Detailed Explanation of Lycopus lucidus Planting Methods and Technical Key Points
Lycopus lucidus, also called Chongcao Shen and Yintiao Cai, is a relatively expensive Chinese medicinal herb that has the effects of refreshing the mind, stimulating the appetite, tonifying the kidneys, benefiting the liver, and strengthening the body. Secondly, Lycopus lucidus can also be used to invigorate blood circulation, nourish qi, and treat symptoms such as edema and abdominal pain. At present, the scale of artificial cultivation of Lycopus lucidus is not large, so many people are not very familiar with its planting techniques. Therefore, today the editor mainly wants to introduce the planting process and planting methods of Lycopus lucidus. Those who need it can take a look.
1. Soil and Fertilizer Management
Lycopus lucidus has strong adaptability to the environment and is characterized by preferring shade and tolerating moisture, cold, and poor soil, so its requirements for the planting site are not strict. However, for medicinal herb cultivation in general, it is best to choose humus-rich humus soil for planting, and deep, soft sandy loam soil can also be considered. Prepare the land and make beds, deeply plow the soil, and combine this with organic fertilizer. Note that field debris should be cleaned up thoroughly, the land should be leveled, and then trenches should be opened and beds made, waiting for sowing.
2. Scientific Sowing
Before sowing, the seeds of Lycopus lucidus need to be treated. First, sun-dry the seeds by placing them in the sun for three to four hours, then put them into warm water at about forty degrees for seed soaking. After the seeds have been soaked evenly, remove them and place them in a New High Lipid Membrane solution to soak. This can help avoid insect damage and increase the seed germination rate. Lycopus lucidus is generally sown between October of each year and March of the following year, but the best sowing period is from February to March. Evenly scatter the seeds in small trenches with each trench spaced about ten cm apart, then cover with a layer of fine soil and wait for seedlings to emerge.
3. Field Planting and Transplanting
Under normal seedling raising conditions, seedlings emerge in about ten days to half a month. When the Lycopus lucidus seedlings grow to five or six true leaves, we can transplant them. When transplanting, we should note that the medicinal material should be planted together with the soil at the base, and at the same time avoid damaging the seedling roots during transplanting, as this can improve the survival rate of transplanted seedlings. When field planting, it is generally done at a spacing of about twenty cm per plant. After field planting, water should be applied to keep the soil moist so that the seedlings can adapt to the new environment more quickly.
4. Field Management
After the seedlings are established, we should apply one topdressing of farmyard manure, mainly composed of decomposed manure and urine, diluted with water for irrigation. During the growth of the seedlings, we should pay attention to watering and keep the soil moist. In the subsequent growth process of Lycopus lucidus, we generally apply fertilizer once every week, and each application needs to be combined with watering. When the seedlings grow to a certain extent, appropriately spray Diguo Zhuangtiling, which can promote the enlargement of underground fruits and increase the yield of Lycopus lucidus. Although Lycopus lucidus basically has no pests or diseases, it is still necessary to prevent and control pests and diseases, especially underground pests, which can be controlled by drenching the roots with trichlorfon.
Lycopus lucidus generally matures after Frost's Descent each year, so during the planting process we actually still need to prepare well against frost damage; otherwise, if the final step affects its yield and quality, the loss will outweigh the gain.