How to Grow Prunella vulgaris? Detailed Cultivation Methods and Techniques
Prunella vulgaris, also known as wheat-ear selfheal and iron-wire selfheal, has strong adaptability and is grown throughout China. It can be used as medicine, has the effect of clearing fire and brightening the eyes, and is mainly used to treat red, swollen, and painful eyes and headaches. It is also a common herbal tea and is in great demand on the market. So do you know how it is grown? Let's take a look below.
1. Site Selection and Fertilization
Choose a field or plot with sufficient sunlight and good drainage for planting, requiring loose sandy loam soil. Before sowing, plow the field or plot, then harrow it fine and level it. During plowing, apply 2000 kg of barnyard manure and 30 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, mix the soil and fertilizer evenly, then make beds 120 cm wide, open drainage ditches, and wait for planting.
2. Sowing
August to September each year is the sowing time for Prunella vulgaris. In June, when Prunella vulgaris gradually withers, cut off its fruit spikes, dry them in the sun, then select the seeds, remove impurities, and store them in a cool, dry place until sowing. When sowing, scatter the seeds on the soil at an appropriate row spacing, then cover with a layer of fine soil, press lightly with your hand, and then water, but not too much, so as not to wash the seeds out. Keep the soil moist, and do not allow water to accumulate. After about half a month, they will sprout and emerge.
3. Field Management
After the seedlings emerge, weed promptly. Use manual weeding by pulling out the weeds directly by hand. When the seedlings grow 4-5 leaves, thinning can be carried out. Remove the smaller and weaker seedlings and cultivate strong seedlings. When more than 10 leaves have grown, the seedlings can be finally spaced. After planting, fertilize 2 times: once at the tillering stage, when about 5 kg of urea is broadcast per mu, and the second time at the late flowering stage, when about 10 kg of compound fertilizer is also broadcast. Fertilization can be done before rain, or water after fertilizing, so that the fertilizer is absorbed as quickly as possible.
4. Harvesting
In June, when most of the planted fruit spikes turn yellow and become brown, choose a sunny day to cut them down, dry the seeds in the sun and store them properly, and store the dried grass and fruit spikes separately, waiting to sell them.
The above is an introduction to how to grow Prunella vulgaris. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge about medicinal herb cultivation, please stay tuned to us.