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KudzuFarmingBecause of its incredible growth rate, kudzu is one of the easiest plants to farm. From planting to harvest, the entire process takes one to two puddle hours. The most common approach to farming kudzu is the so-called 'x' technique. Practitioners of this technique start by planting a single kudzu seedling, which they call the first generation plant, and do not harm.  Once new kudzu vines begin growing from this original, they cull the plant so that the vines are roughly in an 'x' formation. The plants that make up the legs of the 'x' are considered second generation plants, and are also not cut.  It is only the third generation plants, which grow out from these second generation plants, which are cut and harvested. Note that plants can be culled before they reach full maturity. Each time a kudzu plant is slaughtered, there is a chance it will drop a seedling, which the zu farmer may then pick up and store in a bag for later use or another zu patch.  A single patch of kudzu usually yields 3-10 seedlings, and experienced farmers often grow multiple patches at once, to hasten the process. The Creed Cooperative and other farmers have conducted research into the best ways to farm zu, and have learned, among other things, that certain farming locations are better than others. You may find your favorite spots by trial and error, but in general, heavily farmed, high-traffic areas tend to yield fewer seeds, while out-of-the-way locations tend to have better soil conditions for good growth. Exiles who farm zu frequently may want to consider getting a kudzu macro?. |
