How to sow licorice? 5 steps to easily get planting done

Sowing licorice is a relatively simple method for this type of herb, but its key points should also be noted when cultivating it. The key points are as follows:

1. Sowing method

Site selection and land preparation. Licorice has wide adaptability and does not have strict requirements for the cultivation environment. It can be cultivated in semi-arid and arid areas with an average temperature of 4°C to 12°C and more than 2600 hours of sunshine, and it can also be planted on poor farmland returned from cultivation. However, it should also be noted that waterlogged low-lying areas, areas with a high groundwater table, and areas with heavy clay and acidic soil are not suitable for planting licorice. If conditions permit, it can be planted on sandy or water-quality soil with a soil salt content not exceeding 0.5%, which can achieve the goals of a high germination rate and high seedling survival rate, fast growth speed, bright color of roots and rhizomes, good quality, and high economic benefit. **The Urumqi City Grassland Station selected the experimental site in a plot in Yongfeng Township that had been planted with @#@245@#@ 3 years earlier and then left fallow, with deep soil layers, loose soil texture, good drainage, and low salinity and alkalinity. Early field management included: deep plowing 40 cm to 50 m, raking fine and leveling, making high ridges, with a ridge width of 40 cm to 45 cm and a ditch width of 30 cm to 35 cm. The experimental area was 3 hectares.

2. Seed selection and seed treatment

Seed selection. Ural licorice with relatively high contents of glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid was selected.

Seed treatment. Licorice seeds have a hard seed coat, are impermeable to water and air, and do not germinate easily. The germination rate of untreated seeds is only 30% to 40%, while the germination rate after seed coat breaking treatment can reach more than 90%. Therefore, the seeds must first be pretreated before sowing. The method used is: soak the seeds in 60°C water, then remove them, cover them with a wet cloth for 4 hours to 6 hours to allow them to absorb water and swell, then dry them in the air and drain them before sowing.

3. Sowing and raising seedlings

Licorice can be sown in spring, summer, or autumn, but according to the climatic conditions in the Urumqi area, spring gives the best yield and quality. The experimental area chose to sow in mid-April in spring. A 12-row seeder was used for drilling, with a sowing depth of 2 cm to 3 cm and a row spacing of 30 cm. To increase yield, the sowing rate was increased to 12 kg/hectare. When sowing, ensure uniform seed drop and consistent depth, properly compact after sowing, and irrigate once.

At a temperature of 20°C, seedlings can emerge in 5 days to 7 days. When 50% of seedlings have emerged, remove the covering grass, water to preserve soil moisture, and wait for full emergence. When the seedlings are 15 cm to 20 cm tall, the emergence rate is 90%, the seedlings have grown for about 4 months, and the roots reach 35 cm to 40 cm, they meet the requirements for transplanting standards.

4. Field management

Thinning and final thinning. Thin seedlings when 1 to 2 true leaves have grown, keeping the seedling spacing at about 5 cm. When the seedlings grow 3 to 4 true leaves, carry out final thinning, with a plant spacing of 10 cm to 15 cm.

Irrigation. Although licorice is a deep-rooted drought-resistant plant, during the seedling stage its roots are relatively shallow and its drought resistance is not strong. Therefore, after the seedlings grow to 4 true leaves, give the first watering. It should be done by gentle shallow irrigation or sprinkler irrigation, and not by flooding irrigation. Pay attention to keeping the seedlings moist. The number of waterings should neither be too many nor too few, so as to ensure the water supply during the seedling stage. After the adult plant stage, very little irrigation is needed. In July to August, when there is more rain, drain promptly so that there is no standing water in the field and root rot is prevented. The key to cultivating licorice is preserving seedlings. Generally, after the plants have grown, they are no longer watered.

Cultivation and weeding. After the seedlings have emerged completely, cultivate and weed promptly so that there are no weeds in the field. This is the key to high quality and high yield. If conditions permit, closed weeding can be carried out after sowing and before emergence, using 2 bags of douhuanglong (20% chlorimuron-methyl) wettable powder per 667 sq m, combined with 2 bottles to 4 bottles of acetochlor per 667 sq m, sprayed in the field. After emergence, a herbicide killing monocotyledons can be sprayed to eliminate weeds.

Topdressing. The first topdressing is carried out after final thinning, applying 10 kg of urea per 667 sq m in furrows. The second topdressing is applied when the seedlings are 20 cm tall, using urea at 15 kg per 667 sq m.

5. Disease control

The main diseases of licorice include powdery mildew, gray leaf spot, and rust, so field management should be strengthened, with attention to drainage and ventilation. If disease occurs, spray with a 1000-fold solution of fenarimol at the early stage of onset, or use 0.3 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 500-fold to 600-fold solution, spraying once every 7 days to 10 days, and 2 to 3 sprays are sufficient.