Sweet Potatoes...

Jo
I do know that potatoes grow under the ground. I made reference to the fact that the vines were growing like crazy. I bury parts of the vine, which in turn make roots in order to form the potato. What I am saying that I dig around the roots to see if there are any potatoes, but find nothing but roots, even tho I planted them in June. I keep on covering the roots, but have run out of room for the space I have to cover more vine. Now the vines are running in the yard, up tomato plants, bean polls, etc. They are taking over and no more place to bury parts of the vines.
thanks anyway
Bud

Bud, I keep covering my vines in spots as well. I just keep watering them and looking for weeds. Weeds dont grow well in the dense growth of the SP. I am just biding my time. When the cooler weather hits I know that's when to go looking for SP. Good luck

I have sw. potatoes growing in every spot that does not have anything else.
If you put dirt over the roots of the vine, clip the vine from the main plant, this is supposed to make bigger sw. potatoes. I think it makes the vine think it is the main plant.
I dug at the main plant and found 1 sm potato, had for lunch and boy it was good.
If you have hot weather, as in Lousiana, it should take about 50 days from the time roots go down, but too much rain will cool the soil, so may take longer.
I'm growing 5 different kinds this yr. Probably will be tired of them before spring.
Jo

cheyannarach wrote:Greatgranny, Beauregards are one of the shortest seasoned sweet potatoes but they don't transplant well. I found out this year if you order them online they won't even ship them to you until they think it's the proper planting time. I got mine about mid June and ordered them at the beginning of May. Another reason it takes so long to get them is because the slips are grown in the spring and shipped quickly after they are ready so they have to wait for their soil to warm up as well. If I were you I would plant them in the greenhouse and leave they there all summer, sweet potatoes need a certain amount of heat units to produce tubers and do not like low night time temps. So I think you would be successful if you grew them in a greenhouse!

A few days ago I went to the Outlaw Garden site and asked a question regarding growing in my zone. I just received an answer today. Sharing it with you. It's the one posted on August 20 by me, Carole.

http://www.ediblesincognito.com/2012/04/25/grow-your-own-sweet-potatoes/?replytocom=4511#respond

Thanks for sharing Carole!

Just for my own experiment I purchased a grocery store sweet potato. Did the toothpick method and it has been 1 week and little sprouts are growing. If they make it to the leaf stage I'm going to plant them in large containers and keep them in my sunroom. I'll just go nuts trying to contain them if they make it but I don't care. I've always wanted to be strangled by a vine. The ceiling in the sunroom is about 8 feet so I should have some room to train it. If this works, I will start another batch and put them in containers that I can take outside in June and let them go.

greatgranny wrote:Just for my own experiment I purchased a grocery store sweet potato. Did the toothpick method and it has been 1 week and little sprouts are growing. If they make it to the leaf stage I'm going to plant them in large containers and keep them in my sunroom. I'll just go nuts trying to contain them if they make it but I don't care. I've always wanted to be strangled by a vine. The ceiling in the sunroom is about 8 feet so I should have some room to train it. If this works, I will start another batch and put them in containers that I can take outside in June and let them go.

That could look so pretty at Christmas

Turan wrote:

greatgranny wrote:Just for my own experiment I purchased a grocery store sweet potato. Did the toothpick method and it has been 1 week and little sprouts are growing. If they make it to the leaf stage I'm going to plant them in large containers and keep them in my sunroom. I'll just go nuts trying to contain them if they make it but I don't care. I've always wanted to be strangled by a vine. The ceiling in the sunroom is about 8 feet so I should have some room to train it. If this works, I will start another batch and put them in containers that I can take outside in June and let them go.

That could look so pretty at Christmas

Never thought of that. If it works, I will surely take a photo and share. Might also be a great conversation starter and a teaching tool.

My great grandson - 5 years old - was with me on the weekend. I asked him to come along with me to the compost bin to add some kitchen scraps. He couldn't say the word compost very well but he sure did ask lots of questions. "Why" is his favorite word. Later in the day we were removing a hydrangea and hauling the branches down to a compost pile. He was able to say the word correctly and knew why we were doing it. What a wonderful thing - to be able to teach these little ones even when we least expect it.

greatgranny wrote:Just for my own experiment I purchased a grocery store sweet potato. Did the toothpick method...

About a month ago I used the same method with 1/2 a "Farmer's Market" sweet potato from last Fall. I rediscovered it, replete with buds on one end, in a container in my basement.
Once it had rooted well, I planted it alone in the center of a specially built 3'x3' raised bed, filled with MM.


Just before this pic the plant was sporting 4 vines, each about 18" long. Taking a cue from other postings here, the vines were wrapped to circle the central plant and covered over with the MM.
Sure this is a late start, but I just couldn't wait 'til next year! Certainly there will be a lesson learned!
Wish me luck.

