I studied horticultural sciences at university and in my free time you can find me in my own patch of land, growing anything with roots. I am particularly passionate about self-sufficiency and seasonal food. Favourite fruit: quince, cornelian cherry and blueberries Favourite vegetables: peas, tomatoes and garlic
Ashwagandha is a time-honoured medicinal plant in South Asia and North Africa. Find out all about its uses and how to go about planting ashwagandha yourself.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an important medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Read on to learn all about ashwagandha plants and their uses as well as information on how to grow them.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries Also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, ashwagandha is popular for its ability to help manage stress, promote vitality, and support a healthy immune system If you want to grow this healing herb yourself, fertilizing your ashwagandha plant properly is key to getting a good harvest. In this article, we’ll go over the dos and don’ts of fertilizing ashwagandha.
A Little About Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a shrub that grows low to the ground, rarely exceeding three feet in height It has small green leaves and flowers that are yellow-green The part of the plant used medicinally is the root, which is dried and powdered for use in supplements and remedies.
Ashwagandha thrives in hot, dry climates like its native India. It grows best in sandy soil with good drainage. Too much moisture can cause the roots to rot. This hardy plant is fairly drought-tolerant and doesn’t require very rich soil. In fact, over-fertilizing can reduce the concentration of active ingredients in the root.
Should You Fertilize Ashwagandha?
Fertilizer isn’t necessary for ashwagandha plants, but a small amount of organic matter can be helpful. Here are some tips:
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In spring, work a thin layer of aged manure or compost into the soil around plants. This will provide some nutrients.
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Avoid using fertilizer high in nitrogen, which can reduce medicinal compounds in the roots. An organic fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium is better.
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Liquid kelp or fish emulsions make good foliar feeds to provide micronutrients. Spray on leaves every 2-3 weeks.
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Limit fertilizer to early in the growing season. Discontinue fertilizing after plants start flowering.
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Test your soil to see if any amendments are needed before adding fertilizer. Ashwagandha grows well in poor soil and may not need anything.
The key is to fertilize minimally. Ashwagandha is resilient and doesn’t require much. Feeding too much can be counterproductive.
Watering Best Practices
Proper watering is just as important as fertilizing, if not more so. Overwatering is one of the fastest ways to kill an ashwagandha plant. Here are some tips for irrigating wisely:
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Let the soil dry out between waterings. Ashwagandha prefers dry conditions.
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Water deeply and infrequently. Light, frequent watering leads to shallow roots.
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Avoid getting water on the leaves. Wet foliage encourages diseases.
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Water early in the day so moisture evaporates before nightfall.
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Add mulch around plants to help retain soil moisture. Wood chips or gravel work well.
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If you live in a rainy climate, improve drainage by planting on slopes or raised beds.
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Check for signs of overwatering like yellow leaves, root rot, or slow growth. Cut back on watering if these occur.
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Consider installing drip irrigation or clay pot irrigation to get water right to the roots.
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During drought or heat waves, you may need to water a little more often to prevent stress.
Getting the watering right will help your ashwagandha stay healthy and productive. Err on the side of under-watering this drought hardy plant.
Potential Pests and Problems
When cared for properly, ashwagandha is fairly pest and disease resistant. There are a few potential issues to watch out for:
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Spider mites – These tiny pests suck juices from the leaves, causing stippling damage. Knock them off with a strong spray of water or use insecticidal soap.
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Fungal diseases – Overwatering can lead to root rot. Improve drainage and allow soil to dry out to prevent this. Other possible fungal issues include powdery mildew and leaf spot. Remove affected foliage promptly.
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Nematodes – These microscopic roundworms attack the roots and impair the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients. Solarizing soil before planting can reduce nematode populations.
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Aphids – These small, soft-bodied insects cluster on stems and leaves, secreting sticky honeydew. Use horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to control. Ladybugs also eat aphids.
With good growing conditions and adequate spacing for air circulation, you’re unlikely to have serious issues. Monitor plants frequently for early signs of problems.
When and How to Harvest Ashwagandha Roots
Ashwagandha is grown as an annual, meaning the entire plant is harvested after one growing season. Here are some tips for harvesting at the right time and in the right way:
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Allow plants to grow for 6-8 months before harvesting roots.
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Roots are ready to harvest when the plant has gone to seed and the berries turn red.
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To harvest, carefully dig up entire plants. Rinse off excess dirt.
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Cut stalks to about 6 inches from the root crown.
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Remove any thin, fibrous roots. Retain the thick, tuberous roots.
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Spread roots out to dry in the sun for 1-2 weeks. Bring indoors at night.
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When thoroughly dried, roots will snap when bent instead of bending.
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Store dried roots in an airtight container away from sunlight.
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Fresh weight yield is generally 1-2 pounds of root per plant.
With the right care and timing, you can have a successful harvest of ashwagandha roots to use for teas, tinctures, capsules and more. Proper fertilizing and growing conditions make all the difference.
Fertilizing Tips to Summarize:
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Ashwagandha doesn’t require much fertilizer. Overfeeding can be detrimental.
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In spring, work a thin layer of compost or manure into soil.
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Liquid seaweed makes a good foliar fertilizer to spray on leaves.
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Discontinue fertilizing once plants start flowering.
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Get a soil test to see if any amendments are needed.
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Water deeply but infrequently. Don’t overwater.
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Watch for pests like spider mites, aphids and nematodes.
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Harvest roots when plants have gone to seed and berries are red.
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Dry roots thoroughly in sun before storing.
