Sweet potato: where and how it grows, cultivation in Siberia, the Urals, in central Our Country

You can grow sweet potatoes in almost any region of Our Country. The culture is unpretentious, grows on different types of soils, including depleted ones. But at the same time, it needs regular watering and top dressing. Sweet potato is thermophilic, therefore, in the temperate climate zone, it is grown exclusively in seedlings. Seedlings are most often grown from tubers, but this can also be done by sowing seeds.

Where does sweet potato grow in Our Country

Sweet potatoes are sometimes called sweet potatoes, although in fact this plant belongs to another family – Bindweeds. It forms vines on which tubers grow, resembling potatoes in appearance. But they are very different in taste – the pulp is always sweetish. In Our Country, sweet potato is not common, because it grows only in warm conditions.

Nevertheless, it is possible to grow sweet potatoes in the garden in the summer in almost all regions. It is obtained even on an industrial scale in farms located in the Primorsky Territory, the Republic of Bashkortostan and Khakassia.

Since the growing season is quite long, and the warm season is not enough, the agricultural technique for growing sweet potato involves obtaining seedlings and subsequent transplanting into open ground. With this method, it is possible to obtain a crop within four months after the transfer of seedlings to the site.

When and how to plant sweet potatoes for seedlings

There are two ways to germinate sweet potatoes – from seeds and from tubers. In the first case, new plants may appear that differ from their parents. In the second, 100% of the same crops grow that have identical genes. Both options are described below.

The main way to grow sweet potatoes is vegetatively from tubers

Seeds

This is not the most common way to grow a crop. It is more labor-intensive than the propagation of sweet potatoes by tubers. In addition, it is not always possible to get your own seeds – in temperate latitudes they do not have time to ripen. Another limitation is that plants from seeds may differ from their predecessors due to gene recombination.

Usually the seed method of cultivation is used to obtain new varieties. Work begins at the end of January, the deadline is in the first ten days of February. Seedlings do not grow so fast, besides, they can only be transplanted at the end of May, when it becomes steadily warm outside.

To successfully propagate sweet potato seeds, it is recommended to act as follows:

1. Pre-soak the planting material in warm water for two days, adding a growth stimulant solution, for example, Epin, Zircon or Heteroauxin.
2. Pickle in a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate, “Fundazol” or other fungicide.
3. For successful cultivation, prepare fertile soil by making a mixture based on soddy land, humus, black peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. Previously, it is also disinfected in potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven at a temperature of 120 degrees for 20 minutes.
4. To properly grow sweet potatoes at home, you need to put the soil in fairly large pots with a diameter of 20-25 cm.
5. Seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm and sprinkled with soil.
6. Put on the windowsill in a place with room temperature.
7. Spray with distilled water from a spray bottle.
8. Cover with a film with holes, periodically remove it for ventilation and watering.
9. Two weeks before transplantation, they are taken out to the balcony or outside so that the seedlings harden.

tubers

For successful cultivation in the garden, you can plant a sweet potato from a tuber. It is better to start work at the beginning or in the first half of March. The method is convenient in that it allows you to make up for lost time if the time for planting seeds has already passed. Growing from a tuber is easier to implement, and the resulting plants will fully retain the characteristics of their parents.

To increase the number of cuttings, tubers can be cut into two parts.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Compose the soil mixture and disinfect it in the same way as in the previous case.
2. Immerse the tuber in the substrate, deepening a few centimeters. Sprinkle with soil.
3. Place on a windowsill at room temperature.
4. Moisturize regularly.
5. Two weeks before transplanting into the ground, start hardening.

There are other ways to grow sweet potatoes. The tubers are immersed in a glass of settled water (only 1-2 cm should be on top of it). Periodically change the liquid and wait for the roots to appear. After the onset of heat (May), they are transplanted into the ground.

Another growing method is to cut the tuber in half and germinate first on a napkin moistened with water, then transfer it to a pot, and only then transplant it into open ground. Thanks to this, you can get twice as many cuttings with the same amount of planting material.

You can determine the readiness of a sweet potato cutting for transplanting into the ground by several criteria:

• length not less than 15 cm;
• the number of internodes – at least 5;
• leaves – also at least 5;
• healthy appearance.

It is worth paying attention to the appearance – the tuber must be healthy, not softened, without traces of rot and other diseases. You need to start growing a few weeks earlier, i.e. in the middle of February.

How to plant sweet potato seedlings in open ground

For the proper cultivation of sweet potato in the Moscow region, the middle lane and other regions of Our Country, it is necessary to accurately determine the timing of transplantation, prepare the site in advance, and organize normal care. The basic rules and advice of experienced gardeners are described below.

