When is the best time to plant autumn potatoes in Shandong?

Potatoes, also known as potatoes, are planted in spring and autumn respectively. Potatoes planted in autumn are also called autumn potatoes. Autumn potatoes have good storage resistance and are often stored and sold as vegetables throughout the winter. So when is the best time to plant autumn potatoes in Shandong? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best time to plant autumn potatoes in Shandong?

The planting time of autumn potatoes in Shandong is from August to September every year. Potatoes can germinate and grow under the condition of soil temperature of 5~8℃, and the optimum temperature is 15~20℃. Within this temperature range, potatoes can be planted and survived, which is beneficial to their growth. They are planted in August and September every year and harvested in late October to early November.

2. How to plant autumn potatoes?

1. Choose the right variety

Seed potato selection: Choose medium-early maturing potato varieties that are suitable for growth, have fast tuber expansion and high yield, and high-quality virus-free seed potatoes that are of the appropriate physiological age and have passed the dormancy period.

2. Apply base fertilizer skillfully

Apply more organic fertilizer as base fertilizer, with a dosage of about 400 kilograms per mu, to improve soil fertility, loosen the soil, and create a good environment for tuber growth; apply 80 kilograms of compound fertilizer and 80 kilograms of calcium magnesium phosphorus (potassium) fertilizer, combine with land preparation, and concentrate ditch application to give full play to the fertilizer effect.

3. Seeding and germination

It is recommended to sow small whole potatoes. Large seed potatoes need to be cut into pieces and disinfected. Each pound of potatoes should be cut into about 20 pieces, each with buds. When the buds grow to 0.5-1cm, spread them out to dry, refine the buds before sowing, and spray with safe fungicides to prevent rotten potatoes and seedlings. Generally, 150-200 kg of seed potatoes should be prepared per acre of field.

4. Reasonable density planting

The suitable density for potato planting is 4500-5500 plants per mu for early-maturing varieties. The average row spacing is 70cm, the plant spacing is 20-24cm, and the crops are planted in ridges. Prepare the soil first and then sow.

5. Timely tillage and soil cultivation

When the seedlings are 15 cm tall, the first inter-row tillage and soiling should be carried out in time, and the weeds between the rows should be removed; the second inter-row tillage, weeding and soiling should be carried out during the budding stage; the third inter-row tillage, weeding and soiling should be carried out before the ridges are closed during the flowering stage.

6. Temperature control

The suitable temperature for stem and leaf growth in the early stage is 20-25℃, and the temperature difference between day and night is about 10 degrees, which is conducive to the expansion of stem tubers. During the potato bulking period, it is necessary to maintain sufficient light to produce the most photosynthetic products for the tubers to expand and ensure that the tubers have a high starch content.

7. Watering properly

Normally, water the plants in time depending on the rainfall conditions to keep the surface moist and the soil moisture content at 60%-80%. Do not water too much and overflow the top of the ditch. The standard is that it should be able to seep to the top of the ditch the next day after watering. Avoid flooding with large amounts of water.

8. Plant growth regulation

Commonly used ones include chlormequat, paclobutrazol, and linconazole, and the usage concentrations are: 0.1% chlormequat, 0.01%-0.15% paclobutrazol, and 0.01% linconazole.

9. Pay attention to topdressing

When the seedlings grow to 4-6 leaves after emerging from the soil, 4-5 kg ​​of urea per mu should be applied as seedling-enhancing fertilizer according to the growth and leaf color of the seedlings. Apply fertilizer to enlarge the seedlings, mainly potassium fertilizer, and apply foliar fertilizer after closing the rows. If the plant does not grow well, you can increase the frequency of topdressing in combination with watering, or spray foliar fertilizers such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate 1-2 times to promote tuber enlargement, enhance plant resistance, resist frost, prevent premature aging, and prolong growth.

10. Prevent diseases and pests in time

To prevent underground pests, you can use avermectin, phoxim, etc. during sowing; to prevent viral diseases, aphids can be controlled in time, imidacloprid can be used for control, and viral diseases can be treated with amino-oligosaccharides·strepton, virus A, etc.; to prevent leaf spot, blight, bacterial wilt, etc., pyraclostrobin, thiophanate-methyl, thiophanate-methyl, and dimethoate·myclobutanil can be used to prevent and control, ensuring that the leaves are intact.

That’s it