Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Autumn Potato Planting

Planting potatoes in autumn: the production period is short, harvest is quick, and returns are good. The following techniques must be carried out well.

1. Land preparation and fertilization. Choose sandy soil or sandy loam land or fields with loose soil for planting. First use farmyard manure, human excrement, or fermented cake fertilizer as base fertilizer, spread it on the ground, then plow, level, and open beds 1 m and 1.3 m wide.

2. Sprouting and sowing. Select seed tubers with no rot or injuries and about the size of a chicken egg, cut them crosswise and lengthwise into 4-6 pieces, each with an eye. After cutting the seed pieces, rinse them lightly with cold water, air-dry them, mix and dip them in a small amount of plant ash, and pile them in a ventilated, cool place indoors to sprout. When piling, put one layer of seed pieces and one layer of sand. After 10 days, the seed pieces sprout and send out roots. When the sprouts grow to 1.5 cm, they can be sown. Sprout them in early October and sow in mid-to-late October. For sowing, dig holes or open furrows at 15 cm x 25 cm, with holes or furrows 4-5 cm deep. If the soil is dry, splash water first to moisten it. Place the seed pieces with the eyes facing up and cover with 3-4 cm of soil.

3. Field management. After the seed pieces are sown, cover them with grass immediately. During drought, pour water to soak the mulch thoroughly, or lead water into furrows to irrigate so the ground stays moist. After the seedlings emerge completely, remove the mulch in batches. During the young seedling stage, use a hoe to loosen the soil and weed, and drench with diluted manure water 2 times, then strengthen fertilizer, water, hilling, and other management as appropriate. They can be harvested in about 3 months.