What Is the Price of Kudzu Seedlings? Detailed Guide to Planting Methods
Kudzu, also known as Getiao, Gange, Geteng and so on, is the dried root of the leguminous plant wild kudzu. In China it is distributed in all regions except ** and Tibet. As a medicinal herb it has the effects of clearing heat and expelling toxins, relieving spasms and easing pain, lifting yang and releasing the muscles, promoting eruption and stopping diarrhea, and moistening the intestines to relieve constipation. Its cultivation value is very high. Let us take a look together below at kudzu seedling prices and planting methods!
How much does one kudzu seedling cost?
The price of kudzu seedlings is about 0.4 to 1.2 yuan per plant, but prices vary depending on seedling quality, specifications, place of origin and market. Wild kudzu has strong adaptability, likes a warm and humid environment, has a certain tolerance to cold and drought, and is not very demanding about soil, though loose, fertile loam or sandy loam with good drainage is best. In production it is mainly propagated by seed and by cuttings, and root-head propagation and layering propagation are also used.
Kudzu Propagation Methods
1. Seed propagation: Around Qingming, soak the seeds in 40°C warm water for 1 to 2 days, stirring frequently. Take them out, let the water dry, then open holes in the middle of the prepared beds and sow. The holes are 3 cm deep, with a plant spacing of 35 to 40 cm, 4 to 6 seeds per hole. Level the holes and water them, and seedlings emerge in about 10 days.
2. Cutting propagation: When digging kudzu roots in autumn, select and keep strong vine stems, cut off the head and tail, choose the middle part and cut it into 25 to 30 cm cuttings, each with 3 to 4 nodes. Place them in a cool place mixed with moist sand for temporary planting, and around Qingming the following year open holes in the beds and insert the cuttings.
Kudzu Planting Methods
1. Site selection and land preparation: Kudzu is not very demanding about soil. Before winter, along with plowing, apply 2000 to 3000 kg of farmyard manure per mu. The following spring, shallow-plow again, break up the clods, rake fine and level, and make beds 1 to 1.2 m wide for later use, with ditches about 30 cm between beds.
2. Cultivation and weeding: Kudzu grows quickly. When it reaches 1 to 2 m, cultivate and weed. Usually one weeding before sprouting in early spring and one more after leaf fall in late autumn are enough; during the growing period, frequent weeding is generally not needed.
3. Reasonable topdressing: Kudzu topdressing can be done together with cultivation and weeding. The green-up fertilizer is mainly decomposed human manure water, 1000 kg per mu, and urea can be appropriately added. The overwintering fertilizer is mainly farmyard manure. Each year during the peak growth period, a small amount of potassium fertilizer can be applied together with watering.
4. Trellising and guiding vines: Kudzu cultivation requires trellises. Between two rows, set up 1 wooden post every 2 to 3 m, connect the posts with wire, and tie bamboo poles or wire between beds to facilitate climbing. When the seedlings are 30 cm tall, the vines can be guided onto the trellis.
5. Bud removal and pruning: During the growing period of kudzu, stem and vine growth should be controlled, and the terminal buds should be removed to reduce nutrient consumption. The plant shape should also be reasonably adjusted to make full use of sunlight, and dead vines and diseased or damaged branches should be cut off in time.
6. Pest and disease control: During the growing period, kudzu mainly has pests such as crickets and scarab beetles. Crickets can be killed by spraying 2000-fold dilution of 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate; for scarab beetles, spray leaves in May to June with 1000-fold dilution of 90% trichlorfon crystals; for other pests, dimethoate, chlordimeform and the like can be used.
7. Timely harvesting: Kudzu can be harvested after 2 to 3 years of cultivation in late autumn to early winter or before early spring. Dig out all the roots, remove the stems, vines and fibrous roots, scrape off the coarse bark, cut into 10 cm small sections, and split lengthwise into slices or strips about 5 cm thick. They can be dried on a heated kang as they are cut, or soaked in 2% lime water and then sun-dried.