Her Cultivation Diary
Chapter 536 - Chapter 536 536. Preliminary Plan_1

Chapter 536: 536. Preliminary Plan_1 Chapter 536: 536. Preliminary Plan_1 As for why there are no mosquitoes in Peach Forest…

“I’ve also planted quite a few Ai Cao around the edges of the Peach Forest, fitting them in wherever there’s room. This stuff is just like wild grass, it doesn’t need any care, just don’t cut it down,” Song Tan explained.

Ai Cao can repel mosquitoes, but it has to be dried and burnt to create the smoke that works. However, mosquitoes are one thing Song Tan just can’t tolerate, so she did not skimp on feeding the Ai Cao on the mountain with Spiritual Energy.

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, the family dried quite a lot. Now, every evening, they light up a small bundle, and although it’s just a small bundle, it’s incredibly effective!

Those that have been stimulated by Spiritual Energy on the mountain can be smelled from afar, wafting a unique and fragrant scent. Even when fresh, they are outstanding at repelling mosquitoes, truly defying science.

However, it’s probably only in Peach Forest that mosquitoes are absent. It’s hard to say for other areas. After all, before the Dragon Boat Festival, younger folks from other villages went up into the mountains to cut Ai Cao to sell it in the city for a dollar a bundle… Now, it’s only around Peach Forest that some are left because they were specifically reserved.

Recalling this, Song Tan immediately made a mental note to plan for planting Ai Cao, as it was something the family simply couldn’t do without.

She spoke so assertively, as if what she said was an absolute fact.

Tai Xiaodong: …Is that so?

He thought it over and felt something was amiss.

…

Without mosquitoes, even just strolling around the yard in the evening, everyone felt exceptionally relaxed.

The night breeze was still hot, making one’s sweaty skin sticky. But as the day passed, the village was extremely tranquil, with only the chirping of insects and occasional barking of dogs, no noise whatsoever.

This inexplicably peaceful feeling, even just doing nothing and emptying one’s mind, felt blissful.

Professor Song strolled around slowly with his hands clasped behind his back, looking indeed like a well-read scholar.

No one knew how full he was at the moment. Without lifting his chin, he felt like he could hardly keep it under control. He didn’t feel like exercising, so he had to desperately activate more brain cells to quickly burn off calories.

“No wonder they sought me out to come here, praising you non-stop, saying that you are genuinely skilled… Now I understand,” he said.

“If everything at home is of this quality, indeed, there is no worry about what to grow, as even if you scattered Foxtail Grass, what grows out would definitely be exceptionally beautiful.”

And it’s true, there is now a popular ornamental plant similar to Foxtail Grass called Bunny Tail Grass.

Song Tan shook her head: “When it comes to planting, I focus on practicality. First, it has to be edible, second, it has to be edible, and lastly, it has to make money. No matter how beautiful Foxtail Grass grows, apart from setting up an internet famous site, it can’t enter my mouth.”

Speaking of internet famous sites, Professor Song perked up:

“Now many villages are developing the tourism industry, using fields to create flower seas. Some go simple, like with rapeseed flowers, others follow trends, like Pink Muhly Grass, or planting something else… Your family has a lot of mountain land, even if you only develop the peripherals, it should bring in outstanding economic benefits.”

“No need, no need!” Song Tan waved her hands repeatedly: “If it can be practical and attractive at the same time, then of course I like it. But there’s no need to go out of the way to look good or attract people. I don’t like hosting these people.”

Maintaining an internet famous site is so much work!

And people now love to make things difficult, especially in the tourism industry. The chance of encountering difficult visitors is just too high. And then when someone gets a bruised arm or skinned knee, they come asking for compensation…

Thinking about it made Song Tan feel irritable, so she decided to drop it.

The group wandered around the yard like zombies, back and forth, until Qi Lin reflected: “Actually, your decision to acquire Bags Mountain was very visionary. Its terrain is quite unique, and it can satisfy a variety of needs.”

“The inner ring of the mountain is shaped like a bowl, and there’s a large pond at the bottom. You can grow lotus roots, water chestnuts, caltrops, and even raise fish there, enough to set up four different zones.”

“Whether it sells or not is another matter, but having enough to eat fresh for ourselves is certain.”

Tai Xiaodong, who usually appeared carefree, now offered a reliable opinion:

“That duck coop by the pond, I actually think is unnecessary–the ducks are pretty smart, you could build them a special coop on the mountain, and once they get used to it, they’ll come back every day.”

“The place where the old duck coop is, including the area around it, becomes a low-lying area when it rains and the water level rises, right? You could plant some wetland-favoring plants there.”

“Further up, you can divide the land into zones and plant the crops you’re interested in by sections.”

There could be countless plots within the inner circle, and the same goes for the outer one.

And the mountain isn’t a sharp peak; the mountaintop gets plenty of sunlight during the day and the temperature difference between day and night is large, which is just right for some plants that can handle temperature fluctuations…

Yan Ran, on the other hand, considered another aspect:

“The area is too large, and it’s right in the village. Even if you hire more people to manage it later on, it’s inevitable that some people will be jealous of your family’s assets. The current fencing is very good.”

With a fence in place, it’s quite a hassle for ordinary people to get in, which naturally saves a lot of trouble.

“However, if you fence in this mountain like you’re doing now, it’s a large area, so the construction cost will be high.”

“We still have to fence it.”

Song Tan was determined.

There was no way to keep the taste of her family’s produce a secret.

The iron net fencing was intended not just to ward off those with bad intentions but also to prevent familiar people from conveniently coming in and taking a few items.

Once they start, it won’t be something that can be solved with just two items.

Yan Ran nodded in agreement, “I also think it’s a solid plan. Although there’s a bit of pressure initially, many crops grow quickly and the cash flow returns fast, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

“Also, isn’t your family growing that medicinal plant Golden Sakura? I’ve looked into Golden Sakura. If it’s economically profitable, you can plant it all around the fencing as well.”

Song Tan smiled, “That’s what we did with the Chestnut Garden; initially, we planted it as a protective hedge, but later, Golden Sakura’s medicinal effects were good. Doctors from outside the area made a point to stay in our village clinic just to be able to purchase it as soon as possible.”

“So, the ones we have planted now are still too few, and we do plan to expand the scale.”

But large seedlings are not easy to buy.

Those who grow it now either use it as a mother plant at a rose cultivation base or at a medicinal herb cultivation base–and now everyone uses the improved, thornless variety.

So, when autumn came, Song Tan decided to start cutting branches for propagation.

“That can work,” Professor Song nodded in agreement: “Golden Sakura grows quickly. When it’s thick and climbs high, aside from making it a bit inconvenient for you to harvest, its protective ability is very strong.”

“As for the inside of the mountain… For some areas where you want to create specific planting divisions, I suggest you plant some Goji berries–it would add another category to diversify.”

Goji berries are robust, and if used merely for zoning, you wouldn’t need to worry about water, fertilizer, and various disease and pest management in the later stages. You can let them grow wild, eliminating the need for scaled management…

The night breeze carried the chirps of insects, and the warmth of the air gradually dissipated. Wu Lan, with a cheerful laugh, carried out a big basin of watermelon from the house, while in the yard, everyone discussed the photos taken today, envisioning the beautiful scenery of the future.