Key points of cultivation and Management techniques under Asarum Forest

Asarum is a perennial herb belonging to Aristolochiaceae. It has antipyretic, pathogenic wind, sweating, expectorant and analgesic effects. Wild asarum is mainly distributed in forest areas of liaoning and jilin.

Asarum is shade-loving plant, but if the temperature under the forest in the wild state is too low and the light is too weak, it grows very slowly. Generally, it takes more than 6 years from planting to harvesting, and the plants are short, with only 2-3 leaves per plant, and the yield is very low. Farmers used to dig wild Asarum in May, when the seeds were not mature, which seriously affected the natural reproduction of Asarum under the forest. Because of forest cutting and natural environment change, resources are destroyed seriously, especially excessive digging, which makes wild asarum endangered.

1. Land selection and preparation

Wild asarum is a shade-loving plant growing under the forest. As a result of long-term growth in the forest wet, fertile humus layer, the formation of a wet, fertile, shade-loving, afraid of strong characteristics. Common in dense bushes, slightly wet places at the bottom of ravines, forest margins, rock shade wetlands. Therefore, under the forest cultivation should choose the forest area with complete vegetation and fertile soil, thinning the trees that are too dense and not mature or the branches that have been thinned, generally plowing the ground for 15cm, then picking out the residual roots and weeds, making beds along the mountains for standby.

2. Seed propagation and seedling transplantation

Artificial cultivation of Asarum, seed direct seeding 5 years can be harvested at one time; seedlings transplanted, transplanted after growth 3-4 years harvest.

2.1 sowing and seedling

In the middle and late June, the fruit changes from purplish red to pink white, the flesh is soft by hand, and it ripens when it is pink and sandy. It should be picked with maturity, otherwise the seeds will fall off easily and be removed by ants. After the seeds are harvested, rub off the pericarp and sow immediately. Seeds must be fresh seeds, dry seeds stored in large rooms for 2 months will lose germination. If the seeds cannot be sown in time after harvesting, the newly harvested and washed seeds should be mixed with wet sand and buried for sowing. Sowing time should not be later than the end of July, too late to affect the growth of roots.

Sowing methods are broadcast, drill, hole sowing.① Sow on high ridge, level ridge surface, make 5cm deep ridge groove, and sow after leveling groove bottom. Fresh seeds can be mixed with 5-10 times the fine sand evenly and sown later. Sowing quantity 20g/m2, sowing evenly, covering soil 1.5cm after sowing. (2) Ditch the seeds on the ridge surface according to the row spacing of 10-15cm, the ditch depth is 1.5 cm, the seeds are mixed with fine sand and evenly scattered into the ditch, the soil is covered with 1.5 cm, and the seed amount is 4-5kg per mu. (3) hole sowing: pressing with wood roller on the ridge surface, sowing according to 10×10cm, sowing 5-7 seeds in each hole, covering soil with 2 cm. About 2.5kg seeds per mu were used. Then cover the bed with a layer of semi-rotten leaves. The propagation method can grow for 4-5 years after emergence and can be harvested at one time for sale as a commodity. If the seedlings are transplanted, the seedlings that grow for 2-3 years can be transplanted.

2.2 transplantation

2.2.1 Wild asarum seedlings transplantation in May-June. At this time asarum has grown up, other weeds have not yet grown up, easy to find and dig. Don't damage roots and buds when digging seedlings. Keep them fresh after digging, prevent them from drying up, plant them with picking. The transplanting row spacing is 15cm and the hole spacing is 20cm. Pay attention to straightening out the fibrous roots.

2.2.2 Seedling transplantation is best done before bud sprouting in spring and after withered plants on the ground in autumn. If it's a summer transplant, it needs watering. Transplanting in the ridge surface transverse furrow, row spacing 20cm, plant spacing 6 cm. If the soil is easy to harden, it is better to plant in holes. The plant and row spacing can be 25×25cm or 20×20cm respectively, 3-5 plants per hole, and 4 cm soil cover after planting.

3. field management

3.1 Fertilization and soil cultivation

One of the most important experiences summarized from asarum production is to increase manure application, fast growth and high yield. The best fertilizer was decomposed pig manure, sheep manure, rabbit manure and chicken manure, and the best fertilizer was phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer. Every spring Asarum buds have not yet sprouted, can be combined with loose soil, apply calcium superphosphate 50kg per mu, or apply compound fertilizer (or diammonium) 10-20kg. In autumn, fully decomposed pig manure or sheep manure is spread on the bed surface as cover fertilizer, 1 year old seedlings are applied with 1.5cm thickness, and 2-3 year old seedlings are applied with 3cm thickness. The head covering dung can play the role of fat, cold and moisture, and antifreeze. In addition, every spring, summer and autumn, the soil on the working road is used to cultivate the ridge to prevent rain from washing the ridge and exposing the winter buds, rhizomes and fibrous roots.

After artificial cultivation, through fertilization and increased light, Asarum leaves can be thickened, strengthen photosynthesis, promote growth; Asarum rhizomes developed, more branches, thick fibrous roots, rhizomes node on the terminal bud hypertrophy, lateral buds and latent buds are formed into larger overwintering buds, the second year leaves doubled growth. Each hole is originally planted with 3-4 plants, 6-12 leaves, and 80-200 leaves for 5 years. Asarum fertilizer and no fertilizer difference is very big.

3.2 weeding and loosening

During the whole growth process of Asarum, weeding and loosening should be carried out 3-5 times a year to keep the bed free of weeds.

3.3 Bed Cover Management

In early April, the mulch on the seedbed was removed to facilitate emergence. In the middle and late April, when the seedlings are basically ready, the larch needles are scattered on the ridge surface to prevent rain from washing the ridge surface and soil hardening, prevent drought and reduce weeds.

3.4 adjust lighting

After soil freezing, we should trim the crown and adjust the illumination according to the different ages of Asarum. Asarum because of growth in the deep humus soil layer, the root system is not developed, only the formation of shallow roots, can not absorb deep water, so not resistant to drought. Asarum is afraid of strong sunlight and must have shading conditions to survive. A few hours of direct sunlight in June will kill all Asarum plants; but sufficient oblique light will promote rapid growth; if the canopy density of the forest exceeds 70%, growth is extremely slow. Artificial cultivation of Asarum, through fertilization, watering, and give sufficient oblique flower light illumination, faster growth, higher yield.

3.5 Winter and autumn cover cold

Before freezing in autumn, it should be covered with fallen leaves or weeds without grass seeds to keep warm and moist, prevent freezing damage, avoid asarum buds and rhizomes from withering, and prevent freezing.