The main advantages of growing morning glory sweet potatoes
Morning glory sweet potato is a type of herbaceous plant with a perennial growth period. Presented in the form of a creeping vine, the shoots of which can reach a length of up to 5 meters. The root system from the side has a somewhat thickened appearance, turning into a tuber. When cut, such a tuber is white, pink and red.
Until recently, this plant was grown primarily as a garden or indoor plant. Today the plant can live indoors. Morning glory is represented by a wide variety of species, which differ in the structure of the leaves.
They can be narrow and long or, conversely, wide-heart-shaped. However, the flower shape of all plants is the same. The flower is a fused funnel-shaped corolla in the form of a tube of narrow structure.
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The advantage of growing a plant
The plant has a large number of advantages, and therefore is valued by amateur gardeners.
It is resistant to lack of importance in the soil. In this regard, it is in special demand in the Voronezh region, since this region does not spoil the population with rain.
It is not afraid of a pest such as the Colorado potato beetle, which ensures a high level of plant activity. In addition, there is resistance to the list of microorganisms that threaten ordinary potatoes.Scientists explain this, first of all, by the fact that the plant propagates through the use of cuttings rather than tubers, as this reduces the risk of disease transmission. Basically, sweet potato tubers are attacked by wireworms, but, as a rule, they prefer sweet varieties.
Harvest volume significantly exceeds the volume of seed material. The cutting method of propagation is also more profitable from an economic point of view. The weight of the tuber can vary from forty to eighty grams. The harvest is obtained in a short time, and the amount of material used is minimal.
If necessary, sweet potatoes can be completely replaced with potatoes by selecting the optimal variety line. The method of maintaining planting material in winter can be different in the form of a tuber or vine.
Among the many advantages, the plant has a small income. In order to store tubers, compliance is required optimal temperature conditions. Sweet potatoes are stored at a temperature of +10-+16 degrees. It is known that ordinary potatoes can withstand even zero temperatures. In this regard, sweet potatoes are also afraid of frost, which imposes certain requirements for care.
How to properly care for a plant?
- The plant needs regular pruning, because if this is not done, its final length can be 30 meters, which makes further maintenance difficult. The lighting level can vary from moderate to bright. You should not give preference to places in darkened areas for planting.
- Watering is carried out depending on climatic conditions, and the level of soil moisture should be low.If the plant is grown in a pot, the soil dries out quickly enough and the plant consumes a large volume of liquid. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the soil moisture level is not too high. Avoid overwatering.
- And when growing in a pot, it is advisable to make drainage holes to drain excess liquid. In winter, at room temperature, the volume of watering is reduced and should be no more than once every 3-4 weeks. However, the soil should be monitored to avoid drying out the soil clod.
- Air humidity should also be moderate. The plant feels comfortable at a temperature of +18 - +27 degrees. The plant does not tolerate frost, so when grown in open ground it is recommended to cover it during cold periods. If dry ends appear, a spraying procedure should be carried out. This is especially true in summer when temperatures are high.
- Once a month in spring and summer, the plant must be fed with a complex of mineral fertilizers. You can fertilize with components that are suitable for cacti or various wild plants. The fertilizer should not contain a large amount of nitrogen, as if there is an excess of it, cracks may appear on the skin of the plant.
- Suitable for plant loose soil, which breathes and easily allows moisture to pass through with a moderate level of acidity. It is not recommended to add moss as it increases the acidity level of the soil.
Useful properties of the plant
The plant has a large number of beneficial properties and therefore is widely used.First of all, the increased demand for the plant is explained by the fact that it contains a large amount of microelements valuable for the human body - calcium, folic acid, beta-carotene. One standard serving of the product contains the daily requirement of ascorbic acid. Regular consumption of plant tubers for food significantly reduces the risk of colds.
In modern cosmetology, the plant is valued for its anti-aging properties. Increases the production of calogens, which prevent skin aging. The low sugar content in the product is beneficial for people with diabetes. Systematic consumption of sweet potatoes reduces cholesterol levels in the blood, which has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Blood composition also improves. The plant has a healing effect on human skin and helps stop bleeding. And the substances contained in the plant have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, reduces the level of inflammation of the brain and nerve tissues. Due to its potassium content, sweet potatoes can be used as a remedy to combat depression. Helps relieve fatigue, irritation, and has a relaxing effect on the muscular system.
The plant is eaten in different ways. It is also processed to make flour, molasses, canned food, and starch. Tubers are boiled, fried, steamed. The stems are also edible - salads are made from them. Thus, sweet potato provides a person with a large number of useful qualities.
Watch how to propagate sweet potatoes in the video:
Interesting information about the vegetable garden
Comments
I've never seen such a flower. This is the kind of flowerpot you need to plant it. Did you notice that in the picture it is small, but the “roots” are not cramped in it?
Please correct the following:
- “If necessary, sweet potatoes can be completely replaced with potatoes” - perhaps they meant replacing potatoes with sweet potatoes?
- “Among the large number of advantages, the plant has a small wealth” - a small disadvantage?
- “The weight of a tuber can vary from forty to eighty grams” - the maximum weight of one root crop for me reached almost 2 kg. Even the nodules of decorative sweet potatoes weigh much more than 80 grams...
- "Sweet potatoes are stored at a temperature of +10-+16 degrees." - Sweet potatoes can be stored well at room temperature, for example: in cardboard boxes under the bed. What you should not do is store it in damp basements - it will rot.
- “The plant needs regular pruning, because if this is not done, then its final length can be 30 meters” - in African conditions it can reach 30 meters... But in the vastness of the post-Soviet space, even the most actively growing varieties barely grow in a season will grow more than 5 meters. And there are also bush forms that do not grow shoots larger than 50 cm! Sweet potatoes can grow in the shade, but their growth will be restrained and the yield will be minimal.
- “In winter, at room temperature, the volume of watering decreases and should be no more than once every 3-4 weeks.” - Everything, of course, is individual, however, with watering once a month, it is unlikely that it will last that long without water (it’s not a cactus, after all). Once every 7-10 days will be more accurate.
- "If dry ends appear, a spraying procedure should be carried out." - I have never seen anything like this in 6 years of growing. In any case, because of the heat, which sweet potatoes love very much! Drying of the stem at the growing point only indicates a disease (for example: fusarium).
And here it must be said that sweet potatoes are divided into decorative varieties (grown in flowerpots, flower beds, etc.) and food varieties (grown for their healthy and tasty root crops). Food varieties do not always bloom, or rather, not all varieties bloom in our conditions.
Please be more careful with the information provided, otherwise it is because of such inaccuracies that many myths are born that scare people away from such a wonderful culture in all respects.
You can read more about growing and processing sweet potatoes on the website