How to grow Panax notoginseng? Detailed guide to planting methods and key points

Panax notoginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine used to stop bleeding, nourish the blood and boost immunity. It can be brewed into tea, used in soups to make medicinal dishes, and also used as medicine, giving it extremely high value. Panax notoginseng is grown in many places in our country, and today we will mainly learn how to grow it well.

1. Land preparation and fertilization

The planting site for Panax notoginseng is generally chosen on slightly sloping ground, which makes drainage and irrigation convenient. At the same time, the water source near the planting site should be fairly abundant, and the soil is best if it is humus-rich soil with plenty of organic matter, or sandy soil or loam. It is not suitable to plant in heavy clay, as such land easily becomes compacted and is not suitable for the tuber growth of Panax notoginseng. Also, the planting site must not be a plot whose previous crop was a solanaceous crop; the planting site must be left idle for at least one year before planting. When preparing the land, deep ploughing is required, and before planting the soil needs to be disinfected and sterilized. Use about five thousand jin of farmyard compost per mu as base fertilizer, and it is enough to make the beds well and dig the drainage ditches well.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings

Sowing is carried out every year in October or November. Before sowing, the seeds of Panax notoginseng need to be sorted, and the seeds should be disinfected with new high-fat film. This can increase the germination rate of the seeds and also isolate viruses without affecting seed germination. Sowing is generally done by dibbling with a row spacing of six cm and a plant spacing of about five cm. Finally, a layer of rice straw needs to be covered on top, which can maintain soil moisture and also have an insulating effect.

3. Seedling stage management

The main things to pay attention to in seedling stage management are field water management and weeding. When the weather is relatively dry, watering should be done frequently, generally once every three to five days or so. Next, when there is a lot of rain, the field drainage system should be cleared in time to drain the water. Then there is regular weeding, generally by manual pulling of weeds. Finally, when necessary, topdressing fertilizer is applied to maintain the normal growth of Panax notoginseng.

4. Field management

First, we need to transplant the seedlings in the field. Generally, transplanting can only be done after a one-year seedling stage. When pulling up the seedlings, be careful not to damage their roots. When selecting seedlings, remove the weak and diseased ones, then plant with a row spacing of twenty cm and a plant spacing of fifteen cm. After planting, water in time, which can improve the survival rate of Panax notoginseng. Then, in summer when the sunlight is strong, build a shade shed so as not to affect the growth of Panax notoginseng. During the growth process, topdressing should follow the principle of applying fertilizer many times but in small amounts, which can make the fruits of Panax notoginseng plump. Also, in order to prevent unnecessary nutrient consumption, all flower stalks can be removed so that nutrients can be concentrated and supplied to the underground roots, promoting the rapid growth of the roots and stems.

5. Pest and disease control

The most common pests and diseases of Panax notoginseng are damping-off disease, anthracnose, root rot, as well as aphids and scale insects. For a series of fungal infection diseases caused by excessive field moisture plus relatively high temperatures, we can usually use Bordeaux mixture or chlorothalonil and carbendazim for control, while for aphids and scale insects we can use dimethoate emulsion for control.