A detailed guide to the four main cultivation techniques for Gynura bicolor, so you can easily learn how to grow it
Gynura bicolor is also called red fugong vegetable, and it is fairly common in daily life. It is a plant used both as medicine and as food, and it is grown in southern China. Medicinally, it is mainly used for coughing up blood, painful menstruation, and the like; the rhizome quenches thirst and relieves summer heat; the leaves strengthen the stomach and relieve cough. With so many benefits, how should Gynura bicolor be grown? Below is an introduction to the cultivation techniques for Gynura bicolor.
1. Site selection and land preparation
Before planting Gynura bicolor, choose a hillside woodland with deep soil, loose and fertile soil, and rich humus. When planting, the seedbed should also be chosen as sandy loam with deep soil that is loose and fertile; first plow it once, then make raised beds as the seedbed. The height of the beds should be between 15-20 cm, the width can be 1.2-1.5 m, and the length needs to be determined according to the scale of seedling raising.
2. Propagation methods
There are two propagation methods for Gynura bicolor: root division propagation and cutting propagation. For root division propagation, dig out the roots of Gynura bicolor, cut them into several divisions, plant them at a certain density in the prepared seedbed, water appropriately, and after a period of time they will grow into new plants. For cutting propagation, when Gynura bicolor is growing well, cut off strong, disease-free side branches about 10 cm long as cuttings; keep 2-3 leaves on the upper part of the cuttings and cut the lower part into a wedge shape. First use a small wooden stick to make small holes in the seedbed, then insert the cuttings into the holes and press the soil so that the cuttings and soil are fully in contact. After cutting, water thoroughly once, and generally roots can form after one month.
3. Transplanting and field planting
The soil of the permanent planting site should be the same as that of the seedling site. Then deeply plow the soil about 35 cm, 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 spacing of 15×25 cm or 18×30 cm, and transplant one plant per hole. When transplanting, be careful not to damage the root systems of other Gynura bicolor plants. After transplanting, water thoroughly to settle the roots and improve the survival rate.
4. Field management
After field planting, weed once to prevent weeds from competing with the plants for nutrients and water. After each harvest, after watering, and after rain, cultivating is needed to maintain soil aeration and promote plant growth. At the same time, earth up in time to prevent the plants from lodging. After field planting and survival, apply additional fertilizer appropriately to speed up plant growth.
Gynura bicolor is a plant in the Asteraceae family with a special fresh fragrance and a unique flavor. We hope this introduction to the methods for cultivating Gynura bicolor is helpful to you.