How much does dried Houttuynia cordata cost per jin now? Detailed explanation of cultivation techniques
Houttuynia cordata, also known as dog heart grass or zhe'ergen, is a relatively common Chinese medicinal herb with effects such as clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting urination, and aiding digestion. Houttuynia cordata has low requirements for the growing environment, and wild plants are quite commonly seen in rural areas. So now how much does dried Houttuynia cordata cost per jin? What are the key points of cultivation techniques?
1. How much does dried Houttuynia cordata cost per jin now?
Dried Houttuynia cordata is actually made by sun-drying and processing fresh Houttuynia cordata, and the current price of dried Houttuynia cordata is roughly 10-20 yuan per jin, varying with the time it hits the market, the region, the purchasing method, and so on.
As for dried Houttuynia cordata, because it contains no moisture and weighs relatively little per unit of volume, its price is much higher than the fresh kind. If you buy packaged varieties of dried Houttuynia cordata, the price may be even higher.
Dried Houttuynia cordata is a great helper for making tea and brewing soup; it has no other special flavor, only a slight medicinal taste.
2. Key points of Houttuynia cordata cultivation techniques
When artificially cultivated, Houttuynia cordata has somewhat higher environmental requirements than when it grows naturally, and the main points to note are as follows:
1. Growing environment
To achieve high yields of Houttuynia cordata, you should choose soil with good aeration, strong drainage, good fertilizer and water retention capacity, and shade. If the soil is clay or saline-alkaline, it is not suitable for its growth.
2. Propagation time
The commonly used propagation methods for Houttuynia cordata include rhizome propagation, stem cutting propagation, and division propagation.
Division propagation is generally carried out in March-April each year, stem cutting propagation can be done in spring and summer, and rhizome propagation can be done in February-March.
3. Planting density
Houttuynia cordata has low requirements for planting time, but attention should be paid to the rationality of planting density, which provides better assurance for the yield and quality of Houttuynia cordata. Generally, one mu of land requires about 300kg of Houttuynia cordata seed material, with a row spacing of 25-30cm.
4. Water and fertilizer
Houttuynia cordata has relatively high water requirements; if it lacks water, it will grow poorly, with phenomena such as wilting and yellowing leaves. Therefore, after planting Houttuynia cordata, it should be watered immediately, and in summer the amount of watering needs to be increased to maintain soil moisture. To reduce the occurrence of soil compaction, Houttuynia cordata should be switched to sprinkler irrigation after the seedlings emerge. Of course, if the planting site has plenty of water and encounters a rainy season, excess water should be drained in time to avoid root rot.
Houttuynia cordata is a plant with a well-developed root system, so it needs relatively more nutrients and requires additional topdressing. Generally, farmyard manure is applied once every half a month, which can promote its growth and reproduction.
5. Harvesting
When Houttuynia cordata shoots grow to a height of about eight centimeters, they can be harvested, and afterward they can be harvested once every ten to twenty days.