grass when the grass is removed after the seedlings emerge evenly.

Seedling-stage management

1. Thinning at the right time: Thin out seedlings that emerge too densely and transplant them elsewhere, keeping a plant spacing of about 8-10 cm. It is best to transplant after the seedlings have basically all emerged but before true leaves appear; before true leaves appear, the roots have almost no fibrous roots. On cloudy days or in the evening, gently lift them out with a hard bamboo strip (keeping mud on them as much as possible), and plant them as you lift them (a handful at a time). Water after planting, and 7-10 days later apply 1 light application of very dilute human urine and manure or urea as a spot fertilizer.

2. Spraying to protect seedlings: Throughout the seedling stage, Eucommia ulmoides should be sprayed to control pests such as locusts, jewel beetles, and longhorn beetles. Bordeaux mixture can prevent damping-off, but once seedlings have damping-off, spraying Bordeaux mixture is useless; instead, irrigate with kangukling or carbendazim. At the same time, hoe the surface shallowly to increase soil temperature, and apply more dilute fertilizer to enhance soil fertility. For downy mildew, amobam (zinc), mancozeb, or carbendazim can be sprayed or poured.

3. Weeding and loosening soil: After Eucommia ulmoides seeds emerge, pay attention to intertillage and weeding, watering and fertilizing, and loosening the soil. Young seedlings dislike strong sunlight and need appropriate shading. In the dry season, spray-irrigate in time to prevent drought; in the rainy season, pay attention to preventing waterlogging. If the trunk of a seedling grown from seed is crooked, in early spring remove all aboveground parts along the ground surface to encourage new branches, then select and keep 1 strong, vigorous, straight new branch as the new trunk and remove all the rest.

4. Rational fertilization: Fertilization during the Eucommia ulmoides seedling stage should be "small meals, more often." Farmyard manure and compound fertilizer are best. Fertilization should be light, and it is best to apply dilute fertilizer after each loosening of the soil. Ammonium bicarbonate should not be used, to prevent fertilizer burn. After the seedlings are 30 cm tall, urea can be broadcast on rainy days, using 4-5 kg per mu each time. After the seedlings are 40 cm tall, lightly broadcast urea once every 15-20 days. Eucommia ulmoides seedlings grow vigorously in autumn; if fertilizer keeps up, large ones can reach 100-110 cm tall in the same year, producing high-quality seedlings.

How are Eucommia ulmoides seeds stored? How are Eucommia ulmoides seeds sown?

[Common question] How are Eucommia ulmoides seeds stored? How are Eucommia ulmoides seeds sown?

[Expert answer] Eucommia ulmoides seeds have a lifespan of 1 year. The germination rate is closely related to maturity and freshness; fully mature seeds have a low germination rate, and the germination rate is even lower when sown in spring. Usually, after collecting them at the end of October, hang them up for storage.At present, there are three forms of Eucommia ulmoides seed storage: dry storage in cloth bags, dry storage mixed with sand, and wet storage mixed with sand.Test results show that wet storage mixed with sand has the best effect. It is better than dry storage mixed with sand, and even better than dry storage in cloth bags, with germination rate and germination vigor more than double those of dry storage in cloth bags.

Eucommia ulmoides seeds

How are Eucommia ulmoides seeds sown?

1. Seed treatment:In late December, soak in clean water for 1-2 days, changing the clean water once a day. At the last water change, add a small amount of copper sulfate or amobam (zinc) or carbendazim to kill pathogens. Remove and drain until the seeds can be scattered by hand without sticking when sowing, then sow directly in the beds.

2. Land preparation and fertilization:For raising Eucommia ulmoides seedlings, choose sandy fields or sandy loam fields, and plow and harrow repeatedly 2-3 times before sowing. Before the last plowing and harrowing, apply compound fertilizer to "finish the stubble." Make beds 1 m wide, dig furrows 20-25 cm deep, apply barnyard manure in the furrows or broadcast compound fertilizer and rapeseed cake, or use human and livestock urine and manure as a base. Cover with soil so it is 1.5-2 cm below the bed surface.

3. Sowing into beds:Place Eucommia ulmoides seeds 1 per 5 cm in the furrows with base fertilizer, or scatter them evenly and sparsely in the furrows; pick up any that are too dense and place them in sparser spots. Cover with plant ash mixed with soil or fine soil to 1.5-2 cm. On the beds, lay rice straw or thatch flat along the direction of the furrows to keep warm. The grass cover does not need to be too thick, to avoid pulling out seedlings along with the grass when the grass is removed after the seedlings emerge evenly.

