Detailed Explanation of Angelica dahurica Planting Methods and Technical Key Points

Angelica dahurica is best cultivated on flat land. Sandy loam with deep, loose and fertile soil is preferred. The preceding crop is generally rice, corn, sorghum, cotton, etc.

After the preceding crop is harvested, apply decomposed compost, or 3000-5000 kg of barnyard manure, 100 kg of cake fertilizer, and 50 kg of phosphate fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer. Then plow again to a depth of about 25-30 cm, level and harrow fine, and make raised beds. Generally the bed width is 1.2-1.5 m and the height is 12-20 cm. In the Sichuan production areas, beds are generally not made.

1. Seed cultivation. Angelica dahurica is propagated by seed. Seed can be retained by selecting individual plants for transplanting, or retained in place. In production, the former method is mostly used, generally carried out when harvesting Angelica dahurica. In Sichuan, purple-stemmed Angelica dahurica with an unbranched main root that is robust and disease-free is selected for seed. In Henan and Hebei, Angelica dahurica with slender roots, a small rhizome head, no fibrous roots, fine white skin, and robust growth is selected for seed. Before transplanting, cut off the leaves and plant at a row spacing of 50-70 cm. Weeding and fertilizing are carried out in winter and the following spring. From June to July, the seeds mature successively. When the fruit peel turns yellow-green (yellow-white in Henan), harvest them together with the whole fruit cluster. They can be harvested in batches, then spread in a ventilated and dry place, air-dried and threshed, and the impurities removed for later use.

2. Sowing. The sowing period is divided into autumn sowing and spring sowing, with autumn sowing being better. In Henan, autumn sowing is around White Dew; in Hebei, between End of Heat and White Dew; in Sichuan, between White Dew and Autumn Equinox; and in Zhejiang, 10 days before Cold Dew. In areas with higher temperatures, Autumn Equinox to Cold Dew is suitable. If sown too early, the Angelica dahurica plants grow too vigorously in the current year, and some plants bolt and flower prematurely the next year, making the roots lignified and unusable for medicinal purposes. If sown too late, winter precipitation is low and the temperature is relatively low, so germination after sowing is not easy, affecting growth.

Sowing methods: both drilling and dibbling can be used. Zhejiang, Henan, and Hebei use drilling, with row spacing of 13-20-27 cm, furrow depth of 1-1.5 cm, and seed rate of 1-1.5 kg per mu. After sowing, rake the bed surface level, water, and keep the soil moist. Sichuan mostly uses dibbling, with row spacing of 30-33 cm and hole spacing of 23-27 cm, and the hole bottom should be flat. The sowing rate is 0.5-0.8 kg per mu. After sowing, no soil is covered; immediately apply dilute human and animal manure water, about 1000 kg per mu, then cover with plant ash mixed with human and animal manure water so that the seeds are not exposed. Then press with a wooden board or tread lightly so that the seeds and soil are in close contact to facilitate germination. Seedlings emerge in 15-20 days.

1. Thinning. After emergence, thin when the plant height is 4-7 cm, and it can be done 1-2 times. For dibbling, keep 5-8 plants per hole; for drilling, keep 1 plant every about 7-10 cm. Final thinning is done at a plant spacing of 10-12 cm. When thinning, keep strong seedlings with purple-green leaf stalks or a flattened base, and arrange them in a triangle or plum-blossom shape to facilitate ventilation and light penetration.

2. Loosening soil and weeding. Weeding is carried out together with thinning. During the seedling stage, weed by hand pulling or shallow hoeing; later, intertillage and weeding can be carried out to keep the field soil loose and free of weeds, which is beneficial to growth.

3. Fertilization. Generally topdress 3-4 times. The 1st and 2nd times are both after thinning and intertillage. Apply 1500-2000 kg of dilute human and animal manure water per mu each time. The 3rd time is after final thinning, applying 2000-3000 kg of human and animal manure water per mu, with 3 kg of urea added. Around Qingming, carry out the 4th topdressing, applying 2000-3000 kg of human and animal manure water per mu and broadcasting 150 kg of plant ash, then earth up after application. In Zhejiang, the 1st time is after thinning in March, the 2nd time after weeding in April, and the 3rd time before Start of Summer. Generally, barnyard manure is applied in winter. In fertilization, note that in the current year it is suitable to apply less to prevent excessive growth and premature bolting and flowering. In the 2nd year, more should be applied, supplemented with phosphate and potassium fertilizers, to promote thick and strong roots.

4. Drainage and irrigation If the soil is dry after sowing Angelica dahurica, irrigate in time to keep the soil moist to facilitate emergence. During the growing period, if the weather is dry, water in time to ensure the needs of plant growth; when there is too much rain or water accumulates in the field, drain in time to prevent disease or root rot.