Experienced old farmers sprinkle ash when planting sweet potatoes, and the sweet potatoes grow large and taste good
Friends with experience in agricultural production should all know that the ash left over from burning fires in rural homes, commonly known as plant ash, when sprinkled into sweet potato fields, can greatly increase sweet potato yields. Although this is experience summed up by farmers in agricultural production, it does indeed contain a certain scientific basis.
The reason plant ash can improve both the yield and quality of sweet potatoes lies in the potassium carbonate it contains. The main component of plant ash is potassium carbonate, and it is precisely this component that greatly enhances its nutritional value. Since plant ash is the combustion ash of plants, the mineral components in the plant body are all present, most of them in the form of carbonates, and the highest content is also potassium carbonate, accounting for about 10%.
The second largest component is naturally phosphorus, though this also exists in the form of phosphates, accounting for about 2% of the plant ash components. In addition, plant ash also contains trace elements such as calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, boron, and molybdenum. It can be said that plant ash is an all-purpose compound fertilizer, containing not only major elements but also trace elements.
Compared with what we call chemical fertilizers, plant ash does not contain nitrogen fertilizer, so it will not cause excessive vegetative growth of plants. And compared with fertilizers such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, plant ash contains far more trace elements, so its fertilizing effect can be said to be superior.
The reason potassium fertilizer can increase sweet potato yields has been introduced before. One key point is that potassium can promote the synthesis and accumulation of starch, causing the tuberous roots to expand and accumulate more starch.
In rural areas, plant ash has a wide range of sources. After the rural earthen stoves are burned, basically every household will have a good amount of plant ash. With low cost and high fertilizing effect, it is naturally favored by everyone.