How Many Years Between Sugar Beet Plantings? A Detailed Guide to Growing Methods
The scale of sugar beet cultivation is growing larger and larger. Driven by the profits from sugar beet cultivation, more and more farmers are turning to growing sugar beet. However, due to a lack of sufficient understanding of sugar beet growing methods, the sugar beet they grow is not only of low quality but also low in quantity. In order to improve growers' cultivation skills, today we will introduce the methods for growing sugar beet.
1. Soil Selection
Soil is the foundation for sugar beet growth. To grow sugar beet well, the soil needs to be very fertile. At the same time, sugar beet has a relatively developed root system, so it needs a relatively thick soil layer. Sugar beet also needs a relatively large amount of water during growth, so the land needs convenient irrigation conditions, and the organic matter content in the soil must be rich. These are the basic land conditions required for growing sugar beet.
2. Temperature Control
When the temperature steadily reaches 5 degrees, sugar beet planting can begin. Generally, each hectare of field needs at least 15 kg of seed. After sowing the seeds into the field, they must be covered tightly with soil. When planting, it is best to choose manual spot sowing, as this allows better control of the distance between each seed. Generally, the planting depth is maintained at about 3 cm, and the spacing between each plant is 25 cm. Generally, about 60,000 sugar beet plants can be grown per hectare of field.
3. Field Management
1. After sugar beet planting, weeding needs to be carried out frequently. Basically, about three rounds of weeding are needed before the ridges are closed, and the field also needs to be cultivated.
2. Generally, the cultivation depth is about 5 cm. Plowing can raise the field temperature. If the weather temperature drops greatly during the sugar beet seedling stage, the cultivation frequency also needs to be increased, maintaining cultivation once a week. After cultivation, the soil must be loose, and the weeds must all be removed. During cultivation, the seedlings must not be pressed down, and even more importantly, the seedlings must not be damaged. If sugar beet seedlings are damaged, it can easily cause the seedlings to die.
4. Water and Fertilizer Management
1. When the sugar beet root begins to grow larger, foliar fertilizer needs to be sprayed once every half month. Foliar fertilizer can promote the rapid growth of sugar beet and increase the size of the sugar beet root.
2. It should be noted that if rainy weather occurs within a few hours after spraying foliar fertilizer, it needs to be sprayed again. In the later stage of sugar beet growth, generally around August, potassium dihydrogen phosphate needs to be sprayed in the sugar beet field, generally once every 10 days or so, for a total of three sprayings. Sugar beet sprayed with potassium dihydrogen phosphate will have a higher sugar content.
3. One point to note during the sugar beet growing process is that the sugar beet leaves must not be damaged. Even leaves that already have pests or diseases must not be deliberately damaged, otherwise it will cause a large reduction in sugar beet yield.
5. Timely Harvesting
When the temperature becomes around 5 degrees, and after measurement it is found that the sugar content of the sugar beet is 16 percent, harvesting can be carried out. Sugar beet harvesting has a certain timing. Harvesting too early will lead to lower sugar content, and the yield will also be relatively low. If harvesting is too late, the sugar beet will be frostbitten by low-temperature weather, resulting in a reduction in quantity.
The above are the key points to note in sugar beet cultivation. Sugar beet can be considered a crop with high benefits and high costs. During the growing process, farmers need to put in more effort and cultivate scientifically.