How to Grow Chuanxiong? A Detailed Guide to Planting Techniques and Management Methods
Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong) is a medicinal plant that grows in a mild climate environment. It has a long history of cultivation in our country and is one of the famous Chinese medicinal herbs that sell well both domestically and internationally. It has the effects of invigorating blood and promoting the flow of qi, and dispelling wind to relieve pain. It is mainly produced in Sichuan, and is also cultivated in places like Yunnan and Guangxi. Now let's take a look at the planting techniques together.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
Choose a cool-climate, higher-elevation, south-facing plot. Chuanxiong is suitable for planting in sandy soil in mountain and flatland areas. Before planting, weed and clear the land; the weeds can also be burned into charcoal for use as fertilizer. Deeply plow the soil to 30cm, rake it fine and level it, and make beds 1.5 meters wide. During land preparation, base fertilizer can be applied: after applying 2000 kg of organic fertilizer or farmyard manure per mu, spread it on the bed surface, and when digging the soil, mix it evenly with the topsoil.
2. Planting
Begin planting in early August, and no later than the end of August, otherwise the temperature will affect the growth of the seedlings, and in severe cases cause the seedlings to wither and die. When planting, try to choose a sunny day. Dig up a portion of vigorous-growing, immature underground rhizomes with withered stems and leaves, digging up 150-300 kg per mu, and move them to the mountainous area to begin cultivating seed stems. Open furrows on the bed surface for planting, controlling the plant and row spacing at 30×20cm, place the seed stems flat in the furrow with the buds facing upward and press them upright into the soil so that they contact the soil, but with some of the node disks exposed above the soil surface. After planting, cover them with compost or manure, and then spread a layer of rice straw over the bed surface, which can both keep warmth and moisture and reduce damage from strong light and heavy rain.
3. Field Management
Half a month after planting, the covering of rice straw can be removed. Carry out intertillage and weeding 1-2 times per month, and pay attention to careful observation. If missing seedlings are found, replant them in combination with intertillage and weeding, then earth up around the rhizomes so they can overwinter safely. Within two months after planting, apply topdressing 2-3 times to ensure sufficient nutrients for growth and development, applying topdressing once every 20 days, with each application of 1000 kg of farmyard manure, 100 kg of plant ash, 25 kg of ammonium sulfate, 40 kg of superphosphate, and 10 kg of potassium sulfate. In winter, when the temperature is cold, in order to allow the plants to overwinter safely, cut off the withered aboveground stems and leaves, then loosen the soil and weed before covering with a layer of fine soil to protect them through the winter.
4. Harvesting and Processing
The harvest time is generally in May of the second year after planting, when the large and small rhizomes have fully matured. If dug too early, the rhizomes have not matured, and the yield is low; if dug too late, the fully ripe rhizomes will rot, causing a decline in quality. When digging, also choose a sunny day, dig out the whole plant, remove the soil and stems and leaves from the surface of the rhizomes, then roast them over a low fire for 2-3 days. When a strong fragrance is released, place them in a bamboo basket and shake to remove excess soil and fibrous roots; the remaining main roots can then be processed into a commercial product.
The above are the planting techniques for Chuanxiong. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more about medicinal herb cultivation, please follow us.