Li Yan stopped cutting potatoes, stood up, picked up the basket, and walked to the dug ditch.
Li Yan placed the potato with the side covered with wood ash facing down into the ditch, and continued to place potatoes in the same way at intervals.
The movement from Li Yan's side immediately attracted Mr. Li who was digging a ditch. He walked forward curiously and stared at his granddaughter's movements without blinking.
Mr. Li asked curiously, "Can potatoes be grown like this? Don't they need fertilizer?"
Li Yan shook her head and pointed at the spaces between the potatoes and said to Grandpa Li, "Grandpa, we'll just put fertilizer in the spaces between the potatoes later! When planting potatoes, the soil can't be too fertile, otherwise it will only grow stalks and leaves, and the potatoes won't produce many, and they won't grow big!"
Mr. Li nodded. "I understand. Did all the fertilizer get taken away by these leaves?"
Li Yan gave Mr. Li a thumbs up, and Mr. Li was so happy that his back straightened up a lot!
Li Yan continued, "Of course, fertilizer is needed for the crops to grow. I'll have Uncle Zhao place the fertilizer in the space between the potato seeds. Then, fill the ditch with the soil we just dug up. Finally, we'll turn the potato ditch into a ridge!"
Grandpa Li listened carefully to his granddaughter's narration and asked with some doubt: "Don't these potatoes need watering after they are planted?"
Li Yan shook her head: "Grandpa, potatoes have different habits from other crops. They can't be watered right after they're planted, or their roots will rot easily!"
Mr. Li nodded and said he had taken note of it: "Then you put the potatoes in first, I'll go get some fertilizer!" After that, he hurried to the composting area.
After Li Yan put all the potatoes in the basket, she returned to the edge of the field. At this time, Xiu'er had already cut another half basket of potatoes.
Li Yan then threw the empty basket to Xiu'er, and carried half a basket of potatoes back to the field to start planting.
After Li Yan had put half a basket of potatoes in, all the ditches in the field were dug. The women took the cut potato seeds from Xiu'er and started working, imitating Li Yan's way of planting the seeds.
Not long after, Mr. Li came to the field carrying two loads of fertilizer.
Grandpa Li waved to his granddaughter and said, "Come here, second girl. Is this the right way to put the fertilizer?"
I saw that Mr. Li spread fertilizer in the gap between the two potatoes according to what Li Yan had just said.
Li Yan praised: "That's right! I am indeed an old hand at farming. I can learn it the moment I hear it!"
Li Yan's words made Mr. Li's mouth curl slightly, and his hands moved more swiftly: "Alright, alright, go and do something else, I'll take care of this!"
"Thank you for your hard work, I'll go to the fields!" After saying that, he hurriedly went to find a hoe.
Li Yan stood in front of the ditch where Grandpa Li had placed fertilizer, and gently covered the soil on both sides. The few of them cooperated tacitly, and soon they had planted more than an acre of potatoes!
Mr. Li was in a good mood and asked his granddaughter, "Is this all right?"
"No, sir. After the potato seedlings grow out, we need to cover them with another layer of soil. Potatoes don't like sunlight to grow!" Li Yan explained in detail!
It was the first time for Grandpa Li to see something like this, and he had no experience in growing potatoes. Since his granddaughter said so, there must be some truth to her. He then said, "Then when you come to till the soil again, remember to call me!" Since this thing was so productive, Grandpa Li also wanted to learn how to grow it!
Li Yan agreed without hesitation.
Li Yan looked up at the sun and said to Old Man Li, "Grandpa, it's getting late. I'll go back and help Auntie cook!"
"Go!" Mr. Li waved his hand in a good mood!
Li Yan then pulled the donkey cart back home. On the way back, Li Yan saw the busy figures of the villagers in the fields. Except for her family and the clan leader's family who had cows, the other villagers' families had to rely entirely on manpower to farm, which slowed down the speed a lot!
The exhausted men looked at Li Erlang's five strong cows with envy. They had been busy all day and had only turned over an acre of land, but in just a few days, the other man had reclaimed 30 acres of wasteland at the foot of the mountain!
Those who declined to go to the Li family to help felt a little regretful in their hearts. If they had known that there were so many cows to help plow the soil, the family would have found someone to help. Not only could they have a full meal at noon, but they also heard that there would be some high-yield crops later!
Many families are now deeply regretful! If they had known that they wouldn't have to put in so much effort, they should have at least contributed someone!
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