Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques for Cornus officinalis
Cornus officinalis is one of the commonly used medicinal herbs in China, with a long history of use. It is often used for conditions such as liver and kidney deficiency, dizziness and blurred vision, and incessant spontaneous sweating. As demand for it continues to grow, many people have started cultivating it, so how should it be planted? Let's take a look together.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
It is advisable to choose flat or gently sloping land that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, has sufficient light, and has deep soil for planting. The planting site is best suited to fertile, loose, well-drained neutral to slightly acidic sandy loam soil, ideally close to a water source for irrigation when disease occurs. After selecting the planting site, deep plow it 30-40cm before winter sets in, and about half a month before sowing, apply about 3000 kg of farmyard manure or cake fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer. Make beds 1.2 m wide, 25cm high, with 25cm-wide furrows, and wait for sowing.
2. Propagation Methods
There are many propagation methods for Cornus officinalis, including sowing, layering, cuttings, and grafting, but in production the sowing propagation method is generally used. When the fruit is ripe, harvest it, dry it in the sun for 3-4 days, remove the flesh, then soak the seeds in water with bleaching powder dissolved in it to rot the oily seed coat. Remember to stir during soaking, then remove the seeds, mix them with plant ash, and sow. Sowing is done by broadcasting: open shallow furrows 5cm deep at 25cm row spacing on the bed surface, evenly scatter the seeds in, then cover with a layer of soil and organic fertilizer. Generally, 40-60 kg of seed is used per mu. After sowing, keep the soil moist; seedlings will emerge in about forty to fifty days.
3. Seedling Stage Management
After emergence, keep the soil moist. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 true leaves, thin them and weed in time, and apply topdressing twice according to plant growth conditions, applying 4-5 kg of urea per mu. When the seedlings grow to 10-20cm, if drought or strong sunlight occurs, take shading and drought-prevention measures. Before winter sets in, water with freezing water, and combine with hilling and fertilizing to help them overwinter safely. When one-year-old seedlings grow to 70-80cm, they can be planted out in the spring of the second year.
4. Field Planting
To ensure normal growth, generally plant 30-50 plants per mu; if there are other trees or shrubs, only about 20 plants can be planted. Determine planting density according to the actual conditions of the planting site. The best time for planting is December to January, because this is the dormant period of Cornus officinalis, and planting at this time can improve the survival rate. Choose a cloudy day to lift the seedlings, lift them with soil, prune their root systems and dip them in mud slurry. It is best to plant them as soon as they are lifted. Before planting, apply 20 kg of barnyard manure per hole, mix it with fine soil, and apply it in. Hold the plant upright and plant it in; when half the soil has been filled, lift the seedling slightly so the root system is in close contact with the soil, then firm it by treading and water to aid survival.
The above are the planting methods for Cornus officinalis. We hope this helps you. To learn more about planting knowledge, please stay tuned to us.