With the right care, you can have a successful ashwagandha crop in your garden. Follow these tips to keep your plants healthy and productive. Be sparing with fertilizer and water, harvest at the right time, and you’ll be rewarded with an abundant yield of healing roots.
You want to know who’s behind Plantura?
I studied horticultural sciences at university and in my free time you can find me in my own patch of land, growing anything with roots. I am particularly passionate about self-sufficiency and seasonal food. Favourite fruit: quince, cornelian cherry and blueberries Favourite vegetables: peas, tomatoes and garlic
Ashwagandha is a time-honoured medicinal plant in South Asia and North Africa. Find out all about its uses and how to go about planting ashwagandha yourself.
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an important medicinal plant in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Read on to learn all about ashwagandha plants and their uses as well as information on how to grow them.
Ashwagandha: origin and characteristics
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, belongs to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). This perennial shrub is native to the Mediterranean, North Africa, South Asia and the Canary Islands. Ashwagandha has been used for thousands of years as a narcotic, intoxicant and aphrodisiac. In Europe, it was first mentioned in medicinal plant encyclopaedias in the 16th century.
By the way: you may also find ashwagandha being referred to as winter cherry, but this name makes it easy to confuse with another plant in the same family that sometimes goes by the same name, namely the Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum syn. Solanum capsicastrum). It is also easy to mix up the name winter cherry with winter-flowering cherries (Prunus × subhirtella), which are different plants entirely.
Ashwagandha shrubs grow from 50 to 150cm tall with felt-like branches. These plants develop many unbranched, light brown roots that grow laterally along the taproot, each of which can reach the size of a thin carrot. Ashwagandha leaves are pubescent (hairy), grey-green and ovoid. They can grow up to 10cm long and give off an extremely unpleasant smell when touched. The green-yellow flowers typically grow in clusters of five from the plant’s leaf axils. They are surrounded by hairy toothed sepals, which, after pollination, form a paper lantern-like sheath around a berry, similarly to physalis (Physalis) or ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa). In the UK, ashwagandha plants flower between mid-July and September. When the berries ripen in late autumn, the dry, brown sepals break open to reveal the red fruit inside. The light brown seeds inside ashwagandha fruits are flat and kidney-shaped, which is typical for nightshades.
Ashwagandha plants can be grown in the UK as a perennial ornamental plant. We do not recommend growing it for its medicinal use, as the potency of the active ingredients is difficult to determine and consumption could result in poisoning.
When planting ashwagandha, opt for dry, warm and sunny locations on nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. These perennial shrubs do not tolerate waterlogging or damp soils, so a drainage layer is necessary, especially when growing one in a pot. If you want to grow an ashwagandha plant from seed, start it indoors on a warm windowsill between February and March. To do this, sow the ashwagandha seeds and cover them with about 2cm of soil. We suggest using a low-nutrient growing medium, such as our peat-free, sustainably produced Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost. Our seedling compost is well-drained and low in nutrients, effectively preventing waterlogging and promoting strong and healthy root growth. Keep the seeds at 20 to 25 °C and ensure the soil stays moist. The first plantlets should appear after 1 to 2 weeks. Prick out your ashwagandha seedlings after the first true leaves appear, and pot them up individually into fresh, nutrient-rich potting soil.
After the last frosts around mid-May, you can start planting your ashwagandha plants outdoors. Allow them a few days to acclimatise to their new environment first. These plants prefer a warm, sheltered spot in the garden bed. A planter that can hold at least 10 litres is also suitable and makes overwintering easier. As ashwagandha shrubs spread, ensure each plant has at least 1m2 of space to grow. When planting ashwagandha in pots, we recommend using a nutrient-rich organic potting soil, such as our Plantura Organic Tomato & Vegetable Compost. Our vegetable compost can also be used to improve poor garden soil.
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If you plan on planting ashwagandha in a pot, first place a 5 to 10cm thick drainage layer of gravel, coarse sand or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot. This will improve drainage and help prevent waterlogging. After that, fill the pot partially with potting soil and place the young plant in it at the same depth as it was before transplanting. Fill in the rest of the pot with soil, press everything down lightly and then water thoroughly.
Ashwagandha shrubs are generally low-maintenance, as they do not need pruning or thinning out during the growing season. Water occasionally, but always allow the top layer of soil to dry out before watering again. As these plants pull a lot of nutrients from the soil, we advise fertilising them from June onwards. By this time, the nutrients from the potting soil will have been depleted and the plants will have started to form flower buds. An organic liquid fertiliser, such as our Plantura Liquid Tomato Food, is easy to apply while watering and provides ashwagandha plants with the essential nutrients nitrogen and potassium. Fertilise regularly through to the end of the growing season. Regarding the dosage, we suggest diluting 15 to 25ml in 5 litres of water and applying about once a week.
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Ashwagandha plants are not hardy in the UK and need to be protected from cold damage. As temperatures begin to drop in autumn, move your plant to a bright, heatable area where it does not drop below 10 °C. Whether in your flat, a conservatory or elsewhere, ensure wherever you move your plant gets enough light and temperatures remain around 15 to 18 °C. Before moving the plant to its winter quarters, feel free to prune it back by half. This not only makes overwintering your ashwagandha plant easier, but it also takes up less space. The plant will sprout again in spring. Watering is hardly necessary in winter, so do so sparingly to prevent fungal diseases. There is also no need to fertilise until the following spring. Alternatively, you can sow new ashwagandha plants each year as ornamental annuals.
If You’re Not Growing Ashwagandha In Your Garden You Need To Watch This!!
FAQ
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