How to Grow and Care for Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis) and Its Propagation, Benefits, and Effects
Chinese artichoke prefers a warm and humid environment. It is relatively intolerant of high temperatures and drought, and will die when it encounters frost. So what are the cultivation methods and precautions for Chinese artichoke? What benefits and effects does it have? How do you propagate it? According to available information, when growing Chinese artichoke you should keep fertility relatively sufficient. It prefers humidity, so during cultivation be careful to keep it moist and do not let it dry out.
I. What are the cultivation methods and precautions for Chinese artichoke?
Light and temperature
Chinese artichoke is a short-day plant, so lighting conditions must be met during cultivation. For temperature, seedlings need to be kept warm; be careful not to let the temperature get too high, and generally keeping it at 15°C——25°C is fine. In winter it will die when exposed to frost.
Soil
Chinese artichoke prefers fertile soil and requires good drainage; it generally chooses sandy soil.
Watering and fertilizing
When growing Chinese artichoke you should keep fertility relatively sufficient. It prefers humidity, so during cultivation be careful to keep it moist and do not let it dry out.
Precautions:
Propagation
Propagating Chinese artichoke is relatively simple. Generally, when propagating it, methods such as sowing, cuttings, and rhizome propagation are used.
Harvesting
When growing Chinese artichoke, harvest it in a timely manner. Harvest the plants in summer and autumn, and in autumn you can also dig up the tubers.
II. What benefits and effects does it have?
1. Treating colds
Colds are mainly caused by heat toxins in the body. Therefore, expelling heat toxins from the body has a very good effect on preventing and treating colds. Chinese artichoke has the function of clearing heat and detoxifying. By treating the symptoms with the right remedy, it can very well prevent and treat wind-heat colds.
How to consume: Wash Chinese artichoke and boil it in water. After simmering for a period of time, drink the water produced by boiling. Its effect on relieving colds is first-rate.
2. Preventing and treating urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infection is a relatively common condition, especially for men, and if it develops further it can also cause other diseases. Chinese artichoke has an excellent effect on treating urinary tract infections.
How to consume: After decocting Chinese artichoke as medicine, take it, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of short and difficult urination.
3. Treating neurasthenia
Chinese artichoke is a good medicine for replenishing qi and regulating the body. Therefore, appropriately consuming Chinese artichoke in daily life can relieve symptoms of headache and qi deficiency, dizziness, and blurred vision, and has a certain therapeutic effect on neurasthenia.
III. How do you propagate it?
1. Tuber propagation of Chinese artichoke
Tuber propagation is generally used in production. The propagation quantity is relatively large, and it is simple.
When propagating Chinese artichoke by tubers, dig the rhizomes out of the ground. Generally, you need to select white, thick, strong rhizomes, cut them into small sections, and plant them. Generally, plant 2——3 sections per hole. After planting, be careful to cover them with soil, press firm, and water them.
Generally, if planted in winter, they sprout in spring of the following year; if planted in spring, they sprout relatively quickly.
2. Seed propagation of Chinese artichoke
Chinese artichoke can also be propagated by sowing. When sowing, harvest the seeds, then sow them between March——April in spring.
When sowing, the drill method is generally used. Sow the seeds into the soil, then be careful to cover them with soil and press the soil slightly firm.
The germination rate of Chinese artichoke seeds is still quite high, generally reaching more than 50%. Keep the temperature at 17°C——20°C, and they can sprout in about 10 days.