How and when to plant pyrethrum

Pyrethrum, also known as white pyrethrum, is a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family. The pyrethrin extracted from it can be made into biological pesticides . It is the only intensively cultivated insecticidal plant in the world. Below is a look at the methods and time for growing Cordyceps.

Pyrethrum planting time

Pyrethrum can be sown in spring, autumn or winter. Spring-sown pyrethrum will not bloom in the same year, winter-sown pyrethrum will not bloom until the spring of the third year, and autumn-sown pyrethrum will bloom in the second year, so autumn-sown pyrethrum is better. Specific sowing time: spring sowing from February to April, autumn sowing from August to November.

How to plant pyrethrum

1. Seed soaking and germination

First, expose the pyrethrum seeds to the sun for a day, wrap them in a gauze bag, and soak them in 40-degree warm water for 12 hours. After the seeds have absorbed all the water and expanded, take them out and mix them with an appropriate amount of nutrient soil for germination. The seeds will begin to germinate after about a week.

2. Planting

The sowing method is to dig horizontal furrows in the ridge with a furrow spacing of 20-24 cm; the furrow depth is 5-7 cm, the sowing width is 5-10 cm, and the seeds are evenly spread in the furrows, using about 0.5 kg of seeds per mu. After sowing, cover with compost or wood ash, then cover with fine soil to the same level as the bed surface, and then cover with straw to keep it moist.

3. Seedling management

When the seedlings begin to emerge from the soil, a shed needs to be built to provide shade. You can also use crops such as corn to provide shade between the ridges, and keep the soil moist at all times. Weed and fertilize when the seedlings are about 5-7 cm tall. In autumn, fertilization is combined with soil loosening, and the main fertilizer is human and animal manure. Apply 1000-1500 kg per mu each time.

4. Transplantation

Pyrethrum seedlings should be transplanted in time, preferably in winter or spring, with a row spacing of 30-35 cm and a plant spacing of 20-25 cm. 2-3 seedlings can be planted in each nest. After planting, compact the soil and water it with clean manure.

5. Field management

In spring, the main application is clear manure water. In winter, cake fertilizer, wood ash and appropriate amount of superphosphate are applied. About 0.5 kg of compound fertilizer is applied to the seedling nest. To prevent pyrethrum plants from growing too tall, control watering and fertilization to inhibit the growth of pyrethrum plants. Use foliar fertilization and spray 3% superphosphate or 0.1% urea and 0.05% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution once a week.

Intertillage should be carried out 3-4 times a year, that is, once before flowering, after spring or in winter, with a depth of about 3-5 cm. Intertillage must be carried out especially before fertilization and after heavy rain when the soil is compacted. When the pyrethrum plant grows to more than 10 cm in height, pinch off the top, leaving only 4-5 leaves at the base of the plant, and remove the upper leaves. After September, when flower buds are forming, the side buds and branches should be removed.

That’s it