The best time and method for growing sweet potato seedlings

The best time to sow sweet potatoes is usually between April and May in spring. The temperature during this period is generally stable at around 15-20℃. Such temperature conditions are more conducive to the germination and rooting of sweet potato seeds . At the same time, sweet potatoes have a long growth cycle and usually have to wait until autumn and winter to be harvested. Let’s learn about the best time and method for growing sweet potato seedlings.

1. The best time to raise sweet potato seedlings

Southern region: Sweet potato seedlings are usually cultivated in February.

Northern region: Seedlings are usually raised before the Qingming Festival, around March.

2. Sweet potato seedling cultivation method

1. Hibernation cultivation method of sweet potato vines :

After the sweet potatoes are harvested in autumn, select sweet potato vines that are sturdy and free of diseases and insect pests for hibernation cultivation. The leaves on the sweet potato vines need to be removed, leaving the petioles 1-2 cm long, then the vines are soaked in Amphetamine for 3 minutes, dried, placed in the cellar, and covered with fine sand. In the second year when the climate warms up, the sweet potato vines are dug out for cutting cultivation.

2. Cultivation method of sweet potato roots

After all the sweet potatoes are harvested in autumn, select thick, unscathed and strong sweet potato roots for cultivation. Keep about 3 nodes on each root, remove the leaves, and control the size of the cultivation room according to the number of cultivations. After planting the sweet potato roots, secure them with wire according to the spacing between rows and plants, and connect the sweet potato roots to the wire so that new shoots can climb and grow along the rope.

3. Cultivation precautions:

Choose appropriate cultivation methods based on environmental factors such as region, temperature, and climate. During cultivation, good insulation work needs to be done, especially in areas with lower temperatures. Reasonable temperature control is conducive to the healthy growth of sweet potatoes. The optimal temperature range is 20-30℃, and the most suitable temperature is about 25℃.

4. Before sowing, please pay attention to the following points:

Seed selection: Choose sweet potato seed pieces that are strong, disease-free, large in size and have many bud points to ensure faster germination and growth.

Seed treatment: Before planting, the seed blocks can be soaked in a carbendazim solution for about 10 minutes for disinfection.

Sowing method: Place the disinfected seed blocks directly into the dug trench and cover them with soil in time.

Insulation measures: If the temperature is not enough, you can cover it with a layer of plastic film to maintain the soil temperature, and then remove the film when the seedlings grow to 30-40 cm.

Watering management: Sweet potatoes require more water in the early stages of planting and should be watered frequently. Over time, you can gradually reduce the frequency of watering.

In general, the best time and method for growing sweet potato seedlings depends on the climatic conditions of the planting area, and everyone should make comprehensive considerations based on actual conditions.