What are the cultivation methods and precautions for Cornus officinalis?
In ancient times, zhuyu (the dogwood) was extremely popular; the Double Ninth Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month was also called the Zhuyu Festival. The main varieties of zhuyu include Cornus officinalis, Evodia rutaecarpa, Zanthoxylum ailanthoides, and Cornus canadensis. Today we mainly need to understand the cultivation methods and precautions for Cornus officinalis, this Chinese medicinal herb. Now follow the editor and take a look.
1. Soil and fertilizer management
Cornus officinalis is generally suited to slightly acidic soil with sufficient soil fertility, convenient drainage and irrigation, and rich humus content. Because Cornus officinalis has a high fertilizer requirement, heavy base fertilizer needs to be applied when preparing the land. Deeply plow the land, cultivate carefully, level the ground, then apply fertilizer at 3,000 kg of organic fertilizer per mu, open furrows and make beds about 1.5 m wide and about 10 cm high, with the furrows merging with the ones behind.
2. Propagation methods
There are three main propagation methods for Cornus officinalis. The first is sowing and raising seedlings for transplanting, both of which use seeds for planting. Sowing can be done in spring or autumn, using the drill sowing method, with row spacing of about 25 to 30 cm. The second is layering propagation, and the planting time is also spring and autumn. The third is cutting propagation; its best planting time is May each year. Select excellent branches and cut them into lengths of about 18 cm, then insert them into the soil at a certain spacing, cover with plastic film, and strengthen water and fertilizer management.
3. Field management
After planting, about three rounds of intertillage and weeding are basically needed each year, once each in spring, summer, and autumn, which can enhance soil aeration and promote root growth. After Cornus officinalis survives, only about two to three topdressings are basically needed each year. The most common practice is to apply fertilizer once each in spring and autumn, mainly barnyard manure or compost. After Cornus officinalis bears fruit, the most common practice is to apply urea once when buds sprout in spring, then apply a gibberellin aqueous solution once when the flowers bloom, and spray an appropriate amount of boron fertilizer at the young fruit stage. Finally, watering and pruning of branches and leaves should be carried out reasonably.
4. Pest and disease control
The most important disease of Cornus officinalis is anthracnose. The peak period of onset is generally September to October each year, while the early stage of onset is generally around early June each year. The control method is spraying Bordeaux mixture, generally two to three times, once about every week. The most common pests include the fruit-boring moth and the mulberry looper; generally, deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate can be used for spraying to kill them, and trichlorfon crystals can also be used, with excellent control results.
5. Precautions
Although cultivating Cornus officinalis is simple, there are still points we need to pay attention to. Cornus officinalis is a warm-temperate heliophilic plant, so the suitable temperature for its growth is between 20 and 30 degrees, and the temperature must not exceed 35 degrees, otherwise development will be poor, so we need to pay attention to temperature regulation during cultivation. Although Cornus officinalis likes light, shade should be provided in summer, and direct sunlight should be avoided; diffused light is best.
That is all the content the editor wants to share with you today. I believe everyone now has a certain understanding of cultivating Cornus officinalis. If you still have other questions, remember to leave a message for the editor in time. You can also follow us to get more valuable cultivation knowledge.