Windsor.Parker that is a very healthy looking plant.

It's times like these that I wish I lived in a warmer climate - but I do love winter so have to deal with it.

Windsor, looks good. You could use some pvc and plastic and make a mini hoop house over the whole bed. This would give the heat that is liked by the sw.potato and give time to grow lg. enough.
Jo

littlejo wrote:Windsor, looks good. You could use some pvc and plastic and make a mini hoop house over the whole bed. This would give the heat that is liked by the sw.potato and give time to grow lg. enough.
Jo

Jo that's a great idea!

I have a sweet potato vine or vines - volunteer, must have missed some from last fall. It has taken over almost a 4x8 bed and now is traling over the side. Anyone know how pruning affects harvest? I unserstand it is grown as a forage in some countries and I am sure the goats will enjoy the trimmings.

I have tomatoes growing on a trellis but have a few squares I would like to plant for fall without being overtaken by the sweet potatoes. It was fine when they were growing under 2 crops of corn but now they have overtaken 2 squares of carrots and a delicata squash even though I keep turning the vines back upon itself. Here is a picture from last week:

Sweet potato tips area a popular veggie in the Philippines. Cook like spinach.

Kay

Kay's post had me intrigued, I had never heard of eating the leaves of Sweet Potato..I started googling the net and came up with numerous hits for eating the leaves and growing tips... Geez.. it looks like we've been throwing away one of the most nutritious parts of the plant !! I had to try it... I just got thru sauteeing a batch of leaves with a little bacon and garlic. IT WAS DELICIOUS !!! I liked it lightly sauteed, but I went ahead and cooked it to death a la Southern Style for dear hubby. I actually got him to taste it ! He said the texture was "different" but the flavor was "normal". This is great praise coming from him, he usually won't even taste anything different. Sweet Potato Leaves will be a frequent dish on my table in the summer now. Growing them is almost effortless, one of the few things that will grow in the heat of the deep south summers. Try them.. you will like them !!

My Philippine friends are the ones who convinced me to plant sw. potatos. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to try them. Back home late next week. Yea.

Kay

Well Kay, you are in for a treat !! I ate a BIG bowlful last night and cannot wait for the next batch. I've lived in the south my entire life and I cannot believe we don't eat these greens !! How economical can you get.. you can eat the whole plant...Happy Eating !!

Sweet potato leaves... Who knew? not me, but these folks in Sierra Leone also preserve the harvest with dehydration...

http://ruaf.iwmi.org/Data/Sites/4/PDFs/Freetown%20Fact%20sheet%202008.pdf


I am going to have to give them a try.... are all variety of sweet potato leaves edible?

My sweet potatoes are all from grocery store potatoes and some gifted to me by an aquaintance, variety unknown. They were tasty, non bitter...and 24 hours later I have suffered NO ill effects. So I say go for it

I wonder if the leaves would make good chips like kale chips?

I just finished reading an article... and now I can't find it to forward to you, but it was specifically referring to drying sweet potato leaves and taro leaves for preservation and nutritional content. It stated that proper drying techniques were key to preserving the nutritional content of these very good additions to our diet. I intend to plant far more slips next summer to maximize the leaf yield for fresh and preserved food. I am diabetic, and eating the sweet potato tuber really isn't the best thing for me to do, but eating the green portions is perfect ! I want to try drying "chips" for snacks, and also to add to any soups I make... specially Gumbo....

sceleste54 wrote:I just finished reading an article... and now I can't find it to forward to you, but it was specifically referring to drying sweet potato leaves and taro leaves for preservation and nutritional content. It stated that proper drying techniques were key to preserving the nutritional content of these very good additions to our diet. I intend to plant far more slips next summer to maximize the leaf yield for fresh and preserved food. I am diabetic, and eating the sweet potato tuber really isn't the best thing for me to do, but eating the green portions is perfect ! I want to try drying "chips" for snacks, and also to add to any soups I make... specially Gumbo....

He Sceleste
My hubby is also a diabetic. His Dr. suggested we add sw. potatoes to his diet, instead of eating white potatoes, and they are so much better for you. Here is a link for you.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/422384-are-sweet-potatoes-on-a-diabetic-diet/

camprn wrote:I wonder if the leaves would make good chips like kale chips?

Probably.

Kay

Geez... my mind is going... it was Camprn's article....
http://ruaf.iwmi.org/Data/Sites/4/PDFs/Freetown%20Fact%20sheet%202008.pdf

Littlejo... I lOVE sweet potatoes any way you want to fix them... but I've checked my blood sugar after eating just plain roasted planks, and they just don't agree with my system... I'll get readings in the 200's and they will stay up for a long time... I think I need to stick with greens... I have to save my extra room for CHOCOLATE....