Disembarkation dates

The timing of the transplantation of seedlings obtained from seeds or from tubers must be planned so that the return frosts have definitely passed. The main criterion is that during the day the temperature stays above 23-24 degrees, and at night it does not fall below +15. As a rule, such weather occurs in Our Country only at the end of May or even at the beginning of June.

For successful cultivation, sweet potatoes are planted no earlier than mid-May.

Specific dates depend on the climatic features of the region:

1. In the middle lane, including in the Moscow region, transplantation to the site is carried out in the last days of spring.
2. In the south, you can start work on the May holidays or closer to the middle of the month.
3. For cultivation in the Leningrad region and other regions of the North-West, sweet potato should be transplanted at the end of May or at the beginning of June.
4. In the Urals, in Siberia, it is better to play it safe and start growing on the site only in the first half of June.

You can start transplanting, provided that the temperature of the surface soil layer is at least +18.

Site Selection

Sweet potatoes can grow even in depleted soil, but it is best to grow in light, fertile loam with a neutral reaction. A very important requirement is the maximum illumination of the site, even without penumbra. The place should be located on a small hill. Lowlands are excluded because water accumulates in them. Also, the bed should be spacious, since the minimum interval between plants is 40 cm.

It is not recommended to grow sweet potatoes in the same place for more than three years in a row.

Soil Preparation

The soil for growing sweet potatoes must be prepared in advance. The field is dug up 1-2 months before transplantation, at the same time compost or humus is added at a rate of 5-7 kg per square meter. If the soil is too dense, sand or sawdust is added to it, 2-3 kg each for the same area, if necessary, a little more.

Sweet potato planting scheme

The landing algorithm is as follows:

1. Form several rows with an interval of 80-100 cm.
2. Mark the ridges and plant sprouted tubers or seedlings in them with an interval of 40 cm.
3. Sprinkle with soil.
4. Pour settled water with complex fertilizer.

Along with the standard scheme, you can use others – 75 * 50 cm or 100 * 35 cm.

Cultivation of culture is carried out in rows with an interval of 80-100 cm

Caring for sweet potatoes in the open field

When cultivating sweet potato in open ground, it is necessary to take care of both competent planting and caring for the plant. The main rules are regular watering and periodic fertilizing. Despite the fact that biologically this is not a potato, the cultivation technique is approximately the same. In both cases, it is necessary to carry out hilling and weeding.

Periodically, plants are inspected and, if necessary, treated for diseases and pests. This helps with cultivation and ensures a good harvest.

Additional fertilizing

Sweet potato actively feeds on microelements, so fertilizers should be applied regularly. For proper cultivation, they are given every 2-3 weeks, alternating complex mineral compositions with liquid organics, for example, potassium humate, mullein infusion 1:10 or chicken manure 1:20. Sometimes you can make wood ash no more than 250 g per 1 m². If you add it in excess quantities, the soil may acquire an alkaline reaction, which will adversely affect its fertility.

Watering

Watering when growing sweet potatoes is especially often given in the first month after transplantation – 2-3 times a week. Over time, water less often – on a weekly basis. If there is rain, additional moisture is not needed. Completely stop giving water two weeks before harvest. Water must be pre-settled. It is poured into containers and left under the sun or indoors.

If you regularly water the sweet potato during cultivation, the yield will be high.

Hilling

Hilling and loosening for the proper cultivation of sweet potato is carried out at intervals of 3-4 weeks. The procedure is simple – the soil is loosened to a depth of 5-7 cm and sprinkled around the bush to create a small shaft. Since sweet potato lashes grow well when grown properly, row spacing should not be allowed to close. If the stems are not lifted, they will root at the nodes, and the yield will decrease because of this.

Diseases and pests

When growing sweet potatoes, they must be protected from leaf rot, tubers, powdery mildew, and other fungal infections. For prevention, they observe the norm of watering and periodically loosen the soil. If necessary, treat with Bordeaux liquid or other fungicides.

Of the pests, slugs, bears, and wireworms are especially dangerous for growing sweet potatoes. They deal with them differently. From insects and ticks, insecticides are used, for example, Biotlin, Fufanon or Aktar. To scare away slugs around the beds, scatter:

• mustard powder;
• red ground pepper;
• nut shells or egg shells.

Also, when growing sweet potato, special preparations can be used to repel slugs, for example, “Thunderstorm” or “Ulitsid”. These are effective remedies that must be used according to the instructions so as not to exceed the maximum dosage.

Conclusion

You can grow sweet potatoes in most regions. In this case, initially the tubers should be germinated at home. Work begins in early March, and in the case of seeds – a month earlier. The resulting seedlings are transferred to open ground no earlier than mid-May.