How to cultivate sweet potato shoots? A detailed tutorial on the latest techniques and methods

Sweet potato shoots, also known as sweet potato leaves, sweet potato vine leaves, etc., are the young stem tips and tender stems of an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Ipomoea in the Convolvulaceae family, selected through artificial selection for edible use; in Hong Kong, China and even around the world they are hailed as the “Queen of Vegetables,” “Longevity Vegetable” and “Anti-Cancer Vegetable,” a truly green vegetable product. Now let us take a look together at the cultivation techniques for sweet potato shoots!

The cultivation value of sweet potato shoots

Sweet potato has the characteristics of wide adaptability, strong stress resistance, drought tolerance, tolerance of poor soil, and strong absorption capacity, regeneration capacity and pest and disease resistance of the plant, so in the South Asian tropical regions it stays green all year round and grows vigorously. By adopting fully organic cultivation and building a shaded greenhouse with 45% shading-rate black shade netting for shade cultivation, seedlings can be grown by directly cuttings of sweet potato stem segments or tender top stems, watered to keep moist, and can be harvested after 15 days in summer and autumn and about 30 days in winter and spring. Developing and processing sweet potato stem tips into green vegetables and health foods will greatly increase their added value. One planting allows harvesting all year round, with an average yield of over 3000 to 5000 kg per mu.

Cultivation techniques for sweet potato shoots

1. Site construction: The cultivation site for sweet potato shoots should be built on sunny, well-ventilated sandy loam soil, with the size determined by need. The outer walls can be brick-built or earthen mounds, about 60 cm high and about 20 cm wide. To ensure even heating of every corner of the site, pipes should be laid in place, extending in all directions. If the cost is too high, channels can be dug underground, crisscrossing and running north-south, with the entrance connected to the fire source.

2. Placing the tuberous roots: After spreading a layer of straw over the pipes or channels, sprinkle fine soil and then place the tuberous roots. The tuberous roots must be fresh, glossy, spotless, medium-sized, slender and elongated. Place the tuberous roots evenly in the site, with longitudinal and transverse spacing of about 2 to 3 cm, then sprinkle a thin layer of soil (with an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer mixed in), water to moisten, and cover the surrounding walls with plastic tarpaulin.

Cultivation management of sweet potato shoots

1. Adjusting light: Sweet potato likes light. Under sufficient light, the leaves are darker in color, the leaf age is longer, the stems and vines are thick and strong, the conductive tissue of the stems is well developed, and the yield is higher. But sweet potato shoots do not have very high sunlight requirements, because the surrounding walls are always covered with plastic tarpaulin, which is only removed later when the temperature is already high.

2. Controlling humidity: Sweet potato is a drought-tolerant crop, but too much or too little water is not conducive to increasing yield. The growth of sweet potato shoots requires even better water control. If there is too little water, the sweet potato will be scorched by excessive temperature; if the humidity is too high, ventilation and sun exposure should be provided. In short, always observe the dryness and moisture of the soil and strictly keep it at around 50%.

3. Regulating temperature: The most suitable temperature for the growth of sweet potato shoots is 20 to 25 degrees. Below 20 degrees, increase the burning of firewood and cover the plastic tarpaulin well. Above 25 degrees, reduce the firewood, or uncover the plastic tarpaulin to strengthen ventilation and cooling. Generally speaking, light the fire in early February, burning for about one hour each morning and evening, and after 15 to 20 days the fire can be stopped, as the temperature influence is then basically minimal.

4. Breaking up the soil to aid growth: When sunlight, temperature and humidity are well controlled, sweet potato shoots begin to emerge from the soil layer after about 15 days. Because the tuberous roots are fairly dense, the whole site looks as if it has been raised. At this time, boards should be laid across the surrounding walls, a person should stand on them, and carefully lift up the clods of soil and crush them by hand, spreading them evenly. This can reduce the pressure on the shoots as they grow, also helps preserve soil moisture, and aids the growth of the shoots.

5. Temperature difference control: Sweet potato shoots grow fastest at night, but because the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large, the plastic tarpaulin should be tightly covered at night, and a layer of straw mats can also be laid to prevent the temperature from dropping too quickly, which is not good for the growth of the shoots.

6. Timely harvesting: After the sweet potato shoots have matured, lay boards across the surrounding walls, stand on them when harvesting, and harvest carefully. If the shoots turn yellow, it will affect their sale; you can spray the pesticide “Yi Pen Lu” to make them green again so the price is not affected.