How to sprout ginseng seeds? Mastering the correct method is key
Ginseng is a relatively precious medicinal herb, and the techniques for cultivating ginseng artificially are constantly improving. In fact, for friends who have grown ginseng or learned about ginseng cultivation, most people know that before planting ginseng, the seeds need to be sprouted. So how do you sprout ginseng seeds? Let's find out together below.
1. Preparation for sprouting
The preparation work for sprouting mainly involves the timely selection of a sprouting site as well as the preparation of sprouting boxes and the site. The sprouting site is generally chosen as a plot with relatively high terrain that is dry, has good drainage, is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, and is overall flat. The sprouting box is generally made from wooden boards two to three cm thick; the sprouting box should be about 150 cm wide and about 40 cm high, while the length needs to be determined specifically according to the quantity of seeds sown. After making the sprouting box, fill the bottom with soil, place the sprouting box flat on the sprouting site, and set up the sprouting box trough.
2. Sprouting methods
The methods for sprouting ginseng seeds are mainly indoor sprouting and outdoor sprouting. Next, they can also be divided into sprouting methods for seeds of the current year and sprouting methods for seeds of the following year. Finally, there are the specific sprouting methods, which mainly include the above-ground sprouting method for ginseng seeds, the mixed underground sprouting method for ginseng seeds, the underground sprouting method for ginseng seeds, and the summer sowing sprouting method for ginseng seeds. Here we mainly look at the methods and management techniques for sprouting ginseng seeds of the current year.
3. Treatment and sprouting
For ginseng seeds harvested in the current year, if they are dry ginseng seeds, then before boxing them, the seeds need to be soaked in cold water for about one day. If they are wet seeds, they need to be soaked in water with added gibberellin, taken out after twenty hours, dried, and then separately sterilized and disinfected with fungicide. As for the sprouting substrate, a mixture of humus soil and river sand is usually used, with a mixing ratio of 2 to 1. Finally, put the mixed substrate into the sprouting box; a substrate thickness of about five cm is enough. Then mix the substrate and seeds, load them into the sprouting box, and finally cover them with a layer of substrate about ten cm thick. Control the sprouting temperature well, and then wait for sprouting.
4. Management during the sprouting period
During the sprouting process, it is not considered a success just because the seeds have been put into the sprouting box. During the sprouting process, we also need a period of careful care and management. First, we can build a rain shelter over the sprouting site with a certain degree of light transmission. Second, dig drainage ditches around it to facilitate water management, and at the same time prevent rainwater intrusion that could cause sprouting failure. Next, use the method of turning the seeds, turning them once about every ten days to half a month, but note that when sprouting is almost complete, they need to be turned once about every week. When turning the seeds, the moldy seeds need to be removed, and the humidity of the substrate adjusted. During the sprouting process, the temperature is generally best controlled at around 18 to 20 degrees, and the maximum temperature must not exceed 25 degrees. If sprouting is about to be completed, the temperature needs to be lowered to around 13 to 15 degrees. Finally, the humidity in the sprouting box is generally around 20 percent to 40 percent, and must not exceed 42 percent.
The above is one of the simplest methods for sprouting ginseng seeds when cultivating ginseng, and it is also the most commonly used sprouting method. If everyone wants to learn about other sprouting methods for ginseng, you can also consult us.