Detailed Explanation of Chebulic Myrobalan (West Chebulic Fruit) Planting Techniques and Management Methods
West Chebulic Fruit, also known as Tibetan Chebulic Fruit, is the young fruit of Terminalia chebula (chebulic myrobalan), a plant of the genus Terminalia in the family Combretaceae. Generally in September-October, the young fruits are blown off by wind or picked, briefly boiled in boiling water, then taken out and sun-dried or oven-dried. It is a traditional Chinese medicinal material with extremely high medicinal value. So how should West Chebulic Fruit be planted? Let's find out together.
1. Site Selection and Land Preparation
The seedling nursery should be selected in a sunny, well-drained sandy loam area of Jinshuiyuan, with stones and weeds removed. After deep plowing and fine raking, beds are made. The width of the bed surface should be determined according to the terrain. After the beds are made, sand is added to the surface and mixed evenly for later use. For the planting site, it is advisable to choose sunny open-woodland hillsides or hills, requiring fertile, loose soil, deep soil layers, and well-drained sandy loam; humus soil, forest podzolic soil, and alluvial soil are preferable. After selecting the site, first clear away all weeds, then dig holes. The size of the holes depends on the size of the seedlings, and the bottom of the holes should be applied with sufficient decomposed farmyard manure.
2. Planting Methods
There are many varieties of Terminalia chebula, and the fruit shapes and sizes differ greatly. When planting, select seeds from trees about 20 years old that are robust in growth, high in yield, and good in quality. In winter, pick plump, fully mature yellow fruits as seeds, and after picking, remove the seed kernels. Then carry out germination treatment. Germination is generally done by sand storage treatment. When a large number of seeds germinate, they can be sown. When sowing, open holes on the bed surface and place one seed per hole at a plant spacing of 25 cm and row spacing of 30 cm, then cover with 3-4 cm of soil, and cover with rice straw to maintain moisture and facilitate seedling emergence. Generally, seedlings are raised for 2-3 years, and when the seedlings are about 1 m tall, they can be transplanted, preferably maintaining a row spacing of about 10-13 m.
3. Field Management
After seedling emergence, promptly remove the covering rice straw, and build shade sheds. It is appropriate to maintain 30% shade. When the seedlings are about 9 cm tall, apply dilute human and animal manure urine, and thereafter fertilize once every 1-2 months, with the concentration gradually increasing. In addition, weeds should be removed and the soil loosened frequently. During the rainy season, pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention. During the young tree period, fertilize 2-3 times per year by opening furrows beside the trees and pouring in the fertilizer. During the fruiting period of mature trees, apply fully decomposed farmyard manure to increase nutrients and promote flowering and fruiting. After fruit harvest, apply fertilizer once more so that the trees quickly recover their growth vigor. From the seedling stage, begin pruning the side branches on the stem to facilitate early leaving of the nursery for transplanting. After transplanting, timely tip pruning, branch trimming, and shaping are needed to make the plants grow into dwarfed plants, which is convenient for fruit picking.
4. Pest and Disease Control
The scarab beetle is one of the main pests of Terminalia chebula. Its larvae bite and feed on the epidermis of the underground root system, causing root damage and inhibiting growth; the adults bite and feed on the young shoots and new leaves of Terminalia chebula, leaving the whole plant bare-topped or stripped bare. When the adults emerge and are active, light traps can be used to kill them, or taking advantage of their death-feigning behavior, trees can be shaken for manual capture. Chemical control with trichlorfon can also be used during the pest outbreak period.
The above is an introduction to the planting techniques for West Chebulic Fruit. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.