Detailed Explanation of Key Points on Licorice Planting and Cultivation Techniques

1. Site selection and land preparation: For cultivating licorice, choose sandy loam soil with deep soil layers and a low groundwater table, and plowing to about 30 cm is sufficient. At present, flat cultivation is mostly practiced, and raised beds are rarely used; for good drainage and irrigation, the land can also be prepared into small beds and base fertilizer applied. Land preparation is best done by autumn plowing; spring plowing must preserve soil moisture, otherwise it will affect seedling emergence and seedling survival.

2. Propagation methods: In production, seed propagation is mainly used, and rhizome propagation can also be used.

(1) Seed propagation: Before sowing, soak in 60°C warm water for several hours, mix crushed glass fragments with an equal amount of seeds and grind for half an hour, or soak the seeds in concentrated sulfuric acid (concentrated sulfuric acid:water = 1:1.5) for about 1 hour. Spring sowing is in March to April, and autumn sowing is in August to September. For drilling, open shallow furrows at a row spacing of 50 cm, with a furrow depth of 3 cm, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, and then cover with soil. For hole sowing, open holes at a hole spacing of 10-15 cm, sow 3-5 seeds per hole, and use 2-3 kg of seed per mu. After sowing, keep the soil moist; grass can be covered on the seedbed, and water should be given when the soil layer is dry. Seedlings emerge two to three weeks after sowing.

(2) Rhizome propagation: In spring and autumn, dig out the rhizomes, cut them into small sections of about 5 cm, each section should have 1-2 buds, and bury them underground at a depth of about 20 cm according to soil moisture.

(3) Division propagation: Many new plants can sprout on their own beside old licorice plants; dig them out and plant them in spring or autumn.

3. Field management

(1) Irrigation: It should be determined according to soil type and salinity-alkalinity: for sandy soil with no salinity-alkalinity or slight salinity-alkalinity, irrigation can be done after sowing; for heavy clay soil or soil with relatively heavy salinity-alkalinity, irrigate before sowing, sow while preserving moisture, and do not irrigate after sowing, so as to avoid soil compaction and an increase in salinity-alkalinity. The key to artificially cultivating licorice is preserving seedlings; generally, after the plants have grown, no watering is carried out.

(2) Intertillage and weeding: Generally, intertillage and weeding are carried out in the same year as seedling emergence. From the second year onward, licorice roots tiller, and weeds find it difficult to compete with them, so intertillage and weeding are not needed.

(3) Fertilization: Before sowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer, preferably barnyard manure. During the growing season each year, phosphate fertilizer can be applied as a top dressing in early spring. Licorice roots have root nodules and can fix nitrogen, so they generally do not lack nitrogen.