How to Grow Potatoes? Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Potato, also known as Irish potato and potato, is a common vegetable in daily life, and almost every household grows it. So how do you grow potatoes?

1. Site selection

Choose a plot that drains well and gets plenty of sunlight, then apply some base fertilizer, using potassium fertilizer or plant ash. Be careful not to plant potatoes again in soil where potatoes have already been grown for two years, as this makes them prone to disease.

2. Sprouting

At the end of December or in January, place the potatoes to be planted in a warm spot to sprout, so that they can be planted around February.

3. Cutting

Cut the sprouted potatoes into pieces, and after cutting, make sure each piece has 2 to 3 eyes. After cutting, promptly rub some plant ash on the cut surfaces.

4. Planting

Once the potatoes are prepared, they can be planted. When planting, dig a shallow furrow in the soil and place the cut pieces in it, with a spacing of about 15 cm between two pieces. After planting, there is no need to water, and no need to fertilize either. If fertilizing, apply an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer. Never use urea or human and livestock manure, otherwise the taste will be affected.

5. Field management techniques

(1) Fertilizer requirements: Fertilization should mainly use high-quality organic fertilizer, which can be applied together with the three-element chemical fertilizers. Generally, per mu use 2000-3500 kg of high-quality organic fertilizer, 12 kg of urea, 20—30 kg of superphosphate, 150-200 kg of plant ash or 10-15 kg of potassium chloride. Mix the above fertilizers evenly with the organic fertilizer and apply them as base fertilizer in the soil layer below 10 cm. This can loosen the tuber layer and help the potato root system absorb nutrients.

(2) Pest and disease control: During the growth of potatoes, pests and diseases such as aphids and white grubs will appear. Among them, aphids can be controlled with 2.5% bifenthrin emulsifiable concentrate or 10% imidacloprid wettable powder. If using 1500 times dilution of 70% menazon spray, laundry detergent can be added to dissolve the waxy substance secreted by aphids, making the effect better; during the migration period, yellow boards coated with machine oil can be used to trap and kill them. For white grubs, use 1500 times dilution of 50% phoxim emulsion and spray it on the soil surface before plowing; organic base fertilizer must be thoroughly decomposed before application; pay attention to crop rotation; in plots where white grubs occur severely, the method of watering twice in succession can be used, which is simple and effective.

6. Harvest

Potatoes hardly need deliberate fertilization or watering during growth and are very easy to grow. After planting in February, they can generally be harvested in May or June.