How to Grow American Ginseng for High Yield? A Detailed Guide to Cultivation Techniques
American ginseng is a traditional Chinese medicine of the ginseng family with very high medicinal value. It is also called huaginseng; it and huaginseng are the same plant, just called by different names. American ginseng originated in Canada, and now it is widely used in many ways, whether stewed in soup or brewed as traditional Chinese medicine, attracting a large number of investors to take part in its cultivation. So how do you grow American ginseng for high yield? Let me, Shuaishuai, tell you about it below!
I. Site Selection
First, choose the growing site well. American ginseng needs to be grown in slightly acidic humus soil, and there should preferably be irrigation resources around the land. In China, mountainous broad-leaved forest areas at an altitude of 800-1100 m or fertile garden fields are all good places for growing it, and the soil is also very fertile acidic soil.
II. Land Preparation
After choosing the land for planting, deep plowing should be carried out in the spring and summer of the year before planting, then it should be left to sit, and after exposure to the sun, spray it with carbendazim, then disinfect the soil, then add decomposed barnyard manure and bone meal, mix the soil evenly, and work the land well so that it drains better and air circulates.
III. Transplanting
After the ginseng seedlings have been cultivated for two years, carry out spring planting. Use the slanting planting method and cultivate them by grading into large, medium and small sizes. When planting, keep the ground at a slant angle of 40 to 45 degrees to the planting furrow, scatter some bone meal in the furrow, cover with soil about 5 cm thick, and cover the seedbed with some leaves. This can provide insulation and help the seedlings get through winter smoothly.
IV. Seed Treatment
The seed embryo is of the after-ripening type, and the seeds enter a long dormant period, so the seeds must be treated in advance to allow physiological after-ripening. First clean the seeds, then store them with fine sand, then keep just a little moisture so they have a self-supply of water, then place them in a basement for storage and let them mature on their own. After complete after-ripening, treat them at a low temperature of 0-5 degrees, and after four months they will germinate. Once the germination rate reaches 85%, they can be sown.
V. Field Management
American ginseng is a shade plant, so it cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. A shade shed should be set up above it, with light transmittance of only 25%-36%. Fertilization is mainly with decomposed manure, bone meal and compound fertilizer, and topdressing should be done frequently during the growing period. In summer, mulching should be carried out to avoid direct sunlight. Water irrigation is also one aspect: keep the soil moisture content at around 40%.
VI. Pest and Disease Control
1. Damping-off
This disease is mostly caused by poor soil permeability and soil compaction, and can be treated by spraying with zineb solution.
2. Leaf Spot
Leaf spot, also called black spot, mainly harms the leaves of American ginseng and sometimes also infects its flowers and other parts. It can be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture, zineb solution and polyoxin. The field should be disinfected frequently, and seeds should be disinfected when selected. When selecting seeds, the seeds can be soaked in formalin, which can greatly prevent leaf spot.
3. Leaf Rust
This is a disease that makes leaves turn yellow and wither, and in severe cases it spreads directly to the entire leaf, causing it to wither completely. The control method is the same as for black spot.
4. Rust Rot
Rust rot is a disease that occurs at any stage of the plant and is also one of the diseases with the highest frequency and considerable impact on American ginseng. It can cause the underground stem to rot, producing yellow-brown rust-like disease spots. After rotting, no seedlings can emerge, so the impact is great. It can be addressed starting from the soil: the soil must be fully decomposed, and it must have good drainage and ventilation. Maintaining the looseness of the soil is very important. When transplanting, ensure the health of the plants. The roots can be soaked with polyoxin, and the soil should be disinfected more to prevent the invasion and breeding of pathogens.
The above are the high-yield cultivation techniques for American ginseng. Have you learned them? Friends who want to start growing it should consider in advance whether the conditions are met. Growing medicinal herbs is different from growing crops and other plants; the hard requirements are very high, and the costs are also high, so a whole series of issues must be considered to ensure profitability. The above cultivation techniques were summarized and written by the editor, for everyone's reference only. I hope they can help you. To learn more about medicinal herb cultivation techniques, please continue to follow Qinnong Web!