It grows not only in the tropics: how to plant sweet potatoes at home

Sweet potatoes are a tasty and healthy crop that can be grown even in temperate regions. Seeds for seedlings are planted at the end of January, and they can be transplanted into open ground in the second half of May. Sweet potatoes like bright sunlight and grow ideally on sandy loam or loamy soils with a high nitrogen content.

You should be careful with watering - it should be abundantly moistened only in the first month after planting in the garden. OBOZ.UA tells you how to grow a tasty and large harvest in the garden.

How to grow sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are usually propagated by germinating tubers, since in our conditions the plant rarely blooms and does not form seeds. The growing season lasts from 90 to 180 days, so if you buy seeds in a specialized store, it is better to sow them first for seedlings.

Before sowing, the seeds should be placed in warm water for 24 hours and disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate. The planting material must be dried.

What soil is suitable

Sweet potatoes sprout quickly on fertile and loose soils. Experienced gardeners advise using a soil mixture of humus, turf and sand in equal parts.

Ordinary garden soil lacks nutrients and can be infected with insect eggs and pathogens. It is better to pre-disinfect the substrate by calcining it in the oven or in the microwave.

How to plant sweet potatoes

The seeds should be buried in a moist substrate by 1.5-2 cm, compacted and watered. The bed can be covered with foil or glass and kept at a temperature of 18-20 °C.

When to water sweet potatoes

Water the seedlings sparingly but regularly. Excessive moisture will lead to root rot. Sweet potatoes need abundant moisture in the first month after transplanting, and in the second growing season, watering should be done about once every 10 days, depending on natural precipitation.

Before planting, the seedlings can be taken out into the fresh air - first for 20-30 minutes, and then gradually increase the duration of the procedure.

When to plant sweet potatoes in the garden

Seedlings can be planted when the air temperature reaches 20 °C and the soil warms up to 15 °C.

It is better to choose open sunny areas. Sweet potatoes do not tolerate drafts.

How to fertilize sweet potatoes

At the stage of tuber formation, you should fertilize sweet potatoes with potash fertilizers. Organics will also come in handy: 1-2 cups of wood ash should be poured into 10 liters of water and insisted for a week, and then watered at the rate of 1 liter per bush.

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