What should be noted during the cultivation of rehmannia?
As the economy improves, traditional Chinese medicinal herbs are being used more and more widely, and the demand for various medicinal herbs is gradually increasing. Rehmannia has effects such as strengthening the heart, promoting diuresis, relieving pain, lowering blood sugar and protecting the liver, and is one of the commonly used medicinal herbs, cultivated throughout the country. So what should be noted when cultivating rehmannia? Let's take a look.
1. Plot selection
Rehmannia has strict requirements for soil. When planting, it is best to choose sandy loam with deep, loose and fertile soil and good drainage, with a neutral or slightly acidic pH, and rich in organic matter is best. Plots with heavy clay soil or low-lying areas prone to waterlogging are not suitable for planting. In addition, rehmannia should not be planted continuously on the same land, which is also something to note when choosing a plot. The previous crop is best a grass-family plant, and plots where cotton, sesame, beans or cucurbits have been grown should not be chosen.
2. Seedling stage management
Rehmannia should not be hoed and weeded too many times. Generally, only 2 times are done during the seedling stage. The first is when the seedlings are 4-5 cm tall, shallow hoeing to loosen the soil so as not to damage the seedling roots and cause dead seedlings, and weeds are pulled by hand; the second is when the seedlings grow to more than 10 cm, repeating the same operation. After that, no more hoeing is needed, but weeding can be done according to the weed situation in the field. In addition, thinning and replanting of seedlings should be combined with the two hoeings. Uneven emergence is a common problem in rehmannia production, and improving thinning and replanting methods makes the growth uniform.
3. Water management
Rehmannia has a very high demand for water. In the early stage, it requires relatively low soil moisture content, between 10%-25%. In the middle and late stages of growth, that is, when the tubers are expanding, the soil needs to be kept moist, but it should not be too wet or waterlogged. Its roots are few and its water-absorbing capacity is weak, so it wilts as soon as there is drought, but waterlogging will cause its rhizomes to rot, so attention must be paid to this.
4. Bud removal
One month after rehmannia emerges, its underground rhizome will grow 2-3 buds. These later-growing buds must be pulled out, leaving only one strong seedling per plant. Some seedlings may, due to the variety, develop creeping surface roots, and these roots will also produce many adventitious buds, consuming a large amount of nutrients from the plant and affecting plant growth, so they should be removed in time. In addition, when the aboveground plant begins to bolt and flower, in order to save nutrients, the flower buds should be removed in time to increase yield.
The above are notes on cultivating rehmannia. We hope it helps you. To learn more about cultivation knowledge, please follow us.