Can Gynura bicolor be grown in the north? Planting time, techniques and people who should avoid it

Gynura bicolor, also known as Hongcai, is a plant used both as medicine and as food. It grows vigorously and has strong stress resistance, with practically no pest or disease problems. Its young leaves and tender shoots can be eaten as a vegetable and have high nutritional value, and it is cultivated in southern China and other regions. Now follow the editor to take a look at how to grow it.

1. Site selection and land preparation

Gynura bicolor generally grows in a warm and humid environment, and it thrives on fertile, loose, humus-rich hillside forest soil with a deep soil layer. When planting, also choose a deep, loose and fertile sandy loam as the seedbed. First plow it once, then make raised beds as the seedbed. The height of the beds should be between 15-20 cm and the width preferably 1.2-1.5 m, while the length depends on the scale of seedling raising. The planting time is generally around March in spring.

2. Propagation methods

Gynura bicolor can be propagated by root division and cuttings. Before the plants sprout in early spring, the roots of Gynura bicolor can be dug out, cut into several divisions, and planted on the seedbed at a certain density; water them frequently, and after a period of time new plants will grow again. For propagation by cuttings, when the plants are growing well, cut off healthy, disease-free branches as cuttings, keeping the length at about 8 cm; the upper part of the cutting should have 2-3 leaves, and the lower end should be cut into a wedge shape. First use a small stick to make a hole 5-6 [units] deep in the seedbed, then insert the cutting into the hole and press the soil so that the cutting is in close contact with the soil. After inserting the cuttings, water once thoroughly, and roots will form after about one month.

3. Transplanting and field planting

The field planting site should also use the same soil as the seedling site. Deep plow it 30-40 cm, then apply 4000-5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 100-150 kg of plant ash per mu, and after fertilizing, make raised beds according to the terrain. On the bed surface, dig holes at a plant-to-row spacing of 15×25 cm or 18×30 cm, and transplant one plant per hole. When transplanting, be careful not to damage the root system of Gynura bicolor, and after transplanting water thoroughly to settle the roots so as to increase the survival rate.

4. Field management

After field planting, weed once to prevent weeds from competing with the plants for water and nutrients. After each harvest, after watering, and after rain, cultivate the soil once, which can increase soil permeability and promote plant growth. At the same time, pay attention to hilling soil to prevent the plants from lodging. After the transplanted plants survive, topdress in time to speed up plant growth.

The above is an introduction to Gynura bicolor planting techniques. I hope it helps you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.

Can it be grown in the north? Yes, it can be grown, but you just need to pay a bit more attention.

Who should not eat Gynura bicolor?

People with liver disease and people with high blood pressure should not eat Gynura bicolor. This is because Gynura bicolor has strong liver toxicity, can cause cirrhosis, and also has carcinogenic and teratogenic effects, and can cause primary pulmonary hypertension.