What are the precautions for growing Siberian ginseng?

Many people are probably not familiar with Siberian ginseng, but it is a fairly commonly used medicinal herb. Every part of it is useful, with effects of dispelling wind-dampness and strengthening sinews and bones, and in our daily life it generally appears in forms such as medicinal liquor, hair oil and soap. It is mainly grown in Jilin, Shanxi, Heilongjiang and other places in China. So how is Siberian ginseng grown? What issues need attention when growing it? Let's take a look below.

1. Sprouting

Siberian ginseng seeds need to be treated before sowing, which is what we commonly call sprouting. We need to soak the seeds in water for one day, then rub the fruit peel clean and dry them in the sun. Then put the dried seeds into warm water of about 40 degrees and soak them for about 20 minutes, remove them, then put them into a carbendazim solution and soak for one day, remove and rinse them clean, mix them with river sand, put them into a wooden box and place them in an environment of about 20 degrees for sprouting. Then after one week turn them over, and move the box into an environment with a temperature of about 2 degrees for storage, and wait until April of the following year for sowing; the germination rate of the seeds is at least about 20 percent higher than that of untreated seeds.

2. Time

Attention must be paid to the time for growing Siberian ginseng, because its growing methods differ, so the growing times also differ. If seed sowing is used, then the best time for growing is mid-April. If propagation by cuttings is used, then it is best to grow in mid-June or at the end of June. So what we need to pay attention to is looking at the growing method chosen, and then the growing time can be decided; do not mix them up.

3. Density

There are many factors affecting the growing density of Siberian ginseng, and we need to analyse specific situations specifically. When raising seedlings from seeds, the distance between each plant is about 8 cm, and later, after repeated thinning and transplanting, the growing density can finally be determined. If propagation by cuttings is used, the growing density is generally two point five meters between rows and two meters between plants.

4. Pruning

When pruning Siberian ginseng, we need to pay attention to the pruning method. Generally, we prune according to the principle of keeping strong branches and removing weak branches, dead branches, diseased branches, deformed branches and dense branches. But we need to pay attention to both the pruning time and the pruning method; pruning is generally carried out in spring and in autumn and winter.

5. Harvesting

The harvesting of Siberian ginseng is also particularly particular. It is divided into harvesting of tender leaves, harvesting of tender stems, harvesting of root bark and harvesting of stems. Tender leaves can be harvested from the end of April all the way to the end of August, while tender stems are generally harvested from the end of April to the beginning of May, when harvesting ends. The later harvesting of root bark and stems is generally carried out in autumn after the leaves fall.

The above are some of the more common issues that need attention in the process of growing Siberian ginseng. In fact, there are still many places that need attention when growing Siberian ginseng, such as how to water, how much to water, how to fertilise, and what fertiliser to apply, so we still need to keep updating and improving this later.