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The most suitable planting time for Gastrodia elata and its impact on yield

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Gastrodia elata is best planted during its dormant period. Winter planting in October to November and spring planting in March to April both give relatively good results. Gastrodia elata is generally not planted in summer, because this is precisely its growing season; digging it up at this time disrupts the relationship between Gastrodia elata and Armillaria mellea, and even if it barely survives, the results are very poor. Choosing an appropriate cultivation time is one of the important measures for increasing Gastrodia elata yields. The most suitable cultivation time is October to November (called autumn-winter planting), followed by February to March (called spring planting), and the worst is June to July

Gastrodia elata is best planted during its dormant period. Winter planting in October to November and spring planting in March to April both give relatively good results. Gastrodia elata is generally not planted in summer, because this is precisely its growing season; digging it up at this time disrupts the relationship between Gastrodia elata and Armillaria mellea, and even if it barely survives, the results are very poor.

Choosing an appropriate cultivation time is one of the important measures for increasing Gastrodia elata yields. The most suitable cultivation time is October to November (called autumn-winter planting), followed by February to March (called spring planting), and the worst is planting in June to July (called summer planting).

Autumn-winter planting of Gastrodia elata favors the combination of Gastrodia elata and Armillaria mellea. According to experiments by the Zuojia Specialty Research Institute of the Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences: autumn planting (box cultivation method) achieved a weight gain rate as high as 318%, spring planting gained only 97%, while summer planting gained only 80%, and in the lowest cases only 28%.

The vast majority of medicinal herb growers in Chenggu County, Hanzhong region, Shaanxi, plant Gastrodia elata at the end of October locally, with most weight gain multiples of 15 to 20 times. Some experimented with planting in March of the following year, and the result was weight gain multiples of only 11 to 22 times. In Liaoning Province, autumn planting is preferable, but indoor warming and temperature-raising measures are essential; otherwise the results are not as good as spring planting.

Why does autumn-winter planting of Gastrodia elata significantly increase yield? This is mainly because it extends the growth period of Gastrodia elata, specifically prolonging its peak growing season. During the vigorous growth period, the nutrients supplied by Armillaria mellea are abundant, so Gastrodia elata grows quickly and grows large.

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