Which month is best to plant autumn potatoes?

Potatoes , also known as potatoes, are an important food and vegetable crop with very broad planting prospects. Especially autumn potatoes, which have a short growing period, only about 80 days from germination to final maturity, are favored by many growers. So when is the best month to plant autumn potatoes? Let’s learn more about it below.

Which month is best to plant autumn potatoes?

The planting time of autumn potatoes is generally from August to October each year, and the specific time varies according to different regional climatic conditions. In the northern region, due to the cooler climate, planting can start in late August; while in the southern region, since the weather is still hot in August, it is generally recommended to plant in September or October to ensure that potatoes can grow at a suitable temperature.

How to plant autumn potatoes?

1. Variety selection

For autumn potatoes, it is recommended to choose early-maturing varieties that are resistant to high temperature and drought, have strong stress resistance, set tubers early, have high yields, and have good commercial value, such as Luyin No. 1, Zhongshu No. 3, Zhengshu No. 6, etc.

2. Land preparation and fertilization

Choose loose soil with good structure, deep plowing and drying, and apply sufficient base fertilizer. Recommended plan: Apply 2500-3000 kg of farmyard manure, 20-30 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 100-200 kg of wood ash per mu and mix with manure, then apply in pits or ditches.

3. Seed potato processing

The seed potatoes should be egg -sized, without any rot or damage, and cut into 4-6 pieces horizontally and vertically, with each piece having eyes. After the seed blocks are cut, they can be disinfected. It can be treated with 0.5% quicklime aqueous solution, soak the cut pieces for 1-2 hours, and then germinate after drying.

4. Sowing method

Dig trenches 38-47 cm apart for sowing, with a plant spacing of 20-27 cm and a trench depth of 4-5 cm. When the soil is dry, water it first to moisten it and then place the seed blocks with the buds facing upwards and cover them with about 2-4 cm of soil. After sowing, immediately cover the seeds with thatch, straw, etc. to reduce sunlight radiation and water loss.

5. Water and fertilizer management

After emergence, apply 10-15 kg of urea per mu in combination with tillage and loosening the soil to promote rapid growth of seedlings; in the middle and late stages, spray potassium dihydrogen phosphate plus root growth hormone on the leaves 1-2 times. During the growing period, water the plants in time according to the soil moisture conditions, and stop watering 7 days before harvest.

6. Pest and disease control

The main disease of autumn potatoes is blight, which can be controlled by 1% Bordeaux mixture, agricultural streptomycin, etc.; the insect pests are mainly underground pests and aphids, which can be controlled by mixing chlorpyrifos with the soil and spreading it in combination with land preparation. Aphids can be controlled by spraying oxydemeton-methyl emulsifiable concentrate.

In general, if you want to grow autumn potatoes well, it is very important to choose the right sowing time. This is the only way to ensure that autumn potatoes can grow under suitable climatic conditions and achieve the goal of high yield.