The "Sweet Potato King" honey sweet potato is easy to grow and high-yielding: a detailed guide to its cultivation techniques

Honey sweet potato is one of the better varieties of sweet potato. Because honey sweet potatoes are very soft, glutinous and sweet to eat, they are loved by many people, so the demand for honey sweet potatoes keeps increasing. So what are the high-yield cultivation techniques for honey sweet potatoes?

1. Planting time for honey sweet potatoes

Because the climate differs from place to place, and there are many varieties of honey sweet potato, the planting time for honey sweet potatoes is not the same. In the north, planting is generally done from April to May each year, while in the south it is done from March to April and from September to October. Spring planting is chosen also because the rainfall is relatively sufficient, which is quite helpful for raising seedlings.

2. Field management of honey sweet potatoes

1. Management during the root-establishing and seedling-recovery stage

The root-establishing and seedling-recovery stage runs from the growth of new roots after planting to the beginning of storage root formation, lasting about 1 month. After sweet potatoes are planted, check the seedlings and fill in gaps promptly to ensure a full stand. After transplanting the vines, if there is a severe drought, water promptly to help the seedlings recover, so as to facilitate rooting and survival. Generally, after planting, water once, then cultivate once every 10 to 15 days to loosen the soil, raise the temperature and eliminate weeds, and spray New High Lipid Film at the appropriate time to promote rapid plant growth and help root formation.

2. Management during the branching and tuber-setting stage

From 30 to 40 days after planting, as the temperature rises, stem and leaf growth speeds up and the storage roots continue to form and expand, so water and fertilizer management should be strengthened promptly. If there is a drought, apply 5 to 8 jin of urea per mu with the irrigation water, and cultivate and loosen the soil early after watering to preserve soil moisture.

3. Management during the stage of vigorous stem and leaf growth and storage root expansion

From the first half of July to late August, during this period the stems and leaves grow vigorously and the storage roots expand, and the leaf area index reaches its maximum. Generally, during this period, it is necessary to achieve promotion within control and control within promotion. This period coincides with the rainy season, with high temperatures and rapid plant growth. To prevent excessive vine growth, 50 PPM paclobutrazol solution plus Diguo Zhuangdiling can be sprayed evenly in the field, with the leaves covered in the solution but not dripping being best; this can promote fruit development and make sweet potatoes high-quality and high-yielding. During this period, the underground storage roots expand rapidly. If there is a summer drought, watering is needed, but the amount of water should not be too large. To promote tuber expansion, use one bag (12) g of expansion agent per mu diluted in 15 kg of water and spray once every 7 to 10 days, for two consecutive sprays.

4. Management during the stage of stem and leaf decline and storage root expansion

After mid-to-late August, in the late growth period of sweet potatoes, the stems and leaves go from slow growth to stagnation; nutrients are transported to the storage roots, and the growth center shifts from above ground to below ground. In management, it is necessary to protect the stems and leaves to maintain normal physiological functions and promote rapid storage root expansion. Management measures: ensure soil moisture content at 60 to 70 percent of the maximum field water-holding capacity. If the weather is dry for a long time with no rain and the soil is dry, the stems and leaves will prematurely age, affecting the formation and accumulation of carbohydrates and causing reduced yield, so water lightly promptly; however, do not water within 20 days before harvesting the sweet potatoes. If there is autumn waterlogging, drain promptly to prevent hard heart and rot. Around the End of Heat, sweet potato leaves enter the vine-returning period. To prevent premature aging, extend and enhance photosynthesis in the leaves and promote tuber enlargement, carry out foliar fertilization: use half a jin of monopotassium phosphate per mu diluted in 30 to 40 kg of water plus 800-fold New High Lipid Film solution for spraying, once every 15 days for a total of two sprays. The effect is even better if used together with expansion agent.

5. Top removal

When the main stem of the honey sweet potato grows to 50 cm, pick off the terminal bud on a sunny morning; when the branches grow to 35 cm, continue to remove the terminal buds. This method can inhibit excessive vine growth, avoid nutrient consumption and promote storage root expansion, and can increase yield by 20 percent to 30 percent.

6. Fertilizing through cracks

When honey sweet potatoes enter the storage root expansion period, cracks will appear in the surface soil. At this time, use 750 to 1,000 kg of clear water and manure per mu, add 500 g of monopotassium phosphate (or 5 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg of plant ash, soaked and filtered in water separately), mix into the manure, and pour it along the cracks in the morning or evening. After pouring, fill the cracks with soil, and at the same time spray Diguo Zhuangdiling to prevent deformed fruit and cracked fruit, which can increase yield by 20 percent to 30 percent.

3. Timely harvest

The storage roots of honey sweet potatoes are asexual vegetative bodies and have no obvious maturity standard or harvest period, but the timing of harvest is closely related to the yield of honey sweet potatoes, seed retention, storage, processing and utilization, and crop rotation. Harvesting too early will reduce yield, while harvesting too late will be affected by low-temperature chilling injury. The suitable harvest period for honey sweet potatoes is generally to begin digging when the air temperature drops to 15 degrees C, and to finish digging when the air temperature is above 10 degrees C or the soil temperature is above 12 degrees C, that is, before the dead frost; generally, digging is finished around Cold Dew.