Spring planting of potatoes: pay attention to differences in sowing methods across different regions
Recently, vegetable growers in many places such as southern Shandong, northern Anhui, Weinan, and Jinzhong have used hotline calls to consult about sowing methods for different cultivation styles of early-spring potatoes. In response, the author has written this article as an answer to the many vegetable growers in the above areas who consulted about spring potato sowing techniques.
You can choose clear weather with little wind and sow within the 4 hours before noon and the 4 hours after noon. Sowing methods vary widely across different regions. Common methods include flat sowing, hole sowing, ridge sowing, flat sowing followed by ridging, and first opening furrows for sowing and then ridging.
Flat sowing method
There are two flat sowing methods: 1. Open furrows 8-10 cm deep according to the planned row spacing, place seed tubers in the furrows at the planned plant spacing, then cover the furrows with the soil dug out from the furrows and level the ground; 2. Use a plow to open furrows, place the seed tubers on the side slope of the furrow 8-10 cm from the ground, cover with soil using the plow, and sow 1 row every 3 or 2 plow passes. After sowing, turn the soil over with a harrow and level the ground.
Hole sowing method
Open holes according to row and plant spacing, with holes 8-10 cm deep, sow 1 or 2 tubers per hole, cover the first hole with the soil from digging the second hole, cover the second hole with the soil from digging the third hole, and continue in this way. After sowing, level the ground to help preserve soil moisture. This method is often used for sowing on sloping land in single-cropping areas of high mountains and hills. When opening holes for sowing, fertilizer can be applied in a concentrated way at the same time.
Ridge sowing method
The ridge sowing method is also called ridge sowing. Form ridges according to the planned row and plant spacing, then open furrows on the ridges and place the seed tubers for sowing. After sowing, cover with soil, press down, and preserve moisture. The sown seed tubers are above ground level. This ridge sowing method is often used in rainy and easily waterlogged areas. It allows drainage during waterlogging, keeps tubers from being submerged, prevents irrigation water from overflowing the ridges, and helps keep the soil on the ridges loose, which is beneficial for tuber expansion. If plastic film is used after sowing, the soil cover above the seed tubers should reach 15-18 cm.
Flat sowing followed by ridging method
Level the ground, mark line imprints according to the planned row and plant spacing, then place seed tubers on the line imprints at the planned plant spacing. After placing them, build soil on both sides of the line imprints to cover them and form ridges, press down, and preserve moisture. The seed tubers are sown at the ground surface, and the soil cover thickness from the seed tubers to the ridge crest is 8-10 cm. Similar to the ridge sowing method, this method is suitable for places with more rainfall and sufficient soil moisture.
Method of opening furrows for sowing followed by ridging
Make 1 ridge per 100 cm, with 2 rows per ridge. After leveling the ground, mark line imprints according to wide and narrow rows, with narrow rows 25 cm and wide rows 75 cm. When opening furrows, place the dug-out soil in the middle of the narrow rows to form a ridge back shape. Place seed tubers at the planned plant spacing, positioning them from the bottom of the furrow toward the ridge back, then cover with soil from the sides of the furrow (the wide rows) to form wide ridges. After pressing down with a garden rake, harrow and level the soil.