Sweet potato cultivation time and method

Sweet potato , also known as sweet potato, sweet potato, sweet potato, etc., is a widely cultivated crop. It is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, etc. It has strong adaptability to soil and climate, can grow in a variety of soil types, and has good drought resistance. Let’s learn about the time and methods of sweet potato cultivation.

1. Cultivation time

Sweet potatoes prefer a warm climate. Usually when the average daily temperature is stably above 15℃, the cut potato seedlings can be transplanted into the fields. As the saying goes, "If you plant sweet potatoes during the Grain Rain season, you can harvest a large basket from one sweet potato plant." This shows that the average daily temperature in most parts of China during the Grain Rain season is suitable for the growth of sweet potato seedlings . Therefore, after the Grain Rain season is a good time to plant sweet potatoes.

Another agricultural proverb reminds us that "If you don't plant sweet potatoes during the Lesser Heat, your efforts will be in vain", which means that it is not suitable to plant sweet potatoes after the Lesser Heat. Because sweet potatoes are not frost-resistant, frost will cause the plants to wither, and sweet potatoes have a long growth cycle. Planting too late will affect the full expansion of the tubers, thereby reducing yields.

As the agricultural proverb says, "The earlier the sweet potatoes are planted , the better the harvest." Under appropriate soil moisture conditions, the earlier the sweet potatoes are planted, the more fully their tubers can grow and the higher the yield will be.

2. Cultivation Methods

A common practice is to cut the potato seedlings to about 20 cm in length, then insert them into the soil at a 45-degree angle, leaving two or three leaves on the top, which helps increase yields. In addition, there is an efficient planting method - "boat bottom cultivation", which not only extends the potato seedlings (about 30 cm), but also helps the sweet potatoes to form layers and significantly increase the yield. When using the "boat bottom cultivation" method, the potato seedlings should be buried 7 to 10 centimeters deep in the soil. The plant should retain two leaves and one heart, and all leaves buried in the soil should be removed.

A folk proverb also mentions, "A handful of sweet potato ash can make a big pile," and the "ashes" here refer to wood ash. Using wood ash as fertilizer is very beneficial to the high yield of sweet potatoes. Wood ash is the residue left after burning plants. It is rich in minerals, especially potassium (the content can reach 6% to 12%), and is a natural potassium fertilizer. Since sweet potatoes like potassium, potassium can promote photosynthesis and material transportation of the plant, and the application of wood ash helps the tubers to expand.

Sweet potatoes prefer soil with large porosity, and loose soil is conducive to the expansion of tubers. Wood ash can improve soil structure, and using wood ash to grow sweet potatoes can effectively increase yield potential. In addition, the use of wood ash can reduce pests and diseases and make the skin of sweet potatoes smoother, thereby increasing yield and quality.

What other techniques are there to achieve high yields of sweet potatoes?

1. Deeply plow the soil: Choose land with loose soil and rich organic matter. Deeply plowing the soil will help the tubers to expand.

2. High ridge cultivation: Avoid planting in low-lying areas to prevent water accumulation that may cause excessive plant growth or tuber rot. High ridge cultivation helps prevent waterlogging, while increasing the temperature difference between day and night in the soil, which is conducive to the accumulation of photosynthetic products.

3. Scientific fertilization: Carry out inter-row cultivation and topdressing 20 days after the potato seedlings are cut to promote the growth of seedlings. During the rapid expansion period of tubers, using wood ash or potassium sulfate solution for irrigation will help the tubers further expand.

4. Control growth: Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer application to prevent excessive growth of the plant. During the growth process, the vines are turned over to destroy adventitious roots and concentrate nutrients from the taproot on the tubers.

5. Harvesting: As for the harvesting time, an agricultural proverb suggests, "Cold Dew comes early, Beginning of Winter comes late, and Frost Descent is the right time to harvest sweet potatoes", which means that Frost Descent (mid-to-late October) is the best time to harvest sweet potatoes.

In short, growing high-yield and high-quality sweet potatoes requires careful management and skills, but as long as you follow the above methods, you can harvest large and high-yield sweet potatoes.