When did you start cultivating "Shikibi"?
He had been working as a plasterer. When he got older, he felt tough to work. So he quitted the job and started the "Shikibi" cultivation. He has been working it for more than 10 years. "The work is hard because of the strain, but it is not a job to use a brain.", he said with a laugh.
We asked them with problems of Shikibi cultivation and the countermeasures.
On problems and counterplans for "Shikibi" Cultivation
After they started the work, vermin were increased, damaging leaves, and wisteria vines disturbed the growth of Shikibi. To solve the problems, they carry out fumigation more than 5 times between May and October. However, some leaves are beaten by vermin, resulting in a production shortage. So sometimes they had to go to Minami Izu to supplement the product.
Summerization of "Shikibi" Cultivation
Suzuki-san is cultivating Shikibi in a field of 2 hectares. He had an experience that too much chemical fertilizer affected the growth. So they fumigate the plant, but they don't put any chemical fertilizer. They use fallen leaves and wood refuses. A key to cultivate a Shikibi is to pick up spouts. If they don't pick up spouts, only one cone gets longer and it has lots of leaves. Shikibi is an alpine plant which grows in a cold weather. The plant doesn't grow under the sea level of 400 meters. However, it doesn't grow when it snows because the branches are broken by the leaves with snow on them. Accordingly, it is hard to find a good place to cultivate a Shikibi. One of the best place is Fuji where it has a good soil and well drained.＜Fumigation＞
They don't use much antiseptic solution. He dilute wood vinegar 10 times thinner with water and add a small amount of antiseptic solution, and they sprinkle it on Shikibi and other vegetables. Wood vinegar doesn't cause any environmental pollution and it is not harmful to human body. So they decided to use. Another reason is that they also make charcoal and they can get wood vinegar. However, the pigment of wood vinegar is never removed when it is put on clothes.
＜Wood vinegar＞
When wood is burned, the water containing in the wood evaporates and becomes fumes of 70℃, and adheres to the wooden cap of a chimney. As the vinegar is not harmful to the body, we tasted it. Too sour!
To where are you shipping Shikibi？
Hokkaido (Hakodate, Wakkanai), Sendai, Aomori and Akita.