Method for raising seedlings of Cornus officinalis

Cornus officinalis is a traditional Chinese medicinal material , which is the dried mature pulp of Cornus officinalis. It has high medicinal value and is artificially cultivated in many areas. Here is an introduction to the method of raising seedlings of Cornus officinalis .

1. Nursery ground

The nursery site should be selected on a gently sloping or flat land that is sheltered from the wind, facing the sun, and has good light. It is best to choose neutral or slightly acidic sandy loam with deep, loose, fertile, moist soil, and convenient drainage and irrigation. Before winter, deep plowing should be done to 30 to 40 cm, and the soil should be leveled and leveled after plowing. Combined with land preparation, 3000 to 4000 kg of fully decomposed soil and fertilizer should be applied per mu as base fertilizer. Before sowing, flat ridges are mostly made in the north, while high ridges 1.3m wide are mostly made in the south. The nursery ground should not be planted repeatedly.

2. Seed selection

Select middle-aged trees with strong vigor, vigorous growth, full crown shape and strong resistance to adversity as seed trees. When the fruits are ripe in autumn, collect the fruits that are large, have full cores and are free of pests and diseases, dry them in the sun for 3 to 4 days, and then remove the skin and flesh when the peel is soft for seed processing.

3. Seed treatment

Sand storage germination method: After removing the skin and flesh of the seeds, soak them in clean water, rub them repeatedly with laundry detergent or alkaline solution, then wash them repeatedly with clean water until the seed skin turns white, and then pick them up and dry them. Dig a hole outdoors, spread a 3-5 cm thick layer of moist fine sand on the bottom of the hole, then a 3 cm thick layer of seeds, and then another layer of fine sand, and repeat this 4-5 layers. Cover the top with about 15 cm thick fine soil, slightly higher than the ground, to make it in a turtle back shape, prevent water accumulation, and pay attention to moisturizing and antifreezing. After more than 5 months of treatment, when at least half of the seeds have cracked and turned white, they can be used for spring sowing and seedling raising.

Soaking and germination method: Soak the seeds in warm water at about 50℃ for 2 days, then dig a hole and let them ferment. Choose a sunny and humid place to dig a hole, mix wet sand with cow and horse manure evenly, then spread a layer of manure and a layer of seeds in the pit alternately, and lay 5 to 6 layers. Finally, cover with manure about 7 cm thick, in the shape of a steamed bun, prevent water accumulation, and pay attention to moisturizing and antifreezing. Check after 4 months. If you find white hair on the manure, heat, or cracks in the seed coat, you should sow and raise seedlings immediately to prevent the buds from being too large to be sown. If there are no cracks, continue to ferment.

4. Sowing and seedling raising

From late March to early April, the germinated seeds are sown in rows on the prepared seedbed. Dig furrows with a row spacing of 25 to 30 cm and a depth of 2 to 3 cm. Sow the seeds evenly in the furrows, cover with 1.5 to 2 cm of soil and press down slightly, then cover with a layer of film or straw to keep the bed surface moist to prevent the ground from drying out and becoming hardened. Water the soil in time during drought. Seedlings will emerge about 20 days after sowing.

5. Planting

When the Cornus officinalis seedlings are 50 to 100 cm tall, they can be transplanted and planted after the leaves fall in winter or before budding in early spring. When planting in mountains , the holes are generally dug with a plant spacing of 3m×4m or 4m×5m; when planting in large areas, the holes can be dug with a plant spacing of 2.5m×3m or 3m×3m. The hole depth is 50cm. Apply 5-6kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure that meets harmless hygiene standards to each hole, mix it with the topsoil and then plant it. Plant one strong seedling in each hole.

That’s it