Remember the sweet potato planting method and timing to achieve high yields

In the past, when living conditions were poor, many families who could not afford rice and flour would often use sweet potatoes as a substitute, but now it is different. Various dried sweet potatoes, sweet potato vermicelli, roasted sweet potatoes, etc. are all very popular with consumers, so the planting market is also getting better and better. Below we will introduce the sweet potato planting method and timing, so that the vast number of growers can all grow high-yield sweet potatoes and obtain high benefits.

I. Basic introduction to sweet potato

1. Sweet potato generally refers to the sweet potato, also called white potato, earth melon, red potato, red yam, etc. It is an “exotic species” introduced in the late Ming Dynasty of our country. Sweet potato was first cultivated in the central region of the Americas, and is now widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a root tuber crop with high yield and tolerance to barren soil.

2. The edible parts of sweet potato include the underground root tubers and the fresh tender stems and leaves of the aboveground vines. Its leaves differ depending on the variety. The leaves are usually ovate with hairs on both sides or hairless; the leaf color of different sweet potato varieties also differs, including dark green, yellow-green and purple; in some areas sweet potatoes will bloom white flowers, while in lower-temperature areas they rarely bloom.

3. Sweet potato can be eaten raw, cooked, or used medicinally. It is not only rich in nutrients but also a natural green nourishing food, and plays an important role in improving human immunity, enhancing disease resistance and delaying body aging. Moreover, sweet potato is one of the excellent food choices for people who are losing weight, and can also treat constipation, dysentery and other conditions.

II. Sweet potato planting time

Different sweet potato varieties naturally have different planting times, and the planting time of the same sweet potato variety also differs in different regions.

1. Planting time of spring sweet potato: sweet potato generally starts seedling raising in late January each year, and cuttings can be made from late April to early May. Its growth period is about 160-200 days.

2. Planting time of summer sweet potato: summer sweet potato is generally chosen to be planted starting in June each year, and care should be taken not to plant too late, otherwise it will affect the growth and yield of sweet potato.

3. Planting time of autumn sweet potato: autumn sweet potato should be planted early. Generally, after the End of Heat solar term, it can be planted in early and middle rice fields. The growth cycle of autumn sweet potato is not long, and it generally relies on the population to increase yield. When planting, the density can be appropriately increased (5000 plants/mu).

4. Planting time of winter sweet potato: winter sweet potato is generally raised as seedlings in August. Cuttings begin in October.

5. In addition, northern regions with relatively low temperatures are more suitable for planting spring sweet potato, the Yellow-Huai River basin can plant spring and summer sweet potato, and autumn and winter sweet potato are only suitable for planting in warm southern regions, such as Hainan and Taiwan, China.

III. Sweet potato planting techniques

Once the sweet potato variety and sweet potato planting time are determined, the cultivation techniques must also be mastered well.

1. Sweet potato is suitable for growing in places with deep soil layers, loose and fertile soil, and good irrigation and drainage capacity, and the light conditions must be good, so that the root tubers of sweet potato can expand well.

2. Sweet potato planting can choose the methods of seedling raising and transplanting, but remember to prepare the land and make ridges on a sunny day before planting, and apply special organic compound fertilizer to promote its growth.

3. During the growth period of sweet potato, prune sweet potato fields with many branches and vigorous growth, cutting off excess branches so that the root tubers can get more nutrients.

4. About half a month after planting sweet potato, cultivate once and apply thin human and livestock manure or urea; after one month, carry out the second cultivation, and apply nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

5. Timely prevent and control viral diseases, black spot disease, purple root rot, noctuid moths and other pests and diseases that harm sweet potato, and apply corresponding agents to control pests and diseases. If rodent damage occurs in the sweet potato field, food can be mixed with rat poison to kill them.

Finally, it should be said that sweet potato must be planted within a suitable time, as exceeding the time can easily affect quality and yield. In addition, different regions should choose different sweet potato varieties according to climate and soil conditions.