How to Plant Morinda officinalis? Detailed Explanation of Methods and Technical Key Points
Morinda officinalis is a relatively commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal herb, mainly used for tonifying the kidney, supplementing yang, strengthening sinews and bones, and dispelling wind-dampness. On the current market, Morinda officinalis is divided into wild and artificially cultivated types, but at present the wild type mainly grows in regions with warm climates year-round such as Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan. Artificial cultivation, on the other hand, is mainly carried out in Guangdong and Guangxi. So how should Morinda officinalis be artificially cultivated? Let's take a look below at how Morinda officinalis is planted.
1. Land Plowing and Preparation
Morinda officinalis prefers a warm, humid environment. The soil of the planting site is generally preferably relatively loose, fertile, well-drained, with moderate or slightly acidic pH, good permeability, red loam or yellow loam. At the same time, the planting site should have sufficient water sources, and is best located on flat ground or gently sloped terrain. Plowing and preparation of the planting site generally needs to begin several months before sowing. Before raising seedlings, break up and level the soil clods and prepare the beds. Finally, master the use of base fertilizer and apply sufficient base fertilizer.
2. Propagation Methods
The main methods of propagating Morinda officinalis are seed seedling raising and cutting seedling raising. Seed seedling raising is generally carried out by drilling, with a distance of about 15 cm between each row. The furrow is about 10 cm wide and about 5 cm deep, then the seeds are evenly scattered into the furrow and covered with soil. For cutting seedling raising, relatively thick vine roots need to be selected, each vine root being about 10 to 15 cm, and then they are inserted as cuttings at a distance of about 5 cm per plant.
3. Seedling Stage Management
The most important work in seedling stage management is shading. If seed seedling raising is used, a shade shed should be built after the seedlings emerge, but if cutting seedling raising is used, a shade shed needs to be built immediately after planting. Then, after the seedlings have grown for three months, gradually reduce the shading degree. At the same time, note that a rain shelter should be built for rainproofing and cold protection. We should maintain the air humidity at around 60 percent, and when the seedlings grow to about 15 cm, apply an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer to promote seedling growth.
4. Cultivation Management
Transplanting of Morinda officinalis should wait until the seedlings have grown to about 30 cm, which means the seedling raising time is about ten months to one year. Within one month after transplanting, check the survival and growth of the seedlings in the field, replant missing seedlings in a timely manner, and water reasonably to improve the survival rate of transplanting. In order to reduce damage from pests and diseases, we should carry out intertillage and weeding multiple times. If the growth is poor, apply additional fertilizer in a timely manner, and you can use plant ash, farmyard manure, or farm manure combined with chemical fertilizer. During the flowering period of Morinda officinalis, remove the inflorescences in a timely manner to promote root growth.
5. Pest and Disease Control
There are many diseases that harm the growth of Morinda officinalis, among which the main ones are stem base rot, purple root rot, and sooty mold, with stem base rot being the most harmful. We can use sulfur powder, ammonium sulfate, and Baume degree lime-sulfur mixture for control. The most common pests include white grubs, scale insects, whiteflies, aphids, red spider mites, and root-knot nematode disease, and we can use trichlorfon and dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate for spraying and killing.
The above are the methods for artificial cultivation of Morinda officinalis. I believe that by reading through the above text, everyone has basically gained a general understanding. In particular, friends who want to plant Morinda officinalis should note that before planting, they need professional planting techniques and should understand the growth habits of Morinda officinalis.