Potato watering and fertilizing have their particularities: a detailed explanation of the key points of water and fertilizer management
The potato is a very common food and vegetable crop in China, and its planting area in China is also very extensive. When growing potatoes, water and nutrients are extremely important for their growth. Therefore, when planting, we must do a good job in water and fertilizer management. So how exactly should it be done? Below, the editor brings you the key points of water and fertilizer management for potatoes. Let's take a look!
1. Water management
Potatoes basically do not need watering during the seedling stage. If very dry conditions are encountered during the seedling-stressing stage, then a small amount of water can be given appropriately. When potatoes enter the early flowering stage, watering should begin, because from the start of the early flowering stage until the potato stems and leaves stop growing, this is the period when tubers grow fastest, and the demand for water will also gradually increase. Also, if there is a lack of water during this period, it will affect nutrient absorption. Soil moisture should be maintained at about 70%, and it should not be too much either. If there is too much, it can easily cause potato plants to grow excessively, consume too many nutrients, and lead to undesirable phenomena such as premature aging and lodging.
2. Watering precautions
Although potatoes have a certain drought resistance, they cannot be left dry for a long time, otherwise it will have a certain impact on potato quality and yield. When watering, we should do a good job in water management according to various factors such as weather, rainfall and soil type. The amount of water should not be too large, nor too little. If too large, it will cause cracks in the soil, affect potato growth, and prevent potatoes from breathing, resulting in insufficient nitrogen. It can very easily cause potatoes to mature early and yield to decline. In addition, reasonable watering can also avoid soil deformities and avoid some unnecessary losses.
3. Fertilizer management
About half a month after sprouting, potatoes need to begin absorbing nutrients. At this time, the demand for nitrogen and potassium fertilizer is relatively large, while phosphorus fertilizer is relatively less. When potatoes grow to the tuber formation stage, the demand for nutrients will surge, and the speed of nutrient absorption will also increase greatly. The nutrients at this time directly determine the yield and quality of potatoes. During the expansion stage, the demand for potassium fertilizer is high, followed by nitrogen and phosphorus. Finally, during the mature stage, one topdressing is still needed to ensure a certain amount of nutrients, prevent root oxygen deficiency from causing premature aging, and affect normal growth.
4. Fertilizing precautions
When fertilizing, be sure to control the proportion and amount of each nutrient element well, and do not over-apply or favor one particular fertilizer. Avoid nutrient deficiency causing poor potato growth, and it can also very easily cause fertilizer damage, seriously hindering potato growth. This is especially true for nitrogen fertilizer. Although an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer can promote potato growth, attention should also be paid to the fact that excessive use will cause potatoes to grow excessively, leading to excessive nutrient consumption in potatoes and insufficient nutrients for tuber expansion, resulting in reduced yield.
The above is a brief introduction to the key points of water and fertilizer management for potatoes. Water and fertilizer management for potatoes is indispensable when growing potatoes. So everyone must pay close attention! That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!