Fundamentals of Agriculture and Sericulture, Volume 3

When planting, do not do so when the soil is wet. If the soil is wet, the ground will harden and the leaves will wither. Once the plants have sprouted, do not hoe them; harvest them at the end of the ninth month.

The leaves if harvested too late, they will turn yellow and fall should be kept, while the roots are left in the ground to produce seeds. In the middle of the tenth month, when it is time for the first rough plowing original: "犂麤" (li cu). This refers to the initial, deep breaking of the soil to prepare it for the next cycle., use

effort the original text provides a pronunciation guide for 'plowing' here to gather those roots that are turned up by the plow. If you do not plow, the sprouts and flowers will not flourish and the fruit will not be

abundant. generally The leaves may be made into pickles 菹 (zu): Ancient term for vegetables preserved in salt or brine, a precursor to modern kimchi or sauerkraut, or processed into dried vegetables, or fermented. The original text uses a pronunciation guide here for 'fermenting'. For those making pickles,

digging those planting for seeds should begin this in the first month of the following year and gathering one must leave the best first-growth leaves attached. Once the cutting is finished, immediately sort them by hand.

Process and braid them both slicing and braiding are excellent methods; do not wait for them to wilt. If you wait for them to wilt before braiding, they will rot. Hang them under the

eaves in a shaded, breezy, and cool place. Do not allow smoke to reach them. Smoking makes them bitter. Once they are completely dry, the process is finished.

Store them in a pile in the kitchen to allow them to cure original: "苦之" (ku zhi). Literally 'to bitter them,' likely referring to a curing process where the greens lose their raw pungency and develop a deeper flavor.. When piling them for storage, it is best to do so during cloudy or humid weather; otherwise, they will be too brittle and break. If they are not cured long enough,

astringency will remain. For those planted in garden beds during the spring or summer for immediate consumption, follow the same method as planting mallow mallow: refers to Malva verticillata, a staple leafy green in ancient China, often compared to spinach in usage. Once trimmed...