Cat's Claw Grass Cultivation Techniques and Yield per Acre

Cat's Claw Herb is the tuberous root of Ranunculus spp., a plant in the Ranunculaceae family. Except for Ranunculus spp., which is used medicinally for its tuberous roots, most other plants are used medicinally as a whole herb. It can treat a variety of diseases and also kill insects. Below, we will discuss the planting techniques and yield per acre of Cat's Claw Herb.

1. Land preparation

After selecting a suitable site according to its growth habits, plow to a depth of 20 cm. During plowing, apply 1000-2000 kg of well-rotted farmyard manure per 667 square meters (1 mu), along with 25 kg of superphosphate and 25 kg of cake fertilizer. Rake and mix the soil thoroughly, and make raised beds 1.5 meters wide with a spacing of 30 cm between beds.

2. Propagation by rootstock

On the prepared beds, dig holes at a spacing of 30 cm x 20 cm. Break off the daughter plants from the mother plant one by one and plant one plant in each hole. After planting, cover with weeds and water to keep moist. Seedlings will emerge in about 15 days when the temperature is suitable. Remove the covering after emergence.

3. Field Management

During the growing season of cat's claw grass, the soil should be kept slightly moist. Water should be applied during dry weather, and drainage should be ensured during the rainy season. In early spring, apply 1000 kg of human and animal manure per 667 square meters. Before flowering in March, spray the roots with phosphate fertilizer once, using 5 kg of diluted phosphate fertilizer per 667 square meters. Cat's claw grass has a fairly long dormancy period in summer, and short-season crops such as melons, fruits, and vegetables can be intercropped from May to September.

4. Pest and disease control

During the growing season, continuous rainy weather can easily lead to damping-off disease. Prevention and control methods: drain water in time, and spray the plants with a 50% carbendazim solution diluted 500 times before the rainy season, once a week for 2-3 consecutive weeks.

5. Harvest

The longer cat's claw grass grows, the more offshoots it produces, and the higher the yield. It can be harvested after about one year of cultivation, in late autumn or early spring. After digging up the tubers, remove the stems, leaves, and fibrous roots, wash off the soil, and then sun-dry or oven-dry before selling. If the plot is suitable and managed properly, approximately 100 kg of dried product can be harvested per 667 square meters.

6. Profit per mu

Cat's claw grass has a one-year growing period and can produce about 120-150 kilograms. Currently, the price of home-grown cat's claw grass is 80 yuan per kilogram, and the annual output value per mu (unit of land area) will not be less than 10,000 yuan.