When should Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings be cultivated?

Salvia miltiorrhiza , a plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is used as medicine with its roots and rhizomes . It is a traditional Chinese medicinal material widely distributed in many regions of China. It is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Due to the scarcity of natural resources, most of the Salvia miltiorrhiza on the market is currently grown artificially. So when should Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings be cultivated?

When should Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings be cultivated?

The survival rate of Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings is relatively high, and it is easy to achieve full, vigorous and strong seedlings, with high and stable yields. Spring planting takes place from March to April each year, and autumn planting takes place in late October of the same year.

How to plant Salvia miltiorrhiza

1. Growth habits

Salvia miltiorrhiza prefers a warm and humid climate and plenty of sunlight, and grows well in fertile soil. If there is insufficient light or low temperature during the growth period, the seedlings will grow slowly and the plants will develop poorly. Salvia miltiorrhiza has strong drought resistance, but is afraid of waterlogging. Its underground roots can tolerate cold and can overwinter in open air conditions. The best growing conditions are an average annual temperature of no less than 17.1°C, a relative humidity of about 77%, sandy loam, and a pH value close to 7. Wild Salvia miltiorrhiza is commonly found on roadsides, slopes and river banks.

2. Site selection and land preparation

Choose land with sufficient sunlight, good drainage, easy irrigation and low groundwater level. The soil should be deep, loose sandy loam with a pH value between 6 and 8. Avoid planting in areas with heavy soil, low-lying areas prone to waterlogging, or areas with shade. Since Salvia miltiorrhiza is a deep-rooted perennial plant, sufficient phosphorus fertilizer, such as manure, cake fertilizer or chemical fertilizer, should be applied as base fertilizer before planting. Generally, 5,000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 50 kg of superphosphate or 20 kg of diammonium phosphate are applied per mu. Till the soil 30 to 40 cm deep to break up the bottom layer to facilitate root development. After land preparation, flat ridges 1.5 to 2 meters wide can be made in the northern region, while high ridges 15 to 20 centimeters high can be made in the southern region, and drainage ditches can be dug around the plots to ensure that water can be irrigated during droughts and drainage can be done during floods.

3. Choose good varieties

There are significant differences in yield and quality among different varieties of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Selecting superior varieties is a key measure to improve efficiency.

4. Reproduction method

(1) Root division propagation: When harvesting in autumn, select the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza grown that year that are 0.7 to 1 cm in diameter, purple-red in color, and free of pests and diseases as seed roots, and store them in wet sand until the following spring. In early spring from March to April, cut the seed roots into small sections of 4 to 6 cm and plant them according to the specifications of 35 cm × 25 cm × 6 cm. About 50 kg of seed roots are used per mu.

(2) Reed head propagation: When harvesting, select healthy, disease-free plants, cut off the thick roots for medicinal purposes, and use the fine roots together with the reed heads and heart leaves as seedlings. Large seedlings can be divided into 2 to 4 plants and then planted. The spacing between plants and rows is the same as that for root division propagation. Late autumn or early spring is the suitable planting time.

(3) Propagation by cuttings: Select healthy and disease-free branches of Salvia miltiorrhiza, cut them into small sections of 13 to 16 cm in length, and insert them obliquely into the seedbed at a depth of 1/2 to 2/3 of the length of the cuttings. Keep the soil moist and provide appropriate shade. The branches will take root in about 15 to 20 days.

(4) Seed propagation: The seeds are small, with a germination rate of about 70%. The seedling transplanting method is usually used. Choose mature seeds and sow them immediately after harvesting or in September. They can be transplanted two months after sowing.

5 Field management

Salvia miltiorrhiza grows slowly in the seedling stage. Before closing the ridges, it should be combined with topdressing and tillage 2 to 3 times to loosen the soil and weed. After closing the ridges, remove large weeds in time to prevent shading.

The above is an introduction to the cultivation time and methods of Salvia miltiorrhiza seedlings. As a good Chinese medicinal plant, Salvia miltiorrhiza has good planting prospects, but it is not recommended that you blindly follow the trend to cultivate it.