How to plant Ophiopogon japonicus to get high yield?

Ophiopogon japonicus, also known as Ophiopogon japonicus and Ophiopogon japonicus, is the tuberous root of the perennial herb Ophiopogon japonicus of the Liliaceae family. It has good medicinal value and is planted in many areas. So how to plant Ophiopogon japonicus to get high yield? Let’s learn more about it below.

1. Site selection

It is advisable to choose loose, fertile, moist and well-drained sandy loam. It is not suitable to plant in sandy, sticky or low-lying waterlogged land. Ophiopogon japonicus should not be planted continuously. It is better to plant it before with broad bean , alfalfa, astragalus, rapeseed, radish, wheat , etc.

2. Land preparation

Carry out after the previous crop is harvested. The tillage depth should be more than 20cm, and the soil should be plowed and harrowed three times to make the soil loose, fine and flat, with the top of the tillage layer being loose and the bottom being solid. The ridges should be 1.3 to 1.5m wide, 20cm high, 40cm wide, and drainage ditches should be dug around them. Use 1500-2000kg of fully decomposed compost that meets harmless and sanitary standards per mu. You can also use 50-70kg of superphosphate or 1000-1500kg of fully decomposed manure that meets harmless and sanitary standards. Spread it into the ditch when planting or into the soil when preparing the land.

3. Reproduction

The main method of propagation is small clump division. When digging up Ophiopogon japonicus in April and May, select plants that are dark green, strong, and free of diseases and insect pests, shake off the soil, cut off the tubers and roots, divide them into individual plants, remove the remaining old rhizomes and leaf tips, and stop when white radial flower centers appear on the cross section at the base and the leaves do not spread out. The rhizome should not be kept too long, otherwise it will produce "tall seedlings" after planting, with few tubers and low yield.

4. Planting

Once the seedlings are ready, they should be planted immediately. The suitable planting period is early to mid-April. First, dig trenches with a row spacing of 10 to 13 cm and a depth of 5 to 6 cm. Place 2 to 4 seedlings every 6 to 8 cm in the trench, place them vertically in the trench, then fill the trench with soil, and compact the soil on both sides of the seedlings by pushing with a flat hoe or stepping on them. Water thoroughly once immediately after planting.

5. Intertillage and weeding

Weeding should be done once half a month after planting, and the soil should be loosened to a depth of about 3 cm. Weeds are easy to grow from May to October and need to be weeded 1 to 2 times a month. After winter, there are fewer weeds, so the number of weeding can be reduced, and the topsoil should be loosened during weeding.

6. Water and fertilizer management

After planting, water should be poured in time to moisten the soil and promote the rapid growth of new roots in the seedlings. In early May, the weather is dry and hot, and the soil moisture evaporates quickly, so watering should be carried out in time. If there is drought in winter or spring, watering should be carried out 1 to 2 times before early February. In summer, when rain is concentrated, water in the fields should be removed in time to prevent high temperature and humidity from causing diseases and pests. Starting from May, fertilize 3 to 4 times a year in combination with loosening the soil. In the early stage, nitrogen fertilizer is mainly used to promote early root growth of plants, more roots, and early division of medicine. In the later stage, phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer are mainly applied to promote the enlargement of tubers.

7. Pest and disease control

The main diseases and pests of Ophiopogon japonicus are leaf blight, black spot, white grubs and mole crickets . If leaf blight or black spot occurs, you can use 1:1:150 Bordeaux mixture to spray for prevention and control, spray once every 10 days, and spray 3 to 4 times in a row. If there are grubs or mole crickets causing damage, you can use 1000~1500 times diluted solution of 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate to inject the soil around the roots to poison them.

That’s it