Planting Methods and Technical Points for Leaf-Vegetable Sweet Potato Leaves

AbstractLeaf-vegetable sweet potato leaves can be grown with a trellis; during the growing period, an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer is needed; in summer, water daily and shade with a black shade net; when the tender shoots grow to 5-6 leaves, harvest them promptly for eating; after 2-3 consecutive harvests, apply a top dressing; if the plant shows signs of premature aging, adopt the method of heavy pruning and cutting back, and at the same time plow the soil and apply fertilizer.

I. Planting Methods for Leaf-Vegetable Sweet Potato Leaves

1. Plant adjustment

(1) Sweet potato vines grow relatively fast, so they tend to age easily. When the tender shoots of sweet potato grow to 5-6 leaves, they can be harvested promptly for eating, because harvesting the shoot tips allows the branches to keep branching and growing. Generally, the sprouting and growth ability of stem node parts far from the ground gradually weakens, so the branches on the main stem should not be left too long or too many.

(2) During this period, the tender stems and leaves can be harvested for eating at intervals, then keep 3-5 branches on the main stem, leave each branch 5 cm long, and cut off all other parts. After waiting 3-4 months, if the plant shows signs of premature aging, adopt the method of heavy pruning and cutting back, and at the same time plow the soil and apply fertilizer. After about 15 days, it can resume normal growth. For pot planting, a trellis can be built and then lightly tied.

2. Fertilization and disinfection

(1) Generally, growing sweet potato leaves is not for producing tubers, but only for harvesting high-quality tender shoots and seedlings for eating. Therefore, an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer needs to be applied to supply the nutrients the plant needs. After 2-3 consecutive harvests, an appropriate top dressing can be added, either by watering it on or burying it around the root system. After about 7 days, new tender branches and leaves will grow again.

(2) After growing sweet potato leaves for 3-4 months, replanting is needed. During this period, plow the growing soil, then apply sufficient organic fertilizer. As long as sunlight, water, and fertilizer are sufficient, high-quality tender sweet potato branches and leaves can be produced continuously.

(3) To prevent soil-borne diseases, when growing sweet potato leaves in the second year, the soil needs to be replaced for replanting, or it can be rotated with other vegetables. When growing vegetables, all the prepared soil should be exposed to the sun for disinfection; during this period, no chemical agents need to be applied.

3. Summer shading and watering

Although sweet potato is a sun-loving vegetable, in summer the balcony has high temperatures and strong light, which leads to a large amount of water evaporation, is not conducive to the robust growth of sweet potato leaves, and may even cause wilting and death. During this period, a black shade net can be used for shading, and frequent watering is needed, once every 1-2 days. In the rainy season, natural rainwater can be used; just keep the soil moist. Generally, manual watering is only needed when the soil is too dry.

4. Weeding and loosening the soil

Soil with good fertilizer and water conditions is also conducive to weed growth. Therefore, during the growth period of sweet potato, weeds found should be pulled out promptly, thereby reducing the consumption of soil nutrients. If soil compaction is found during this period, tools such as a small hoe can be used to properly plow the soil, prompting the stems and leaves to grow more vigorously.

5. Pest and disease control

Choosing to grow sweet potato leaves on a balcony, as long as the methods are appropriate, generally there are very few diseases, but occasional pest outbreaks occur, mainly including scarab beetles, leaf rollers, cutworms, sweet potato hawk moths, and cotton leafworms. During this period, manual capture is sufficient.