Cultivation of sweet potatoes to special treatment and suitable atmosphere from the start of the cultivation process until the stages of growth, Choosing the appropriate seeds and soil for growing sweet potatoes and following the instructions for irrigation, fertilization and pest control contributes to the quality and volume of production.
“The right weather for growing potatoes”
Potato is a summer crop that does not tolerate cold or frost, and it needs a long growing season that may extend to five months, provided that the temperature is at least 20 degrees Celsius.
“suitable soil”
The light yellow soils are well drained, devoid of salts and highly fertile. They are the ideal soil for growing potatoes, as the heavy soils give vegetative growth at the expense of the formation of tubers, which are irregular in shape and deformed due to the hardness of the soil.
“Preparing the land for planting”
The land is plowed two or three times, the soil is softened well, then it is spread into lines at a rate of 8-12 lines in the two reeds, according to the cultivar and the purpose of cultivation.
“Planting Dates”
Cultivation of potato cuttings or seedlings begins in mid-March in the warm regions “Upper Egypt” and from the first of May to June in the less warm regions “Upper Egypt”. The best planting dates are April.
«amount of seeds»
An acre needs about 25,000 cuttings or seedlings.
“farming method”
The cuttings are cultivated in the presence of water on the upper third of the line at a distance of 25-30 cm if the purpose of planting is to obtain large tubers, but if the purpose is to obtain small and medium tubers, then the distances are from 15 to 20 cm, provided that half the length of the cuttings is buried so that two buds above the ground on the sea feather, In the case of seedlings, the roots are pruned and then planted by burying the root with part of the stem. Part of the leaves on the seedlings must be trimmed before planting.
“Service Operations”
– Irrigation The cultivated plants are irrigated with the first watering after three weeks so that the plants can form a strong and branched root system, after which the irrigation is light and frequent so that the moisture remains in the surface layer so that the roots do not go deep, which leads to the tubers reaching full size due to the dissolution of the surface layer from the deeper parts of the earth as well. It is easier to remove tubers from the surface of the soil with little effort, and the surface layer is the richest in the nutrients needed by the plant.
– Fertilization. An acre needs 200-300 kg of superphosphate + 100 kg of potassium sulfate + 50 kg of nitrate. These quantities are divided into two batches, the first after a month of planting in bulk and the second after a month of the first. It is not recommended to add municipal fertilizer except in cases of weak or sandy soil. At a rate of 10 meters per acre, the municipal fertilizer leads to abundant vegetative growth at the expense of fruitful growth. Municipal fertilizer also leads to rotting tubers and infection with worms and borers.
ripening and harvesting, The potato crop reaches full maturity after about five months of planting, and full maturity is known by scratching some tubers. If the scratching site dries quickly, this indicates the maturity of the crop.
– the amount of the crop, An acre gives about 3-15 tons, according to the variety and method of cultivation.
«The most important varieties»
Desert bodyguard. Blevio. Evan Green
“Producing seedlings from cultivation by taking cuttings from the old throne during uprooting, then planted on lines and left to grow throughout the winter period, and when new planting we stuff the thrones and divide them into cuttings
