It rained a lot the day the old man went up the mountain. By the next morning, it was still raining lightly, as if God was mourning the old man.
Although the old man in the village is gone, for most people, they can still get by, work in the fields, and do housework at home.
Grandma Xi came to Gao Mingcheng and said that he could cut sweet potato vines.
To cut sweet potato vines, it is best to cut the sweet potato seedlings back on a rainy day. Cut the seedlings long and leave them short. Then use a special knife to tie the sweet potato seedlings into sections of 2-3 sections, at least 2-3 sections each. 2 knots, and then tie them according to the condition of the sweet potato seedlings. The long knots are usually 2 knots long, and the short knots are usually 3 knots. They should be held in one hand and tied with straw. good.
After cutting the sweet potato seedlings, you can carry the sweet potato seedlings to the ground for cutting. When cutting, insert one root about 20 centimeters, not too densely.
The reason why I choose to take cuttings on a rainy day is because it is easier to survive.
After the cuttings are made, buds will grow in about a week. After they are alive, choose a sunny day, hoe them loose, and hoe the weeds to death. If there are plant ash at home, use your hands to sprinkle a handful of plant ash on the roots of the sweet potato. In this way, the sweet potatoes grow very well, and there is no need to add other fertilizers in the future.
Because sweet potatoes are easy to grow and have high yields, every household in the village grows sweet potatoes.
Gao Mingcheng wore a bamboo hat and a simple poncho made for him by Duomei, and walked to the field where Grandma Xiao was raising seedlings.
At this time, the sweet potato seedlings are growing well. In fact, they can be cut two days earlier. However, the weather was sunny in those days, so cutting early is useless and is not conducive to survival.
Now that it has rained, it is a good time to cut sweet potato seedlings.
Gao Mingcheng walked in the field and looked around. He saw many people bending down to cut sweet potato seedlings. It seemed that they all planned to plant sweet potatoes today.
Grandma Xi and Gao Zhuang are also cutting, and there are already some piles at Gao Zhuang’s feet.
After Gao Mingcheng arrived, he bent down to work without saying a word. He worked very quickly. In a short time, he had cut a bunch of sweet potato seedlings. It was visually estimated that he could plant three or four acres of land, so Gao Mingcheng planned to leave.
"Grandma Xi, I've cut it and brought it back to plant first." Gao Mingcheng greeted.
Grandma Xi looked up and immediately frowned and called him out: "If you cut so little, where will there be enough for planting? Cut more! I specially raised more seedlings this year!"
Seeing that Grandma Xi insisted on doing this, Gao Mingcheng had no choice but to cut some more. When he had cut enough for half an acre of land, he refused to cut any more.
Grandma Xi couldn't do anything to him, so she had to let him go.
After Gao Mingcheng left, Grandma Xi said to Gao Zhuang: "Zhuang Zhuang, we will plant more crops this year. After planting the rice seedlings, Xiu Man will get married, and then there will be one more person in the family."
Mentioning He Xiuman, a smile appeared on Gao Zhuang's face.
But soon the smile faded, and he pursed his lips and said, "Grandma, I don't like sweet potatoes, and Xiuman definitely doesn't like them either!"
In those years, he vomited after eating sweet potatoes!
"You kid..." Grandma Xin smiled helplessly and said, "If you plant more this year, I will make sweet potato flour for you! You don't like to eat sweet potatoes, but you definitely like to eat sweet potato flour!"
As soon as Gao Zhuang heard the sweet potato starch, he immediately became motivated.
The process of making sweet potato flour is very complicated, and his grandma does not make it every year. In my memory, grandma only made it a few times.
But sweet potato starch is really delicious! It's slippery and chewy, and it tastes even better when cooked with meat.
"Xiu Man must also like to eat sweet potato noodles. Grandma, let's grow more varieties!" Gao Zhuang became more motivated and his movements became more brisk.
When the young lady saw this, she smiled broadly.
Over there, Gao Mingcheng has already carried sweet potato seedlings back to the land he cultivated.
Many beauties are already waiting here. She is also wearing a bamboo hat and a simple poncho. Fortunately, the rain is not heavy and she will not get wet.
The ground has already been deeply plowed, and ridges have been formed in advance. When planting sweet potatoes, ridges must be formed. Ridge cultivation thickens the soil layer, improves ventilation conditions, facilitates ventilation and light transmission, facilitates drainage, increases ground temperature, and increases day and night hours. temperature difference, so as to achieve the purpose of increasing production.
The direction of the ridges is north-south to obtain sufficient sunlight. The east-west potato ridges have less light in the north, which is not conducive to the growth of sweet potatoes; the ridges on hillside should be at right angles to the slope of the hillside to facilitate water storage and prevent the soil from being washed away by rain; the ridge direction for intercropping sweet potatoes is best in line with the direction of the slope. The rows of crops should be in the same direction. When making ridges, it is required to be dry rather than wet. If the ridges are too wet, it will easily produce lumps and litter, which will cause ventilation and moisture loss.
You see, there are many ways to farm. If there are two identical pieces of land, one piece of land is planted by an experienced farmer, and the other piece of land is planted by a clueless green farmer. The final crops obtained will be, There must be many more old farmers than stupid young people!
Gao Mingcheng actually didn't do much farming in his previous life. After so many years, he even forgot how to farm. However, he had a good elder and a mind that was good at learning.
In the village, as long as you are willing and observe other people working, you can learn the essence.
It's just that you know it but don't know why.
But as long as the result is good, no one has to pursue that reason. For example, if you ask some experienced farmers why they plant in this way, they may not be able to explain clearly. They will only say that their elders planted it this way, or that the yield is higher.
As for why the output is high? What's the scientific reason for this?
The old farmers don’t know, but it doesn’t prevent them from growing good crops.
"Mingcheng, are the sweet potatoes at Grandma Xi's house red or white?" Duo Mei took a handful of sweet potato seedlings and bent down to cut them.
Gao Mingcheng said: "It's Bai Xin's! But her potato seeds are good, and Bai Xin's is also delicious."
"Oh." Duo Mei responded, but she was a little disappointed. She thought the one with red hearts tasted better.
After all the sweet potato seedlings were planted, Du Mei didn't go home, but went to her second sister's house.
Her second sister’s sweet potatoes have red hearts. She wanted to ask her second sister for some sweet potato seedlings.
Gao Mingcheng looked at her leaving figure and smiled helplessly, what could his woman do? Of course I dote on you!
He waved his hoe and created another ridge next to it.
Duo Mei moved very quickly. As soon as Gao Mingcheng finished raising the ridges, she came over with a small handful of sweet potato seedlings.
With a smile on her face, she proudly showed it to Gao Mingcheng. When she saw the ridge that Gao Mingcheng specially made for her, she felt even sweeter in her heart.
She stepped forward and hurriedly cut out the red potato seedlings in her hand.
The freshly cut sweet potato seedlings are not conspicuous at all on the loess soil. The vines will not grow luxuriantly until they are fully alive.
At that time, the sweet potatoes will have to be plowed and lateral roots removed, otherwise the yield of the sweet potatoes will be affected.
(End of chapter)
