Has anyone grown sweet potatoes with SFG?

ander217 4/13/2010, 8:11 pm

We always grow a dozen or two sweet potato plants in our row garden. As we plan to eventually convert everything over to SFG, we're wondering if anyone has tried growing sweet potatoes in a SFG box. We usually make a bed for our plants and let them run on the ground - they spread around 2 or 3 feet per plant.

This year we plan to put them in one of Mel's old-fashioned SFG beds from his original book, but I'm wondering if they would grow well in a deep box, with the vines trained up a trellis?

We grow our own slips from an heirloom variety, Yellow Yam, (Nancy Hall), and I'd sure hate to mess up and lose our seed stock.

pattipan 4/14/2010, 12:11 am

There's a little info from Mel on the main SFG site. I can't seem to link the actual page (because it's Flash???). But this is the link to the Q&A pages. Click on the button for plants & herbs and you'll get to the page with the link for sweet potatoes.

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/qnastart

Mel recommends one plant (slip) per square if you want larger sweet potatoes. Also suggests it might be best to dedicate an entire box to them, because, as you already know, the vines spread like crazy.

I'll be interested in hearing what others have to say on this, as we've thought about planting them too.

Edit: Forgot to add this other link I found. I think it will give you some of what you were looking for:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/sqfoot/msg1216541828341.html

Patti

ander217 4/14/2010, 7:18 am

Thanks, Patti. I always forget about that FAQ plant and herb link.

It sounds as though it's okay to either trellis the vines or let them sprawl. Since our trellis space is already taken up with other things, I think we'll make a 4' x 10' box and give the SP three rows of grids, and plant something else along the fourth side.

miinva 5/1/2010, 9:09 pm

We tried sweet potatoes last year and they didn't turn out very well. I think sweet potatoes like sandier soil so we're going to try making a special sandy mix and give it another shot.

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Has anyone grown sweet potatoes with SFG?

Has anyone grown sweet potatoes with SFG?

Re: Has anyone grown sweet potatoes with SFG?

Growing sweet potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Re: Has anyone grown sweet potatoes with SFG?


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