4. Thinning at the right time:Thin out seedlings that emerge too densely and transplant them elsewhere, keeping a plant spacing of about 8-10 cm. It is best to transplant after the seedlings have basically all emerged but before true leaves appear; before true leaves appear, the roots have almost no fibrous roots. On cloudy days or in the evening, gently lift them out with a hard bamboo strip (keeping mud on them as much as possible), and plant them as you lift them (a handful at a time). Water after planting, and 7-10 days later apply 1 light application of very dilute human urine and manure or urea as a spot fertilizer.

[Editor's conclusion] Eucommia ulmoides is a unique Chinese medicinal plant in our country, with very high cultivation value. The editors of First Agricultural Economics above introduced the storage methods and sowing methods for Eucommia ulmoides seeds, and we hope it is helpful to you.

Methods for treating Chinese medicinal herb seeds before sowing

[Common question] Methods for treating Chinese medicinal herb seeds before sowing

[Expert answer]

Image: Chinese medicinal herb seeds

I. Seed selection

Select seeds that are plump, well developed, free of insect eggs and disease pathogens, and highly viable. For small quantities, manual seed selection can be used; for large quantities, winnowing can be used.

II. Sunning seeds

Sunning seeds before sowing can promote physiological after-ripening of some medicinal herb seeds, accelerate internal seed metabolism, increase seed survival rate, germination vigor, and germination rate, and also play a role in sterilization and disinfection.

For sunning seeds, generally choose clear weather and sun them for 2-3 days. When sunning seeds on concrete, be careful not to spread them too thin, to prevent scalding the seeds; generally 3-5 cm is suitable. Stir once every 2-3 hours so the seeds are heated evenly.

III. Seed soaking

Soaking seeds directly in cold water or warm water around 40 can age the seed coat, enhance permeability, kill pathogens hidden inside and outside the seeds, prevent the spread of disease, and promote rapid, uniform germination.

When soaking seeds, if chemical substances are used for direct seed treatment, the effect is even better.

1. Treatment with growth hormones. Commonly used hormones include indoleacetic acid, gibberellin, and others.

2. Treatment by adding trace elements to water. Commonly used trace elements include boron, zinc, manganese, copper, molybdenum, and others.

3. Scarification and shell-breaking treatment. Some medicinal herb seeds are hard, rich in wax, and impermeable to water, which affects seed germination. Methods such as artificial shell breaking and rubbing are often used to damage the seed coat, which can promote germination. For example, Eucommia ulmoides can use broken-winged samara fruits, take out the seed kernel, and sow directly; the seed coats of Astragalus membranaceus and Andrographis paniculata are waxy, so they can first be rubbed with fine sand, then soaked in warm water, which can significantly increase the germination rate.

IV. Stratification treatment

That is, one layer of wet sand, a thin layer of seeds, then another layer of wet sand, then another thin layer of seeds, repeated in stacked treatment. This can break seed dormancy and promote after-ripening and germination. For example, seeds of peony, Coptis chinensis, and ginkgo are often treated by stratification to promote sprouting.

V. Seed dressing

Generally, chemical agents are used for seed dressing, which can sterilize and disinfect, and promote growth and absorption.

① Commonly, 50% carbendazim is used for seed dressing, which can kill pathogens on the seed surface and in the soil and prevent bacterial damping-off. The dosage is 3-5 g of chemical per 500 g of seeds, mixed evenly.

② Using bacterial fertilizer for seed dressing can increase beneficial microorganisms in the soil and can convert elements in the soil and air that plants cannot directly use into nutrients that plants can absorb and use, thereby promoting the growth and development of Chinese medicinal herbs. Commonly used bacterial fertilizers include rhizobium agents, nitrogen-fixing bacteria agents, and others.

In addition to the commonly used seed treatment methods above, high-tech treatments such as rays and ultrasound can also be used on medicinal herb seeds, all of which have effects such as promoting seed germination, vigorous growth, early maturity, and increased yield.

[Editor's summary]

In the cultivation process of Chinese medicinal herbs, sowing is mainly used, but before sowing, the seeds of some medicinal herbs must be treated to increase the germination rate, ensure strong seedlings, and achieve the goal of increasing yield and income. The editors of First Agricultural Economics introduced the methods for treating Chinese medicinal herb seeds before sowing in this article, and we hope it is helpful to you.