What are the cultivation methods for Bletilla striata (hyacinth orchid) in plain areas?

How is Bletilla striata grown in plain areas?

Bletilla striata prefers a warm, shady and rather damp environment, and is not cold-tolerant. It often grows wild along both banksof streams and rivers in hilly and low-mountain areas, in hillside grass and under open woodland. In recent years, wild Bletilla striata has been extensively dug up and over-harvested, and its yield and quality have declined year by year,with prices rising year after year. Existing cultivation techniques are suitable for mountainous areas, so it is imperative to find a cultivationtechnique suitable for high yields of Bletilla striata in plain areas.

(1) Land preparation: plough the soil to a depth of 20cm, and apply 50kg of NPK compound fertilizer per mu. Then plough again so that the soil and fertilizer are mixedevenly. Before planting, plough once shallowly, break the soil up fine, rake it level, and make raised beds 100cm wide, with 3 layers of shade netting erected over the beds.

(2) Propagation: propagated by tuber division; in September dig up the Bletilla striata, select medium-sized, disease-free tubers with many buds, each piece bearing2 buds, dip them in plant ash and plant them on the bed. Open furrows 15cm apart and 4cm deep, place one tuber every 8cm along the row with the buds pointingupwards, cover with soil, firm it down, water, and cover with grass; 120kg of planting material is used per mu.

(3) Management: immediately after planting Bletilla striata, spray the herbicide glyphosate; carry out the first manual weeding in May; spray0.1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate once a month, and carry out the second manual weeding in August.

(4) Pest control: drench the bed with a 700-fold (wt/wt) dilution of 50% zinc phoxim emulsifiable concentrate.

(5) Harvesting and processing: after 2 years of growing, harvest and process in September when the above-ground stems wither; pick off the tubers one by one,cut off the stems, soak in clean water for 1h, wash off the soil, boil in boiling water for 10min, take out and dry over a heated bed (kang) until completely dry, remove all coarse skin and fibrousroots, and sieve out impurities; the yield is 1200kg of fresh Bletilla striata per mu.