What are the latest points to note when growing sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are very common in our daily lives and are widely grown in rural areas of our country, but sometimes some farmers find that the annual yield on the same piece of land varies greatly. When planting, everyone feels they manage things very carefully and no pests or diseases appear. In fact, sometimes it is caused by some conditions during planting not being met properly, so what conditions are needed when growing sweet potatoes? And what should be noted? Let's take a look below!
1. Temperature
The sweet potato is a food crop that prefers warmth and is not very suited to low-temperature weather; it is very sensitive to temperature changes. The temperature for sweet potato sprouting must be at least above 10 degrees; if it is below 10 degrees, it will be unable to sprout. Moreover, at a temperature of 10-15 degrees, it also takes about a week to sprout. The temperature that allows normal root growth and development is around 18 degrees. Experiments have shown that when the surface temperature is 20 degrees, the sweet potato roots need only 3 days to sprout. The most suitable temperature for sweet potato sprouting and growth is around 30 degrees. However, the temperature must not exceed 35 degrees, otherwise the growth rate of sweet potatoes will be extremely slow, and below 15 degrees growth stops.
2. Light
Sweet potatoes also very much like light and have a very large demand for light. When there is sufficient light and high light intensity, the leaves of sweet potatoes grow especially well. The stems and vines also grow very robustly, which of course will further improve the yield and quality of sweet potatoes. But if during the growth of sweet potatoes the light duration required for their growth is not met, it will cause the sweet potato leaves to turn yellow and dry and lead to leaf drop. The growth of stems and vines will also be greatly hindered, reducing the nutrient absorption and transportation of sweet potatoes, leading to a large reduction in yield.
3. Water
Sweet potatoes do not have a very large water requirement; the environment suitable for sweet potato growth is generally relatively dry and warm. During the growth and development of sweet potatoes, if the variation in water differs too greatly, it will have a certain impact on the yield of sweet potatoes. It is not only unfavorable to sweet potato yield, but will also increase the incidence of pests and diseases in sweet potatoes. However, it should be noted that during the seedling growth stage of sweet potatoes, the demand for water is still relatively large. But at the flowering stage, water needs to be reduced, because too much water will affect the flowering time and flowering rate of the flowers. Therefore, during the planting process, the amount of water used must be controlled well.
4. Fertilizer
Sweet potatoes need a large amount of nutrients during growth and have a very high demand for fertilizer, so the supply of fertilizer must be well controlled during planting. Before planting, the base fertilizer needs to be applied sufficiently. The fertilizer sweet potatoes need most is potassium fertilizer, then nitrogen fertilizer, and finally phosphorus fertilizer. When applying fertilizer, the nutrients must be balanced, and one kind of fertilizer must not be applied in a one-sided way, which would cause problems in the growth of sweet potatoes. Moreover, when applying fertilizer, the amount used and the application of other fertilizers should be determined according to a series of factors such as the growth condition of the sweet potatoes and the fertility level of the soil. Fertilizer must not be applied blindly. Blind fertilization not only cannot promote the growth of sweet potatoes, but may also inhibit their development and reduce yield.
The above four points are the things we need to pay attention to when growing sweet potatoes. Everyone must have a correct management method when planting. Only in this way can the yield of sweet potatoes be well controlled, which is more beneficial to our economic interests. Also, when choosing soil for planting, try to choose soil with a PH value of around 6, as this is more conducive to the growth and development of sweet potatoes and increases yield. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone.