Sweet potatoes, or shakarkandi, are one of the winter staples. Be it the pipping hot shakarnkandi chaat or a rich sweet potato dessert; the root vegetable is savoured in many forms to get a warm feeling on chilly days. If you love sweet potatoes, you would be delighted to know that the root vegetable is also easy to add to your home garden.
Given India’s climate and the requirements for sweet potatoes, you don’t even need to be a seasoned gardener to get a healthy harvest of the vegetable. All you need is some land, regular watering and a balanced fertiliser to cultivate the popular root vegetable. So, get your gardening tools, read these tips and grow sweet potatoes in your backyard.
Picking The Variety
Sweet potatoes thrive in warm weather conditions, which makes the tropical country India ideal for growing sweet potatoes. However, you still need to do some research while picking from a range of sweet potatoes. The desi varieties like Poovan and Hawah are more adapted to grow naturally in Indian climate conditions, while varieties like Beauregard are known for their high yield.
Soil Preparation
Being a root vegetable, sweet potatoes require loose and well-draining soil, which can easily allow the water to seep and let the roots grow. Before you sow the seeds, loosen the soil up to 12 inches, which will allow the roots to spread freely, thus improving the quality of sweet potatoes. Furthermore, compost and organic matter should be added to make the soil nutritious.
Planting Techniques
Once you have selected the most favourable variety and prepared the soil, you can sow each seed about 4 inches deep into the soil. Make sure that you keep a distance of 12-15 inches between each seed so that the roots can grow without any obstruction. Additionally, mulch should be added around the plants, which can help retain the moisture in the soil.
Watering And Fertilisation
Sweet potatoes, being drought resistant, don’t require a lot of water, but you should still pay attention to the soil’s moisture content in the early stages of their growth. However, in any case, don’t let the plant waterlog, as it can cause the root vegetable to rot. Also, keep adding a low nitrogen, high potassium, and high phosphorus fertiliser to ensure proper growth.
Maintenance
Once your sweet potato starts to grow, being a vegetable, it may attract pests and diseases. To protect the plant, you can keep an eye on the leaves for any insects or pests. For an organic pesticide, you can spray neem oil every now and then. With proper maintenance and pruning, you will be able to harvest a healthy yield in about 3-4 months of planting sweet potatoes.