What are the benefits of ridge cultivation of sweet potatoes (reasons why ridge cultivation is beneficial to the growth of sweet potatoes)

It is the sweet potato planting season again. There is already the roar of machines in the fields. Those are the diligent farmers making furrows, or ridges.

Although the situation here is a bit special at the moment, "seize time in spring and seize time in summer, and there is no time to delay when the season comes." While protecting ourselves, the spring plowing and planting of the year must also begin.

Some families, although they dig peanut furrows, will also leave a few ridges without sowing peanuts, but instead prepare to plant sweet potatoes, in order to satisfy their delicious taste.

Is it necessary to make ridges when planting sweet potatoes?

The answer is, not necessarily. Sweet potatoes can be planted flat or in ridges.

However, ridge planting is better. So, what are the benefits of ridge planting of sweet potatoes?

1. Thicken the soil layer and expand the growth range of the root system, which is conducive to the absorption of fertilizer and water.

2. Increase the area receiving sunlight . Because of the ridge formation, the two sides and three sides of the ridge back can receive sunlight, which can increase the ground temperature and is beneficial to the acclimatization and growth of sweet potatoes.

3. It is conducive to drainage and irrigation , especially in low-lying areas. Ridge formation helps rainwater to be discharged from ditches out of the field, thus avoiding the occurrence of sweet potato diseases and rot.

4. Good permeability. Sweet potato fruits grow underground . After ridge formation, the soil has good permeability, which is conducive to gas exchange and increasing the temperature difference between day and night, which is beneficial to the expansion of potato tubers.

These are the major benefits of ridge cultivation of sweet potatoes.

However, in areas prone to drought such as low groundwater levels and sandy land, it is better to plant sweet potatoes flat or in low ridges.

How to prepare the land and make ridges in the early stage of sweet potato planting

There should be requirements, but they are rarely implemented, and it is almost a one-size-fits-all approach.

The ridge formation of sweet potatoes should be determined according to the specific conditions such as terrain, soil quality, planting season, planting method, growing period and variety, and should not be a one-size-fits-all approach.

Just briefly explain it for reference only.

For clay soil and land prone to waterlogging, the ridges should be high and narrow.

For sandy land and other drought-prone land, the ridges should be slightly wider and shorter.

For sweet potato varieties with a short growing period, or if planted in a single row, you can create slightly narrower and lower ridges; if planted in double rows, you can create wider and higher ridges.

The ridges of summer sweet potatoes can be slightly narrower and lower than those of spring sweet potatoes, because the vines of summer sweet potatoes are shorter than those of spring potatoes.

I don't know how high and wide the ridges are in your place, but here we usually grow spring potatoes in ridges that are 75-80 cm wide and about 30 cm high.

The ridges for summer potatoes are generally 65-70 cm wide and about 25 cm high. The double-row large ridges are generally 1.2 meters wide and 35-40 cm high. The ridge tops are 40-45 cm wide, which is conducive to drainage and waterlogging prevention .