What are the key points to note when growing sweet potatoes? Master the essentials in one article
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 yield on the same piece of land varies greatly from year to year. When planting, everyone feels they manage things very carefully and no pests or diseases appear. In fact, sometimes it is caused by some conditions not being met properly during planting, so what conditions are needed when growing sweet potatoes? And what should be noted? Let's take a look below!
1. Temperature
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°C; if it is below 10°C, it will be unable to sprout. Also, at 10-15°C it takes about a week to sprout, and the temperature that allows the roots to grow and develop normally is around 18°C. Experiments have shown that when the surface soil temperature is 20°C, sweet potato roots need only 3 days to sprout. The most suitable temperature for sweet potato sprouting and growth is around 30°C. However, the temperature must not exceed 35°C, otherwise the growth rate of sweet potatoes will be extremely slow, and growth stops when it is below 15°C.
2. Light
Sweet potatoes also greatly prefer light and have a very large demand for sunlight. 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, and of course this further increases the yield and quality of sweet potatoes. But if during the growth of sweet potatoes the required light duration is not met, it will cause the sweet potato leaves to turn yellow and dry, and leaf drop will occur. The growth of stems and vines will also be greatly hindered, reducing the nutrient absorption and transport of sweet potatoes, leading to a large reduction in yield.
3. Water
Sweet potatoes do not need a large amount of water; 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 moisture differs too much, it will have a certain impact on the yield of sweet potatoes; it is not only unfavorable to sweet potato yield, but also increases 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 when flowering, water needs to be reduced, because too much water will affect the flowering time and flowering rate. Therefore, during the planting process, the amount of water used must be well controlled.
4. Fertilizer
Sweet potatoes need a large amount of nutrients during growth and have a very high demand for fertilizer, so fertilizer supply must be well controlled during the planting period. 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 fertilizing, nutrition must be balanced, and one type of fertilizer must not be applied excessively, which would cause problems in the growth of sweet potatoes. Also, when fertilizing, the amount used and the application of other fertilizers must be determined according to a series of factors such as the growth condition of the sweet potatoes and the fertility of the soil. Do not fertilize blindly; blind fertilization not only fails to promote the growth of sweet potatoes, but may also inhibit their development and reduce yield.
The above four points are what we need to pay attention to when growing sweet potatoes. Everyone must have a correct management method when planting, because only in this way can the yield of sweet potatoes be well controlled, which is more beneficial to our economic interests. Also, when choosing planting soil, 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 we hope it can help everyone.