When to plant Gastrodia elata?

Gastrodia elata, formerly known as "red arrow", is a precious medicinal plant with a long history of application and enjoys a high reputation both at home and abroad. It is the underground tuber of Gastrodia elata , a plant of the orchid family . Although Gastrodia elata originally grew in the wild, most of it is now obtained through artificial cultivation. The main production areas in my country include Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi and Hubei. So when should we plant Gastrodia elata? Let’s learn about the planting time and cultivation management techniques of Gastrodia elata.

1. Site selection and land preparation

When cultivating Gastrodia elata in the open air, choose soil that is rich in organic matter, well-drained and has strong water retention. The ideal location is a wasteland on a hillside or a clearing in the forest, with a slope not exceeding 25 degrees. The best soils are sandy loam and humus soil. The suitable time for land preparation in the northern region is from early April to early June, while in the south it is from early March to mid-May. When preparing the land, you need to remove weeds, tree roots and stones, and then dig a cultivation pit 15-60 cm deep, 40-50 cm wide and 60-80 cm long. Some cultivation methods do not involve digging holes, but instead use the method of leveling the ground and building up the soil.

2. Planting method

Cultivating Honey mushrooms is one of the key steps because Gastrodia elata relies on Honey mushrooms for nutrition. Honey mushroom is widely distributed in the forest, and the fungus can be collected in the forest areas where there are wild Gastrodia elata. Use hardwoods such as oak and birch as culture materials. Cut the wood into sections of appropriate lengths and cut fish-scale holes on the bark to facilitate the attachment and growth of fungi. The best time for cultivating the fungus is from June to August, when the humidity is higher, which is conducive to the reproduction of Honey Mushroom.

3. Asexual reproduction

Using Gastrodia elata as seed for asexual reproduction is currently a commonly used method. Winter planting is usually carried out in November, and spring planting is in March-April, with winter planting being the best. Choose healthy, undamaged and disease-free hemp seeds, each weighing 5-10 grams is best. The dosage is determined according to the size of the seed hemp and the number of mushroom materials. Generally, 9-10 mushroom materials are used per nest, and 5-6 seed hemps are placed on each mushroom material, with a total weight of about 50-60 grams.

4. Cultivation management

After Gastrodia elata is cultivated, no tillage, fertilization or weeding is required during the growing period. Mulch with fallen leaves in winter to prevent frost damage, and remove the mulch in spring to increase ground temperature. In the rainy season, a small ditch should be dug on the top of the nest to facilitate drainage, and water should be applied appropriately during droughts. Be careful to prevent trampling by people and animals.

5. Pest and disease control

The diseases of Gastrodia elata mainly include fungal diseases, rot, waterlogging and rust. Pests include longhorn beetle larvae, mole crickets, scale insects, aphids and termites. Prevention and control methods include using poison bait, poison soil to lure and kill, spraying pesticides and maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity.

6. Harvesting and processing

Winter-planted Gastrodia elata is usually harvested in the winter of the second year or the spring of the third year, while spring-planted Gastrodia elata is harvested in the winter of the current year or the spring of the second year. It must be processed promptly after harvest to ensure its efficacy. Gastrodia elata is graded according to size, washed and steamed until there is no white core on the cross section, soaked in alum water, dried in the sun until 80% to 90% dry, then fumigated with sulfur and dried in the sun or oven.

The above are the key points of planting time and cultivation techniques of Gastrodia elata. Following these cultivation techniques can improve the yield and quality of Gastrodia elata.