How to grow Pinellia ternata? A detailed explanation of the key points of Pinellia ternata cultivation techniques
Pinellia ternata is a medicinal plant of the Araceae family, also known as three-leaf pinellia and half-moon lotus. Its medicinal part is the tuber. It is distributed in the wild in various parts of China. It has the effects of drying dampness and transforming phlegm, and descending rebellious qi to stop vomiting. However, the whole plant is toxic and must not be eaten raw. Eating a small amount can cause symptoms such as numbness of the body, spasms, and difficulty breathing, and eating an excessive amount can cause death. Let's take a look at its cultivation techniques below.
1. Land selection and land preparation
Choose a sunny, flat plot of land, preferably sandy loam soil with deep soil layers, loose and fertile soil, and convenient drainage, where legumes and grasses have been planted in the previous crop. Once the plot is chosen, begin land preparation. First, plow the soil deeply 20-30 cm, rake it fine and level it, then make beds 120 cm wide, requiring a ditch width of 30 cm and a depth of 15-20 cm. Apply sufficient base fertilizer, using 2000 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure or soil-mixed manure per mu, and 25 kg of superphosphate.
2. Sowing and raising seedlings
Pinellia ternata can be sown in spring or summer. Spring sowing is best in February-March, and summer sowing is best in April-May. Open furrows in the beds for sowing, then sow the tubers in the furrows, generally using 50-60 kg of seed per mu. After sowing, do not cover with soil. Instead, spread farmyard manure or soil-mixed manure over the seeds, then water once with clear manure water, then cover with soil and level it. Cover the ground with rice straw or crop stalks. This can not only play a role in keeping warm and moist, speeding up seed germination, but also prevent other weeds from growing and competing for the seeds' nutrients. Observe promptly after sowing. They will sprout in about 20 days. When the germination rate reaches half, the covering can be removed.
3. Fertilizer and water management
In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing is also needed during the growth period of Pinellia ternata. After the seedlings are uniform, apply one topdressing of thin manure water. In the middle growth stage, during the bulbils formation stage, apply the second topdressing. This time, clear manure water can also be applied, or 10 kg of ammonium sulfate per mu can be applied. In August, when the seedlings are present, apply the third topdressing. This time, manure water or cake fertilizer and superphosphate can be applied at 20 kg each per mu, plus 10 kg of urea. Pinellia ternata is a plant that likes moisture and fears drought, but it also avoids waterlogging. Therefore, in dry seasons, water promptly to keep the soil moist, and in rainy seasons, do a good job of drainage and waterlogging prevention to avoid soil water accumulation causing tuber rot.
4. Field management
Field management mainly includes cultivating and weeding, earthing up, and pest and disease control. Cultivating and weeding are generally determined according to field conditions. Check the field frequently, and when weeds are found, pull them out promptly. Use chemicals as little as possible. While weeding, shallow cultivation of 2-3 cm can be done, but it should not be too deep, so as not to damage the root system. The purpose of earthing up is to cover the bulbils so that they can take root and sprout as quickly as possible in the moist soil and form new plants as early as possible. For earthing up, use fine mud from the plow pan, about 200 kg per mu, spread it evenly on the bed surface, 1-1.5 cm thick, covering the bulbils and seeds, and press lightly. The main diseases of Pinellia ternata include leaf spot disease, tuber rot, and viral disease, while the pest includes the red hawk moth. When damage occurs, control it promptly.
The above are the cultivation techniques for Pinellia ternata. I hope they can help you. To learn more about medicinal herb cultivation knowledge, please follow us.