How are sweet potato seedlings cultivated, when are they planted, and how much does one cost?

AbstractThe seedling raising time for sweet potato seedlings is generally around the time of Awakening of Insects. From the seed storage cellar, select tubers with bright skin color, no disease or damage, and moderate size as seed. Then choose a plot without pathogens and with ample sunlight as the seedbed. The seedbed soil thickness is 5-8cm. When arranging sweet potatoes, growers need to master the method, and the principle to implement is sparse arrangement for small tubers and dense arrangement for large tubers. The price of sweet potato seedlings is about 0.05-0.15/plant.

I. Seedling raising time and methods for sweet potato seedlings

1. Seedling raising time

The seedling raising time for sweet potato seedlings is generally around the time of Awakening of Insects, that is, all seedling raising is completed from mid-February to mid-April each year. In areas south of the Huaihe River, breeding is done in mid-February, while in areas north of the Huaihe River, it is completed before April 10. If sweet potatoes are arranged in open fields, breeding should be completed before April 20.

2. Seed selection

From the previously used seed storage cellar, select tubers with bright skin color, uniform tuber size, smooth skin, no disease or damage, moderate size, no cold or wet damage, and plenty of white milky sap as seed.

3. Preparing the seedbed

After selecting the tubers, the next step is to prepare the seedbed. Choose a plot without pathogens and with ample sunlight as the seedbed. After leveling the plot, spread an appropriate amount of decomposed livestock manure on top, such as horse manure, cow manure, or pig manure. However, note that the seedbed soil should not be too thin or too thick; about 5-8cm is recommended. 

4. Soaking sweet potato seeds

In the past, growing sweet potatoes usually did not include this step, but now scientific farming is emphasized. To prevent seed tubers from carrying diseases and affecting the later growth and yield of sweet potato seedlings, most growers soak the seeds with warm water or chemicals, or directly sprinkle the solution onto the seedbed.

5. Arranging techniques

Common methods generally include diagonal arrangement, vertical arrangement, and flat arrangement. The more widely used methods are diagonal arrangement and flat arrangement. Growers should master the method when arranging sweet potatoes. The principle to implement is sparse arrangement for small tubers and dense arrangement for large tubers, which makes later seedbed management more convenient. After arranging them, remember to cover with a layer of plastic film.

II. How much does one sweet potato seedling cost

1. At present, the price of Jishu No. 25 sweet potato seedlings in Neihuang County, Anyang City, Henan is 0.12 yuan/plant; the price of Purple Sweet Potato No. 1 seedlings in Xiajin County, Dezhou City, Shandong is 0.13 yuan/plant; the price of Qinshu No. 5 sweet potato seedlings in Huxian County, Xi'an City, Shaanxi is 0.08 yuan/plant; the price of Beijing No. 553 sweet potato seedlings in Lingshou County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei is 0.1 yuan/plant.

2. Also, the price of Longshu No. 9 sweet potato seedlings in Zoucheng City, Jining City, Shandong is 0.08 yuan/plant; the price of Guangshu No. 87 sweet potato seedlings in Wuchuan City, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong is 0.06 yuan/plant. From the above market conditions, it can be seen that the prices of sweet potato seedlings of different varieties vary by region, and the general price is about 0.05-0.15/plant.