What is the best season to plant ginseng? Ginseng planting time and method

There are four main steps in ginseng planting, namely, site selection and land preparation, seed treatment, sowing and transplanting, and field management. Ginseng is generally planted in the soil with more humus in the forest. It should be noted that chemical fertilizers should not be applied to the soil for ginseng planting. Fertilizers mixed with humus and fine sand can be applied.

Ginseng Planting Season

Ginseng is best planted in summer , and the specific planting time varies depending on the geographical location. In the north, it is usually planted in June or July , while in the south, it is planted a little earlier, around April or May .

The main season for artificially growing ginseng is summer, so the most suitable months for growing ginseng in greenhouses are April to June .

Ginseng Planting Methods

1. Site selection and land preparation

Sandy loam or forest humus soil rich in humus and with convenient irrigation and drainage should be selected. The soil should be neutral to slightly acidic, and repeated cropping should be avoided. The previous crop should be gramineous or legume crops, and they should be left fallow for one year after harvest before planting.

After selecting the site, plough the land 1-2 times before freezing, to a depth of 20 cm. Thaw and plough the land in the next spring, apply 4000 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure that meets the harmless sanitation standards per mu, mix it with the soil, and plough the land once every 1-2 months.

2. Seed treatment

Fresh seeds can be germinated immediately after collection ; if they are dry seeds, it should be done before the end of June, and the embryo should complete development by the end of September.

The treatment method is to soak the seeds in clean water for 36-48 hours, take them out after they have fully absorbed water , mix one part of seeds with 3 parts of fine sand, and keep the moisture content at 10%-15%, and then put them into a wooden germination trough for germination.

3. Seeding and transplanting

It is better to sow seeds at equal intervals, that is, to sow seeds at a spacing of 5cm×5cm between rows and plants, with 2 seeds in each hole. After sowing, cover the soil evenly and the depth should be consistent. Use a wooden board to gently press the surface of the bed so that the soil and seeds are tightly combined.

Finally, cover with straw or grass, and then cover with cold-proof soil. Spring planting should be completed in mid-to-late April, before the overwintering buds sprout. Autumn planting should be completed in mid-to-late October, before the soil freezes.

4. Field management

Soil loosening and weeding: generally carried out 3-5 times a year to prevent soil compaction, eliminate weeds and diseased plants, and cultivate soil to support seedlings.

Top dressing: dig horizontal furrows in every 10m2 of bed surface and apply 2.5kg of fully decomposed or fermented bean flour, 50kg of pig manure and 100kg of humus soil.

Water management: Water according to soil moisture and topdressing, generally 15-20kg/m2. Loosen the soil in time after watering, prevent waterlogging in the rainy season, and pay attention to drainage.

Thinning flowers and picking buds: In seed fields, thin out 1/3-1/2 of the flower buds in the middle of the inflorescence at the beginning of flowering; in production fields, pick all buds before flowering.

5. Harvest

In most ginseng producing areas, ginseng roots are harvested when they are 5-6 years old, and can be harvested in September-October when the stems and leaves wither. When harvesting, the ginseng shed is first dismantled, and the ginseng roots are dug out row by row from one end of the bed, the soil is shaken off, the stems and leaves are removed, and they are sorted by size. Generally, the yield of fresh ginseng per mu is 900-1200kg.