What are the key points to note when growing potatoes? Remember these essentials
1. Choose good seed varieties. Choosing good seed varieties is an important part of high-yield potato cultivation.
2. Cutting seed potatoes and sprouting. Start sprouting 20 days before sowing, around early March. When cutting seed potatoes, each piece must have at least one eye. 10-15 pieces per jin is ideal. After cutting, sterilize and disinfect the seed pieces by mixing them dry with plant ash or soaking them in a 1:200 water dilution of carbendazim powder. Once the seed pieces are air-dried, begin sprouting in a seedbed. There are two methods: first, sprout them in sand in a corner of a room at room temperature above 15°C, with one layer of sand and one layer of seed pieces; second, dig a pit outdoors in a ventilated, sunny spot oriented east-west, about 25 cm deep, with one layer of sand and one layer of seed pieces, ideally 3 layers, then cover with an arched plastic film and add straw mats at night for insulation. During sprouting, sprinkle water 1-2 times with either method to prevent drying out. When the sprouts reach 0.5-1.0 cm long, begin sowing.
3. Choosing and preparing the land. Before planting, check the soil moisture. If the moisture is poor, consider irrigating the furrows to build moisture, preferably 7-10 days before planting. Potato planting generally uses double-furrow planting. When opening the furrows, use 50 cm for wide rows and 40 cm for narrow rows. Potato stems need loose, fertile soil to expand.
4. Sowing and covering with film. When sowing, there are two ways to place the seed pieces into the furrow: first, with the sprout facing down. Potatoes grown this way have long roots and strong seedlings, fewer potatoes but larger tubers, though the seedlings emerge 2-3 days later. The other method is with the sprout facing up. Potatoes grown this way have relatively shorter roots, smaller but more numerous potatoes, and the seedlings emerge 2-3 days earlier. After planting, take soil from both sides within the wide rows to cover the potato furrow and the space in the narrow rows, then level it, cover tightly with microfilm, and press it down firmly.
5. Ventilation after emergence and seedling-stage management. After Qingming, about 20 days after sowing, the seedlings emerge from the soil. At this point, tear open the microfilm at the seedling positions to let air in, to prevent the seedlings from being scorched. When the seedlings reach 10 cm tall, press the film around the seedlings firmly with soil to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Potatoes should not be watered in the early stage of growth; water only after flowers appear. If the weather is dry with no rain, water once every 10 days. Generally, 2-3 waterings are enough for the potatoes to mature. Stop watering 10 days before harvest. During the seedling stage, prevent pests such as aphids or thrips.
6. Scientific fertilization. For potatoes, fertilization throughout the entire growth period should follow the principle of "boosting early, maintaining mid, controlling late." When 80% of the seedlings have emerged, apply a heavy dose of quick-acting fertilizer to promote seedling growth. During the potato seedling stage, begin spraying Diguo Zhuangdiling to thicken the nutrient transport vessels of the underground tubers, increase the vigor of tuber expansion, make the tuber surface smooth, the tuber shape robust, and achieve high quality and high yield. Potatoes respond well to farmyard manure, ideally 4000-5000 jin per mu, and when applying chemical fertilizer appropriately, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be used together. Potatoes have a high demand for potassium. The scientifically reasonable ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer is 1.85:1:2.1. Potatoes like to absorb ammonium nitrogen and absorb relatively more sulfur.
7. Pest and disease control. In the middle and late stages of potato growth, the main diseases include late blight, downy mildew, and bacterial wilt. In the early stage of disease onset, spray for control on a sunny day after the dew has dried using a 500-fold dilution of mancozeb + Xin Gao Zhi Mo. If bacterial wilt is found, pull out the entire plant and burn it in a centralized manner. Also spread lime in and around the diseased holes or drench the roots with a 0.5% formalin solution for disinfection, then spray a 2000-fold dilution of agricultural streptomycin + Xin Gao Zhi Mo for control to prevent the disease from spreading and causing damage.