Lowdown on Sweet Potatoes. - Page 2

MarianneW · December 3, 2016

I should try some this next year, since I don't really have a winter. One of my friends planted 3 slips last spring & they covered about 250 sq ft of ground at around 2 or so feet high, but I don't think I have that kind of room. I should ask her how her harvest went....

Durgan · December 4, 2016

http://durgan.org/2016/December%2020...20Slips./HTML/ 4 December 2016 Sweet Potato Slips
The last of my sweet potato from the 2016 crop was set aside to grow six slips. My procedure is to place the potato in soil just below the surface and let it grow in light. The slips grew well (25 days) and were removed and placed in water for about a week to develop stronger roots. Then they will be planted in a pot to grow, until planted in the outdoor garden. I find the growth is excellent using this method, and it is convenient since only six plants are required.

Dark Rumor · December 5, 2016

I have had sweet potatoes make rather large potatoes under pine bark mulch. Those tators are very fun to grow and if you plant them around your house like I did, you only have to plant them one year.

Raiquee · December 5, 2016

Thanks Worth! I grew sweet potatoes two years with horrible results. I may give them a whirl in 2017 and try waiting until July. I never would have dreamed waiting that long before!

greenthumbomaha · January 28, 2017

Durgan, how are your potted slips doing? How do you keep them at a manageable size indoors? I started my store bought organic sweet potatoes too early and they grew up the rack and onto the ceiling. Not wanting to repeat that again.

- Lisa

Durgan · January 29, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Durgan, how are your potted slips doing? How do you keep them at a manageable size indoors? I started my store bought organic sweet potatoes too early and they grew up the rack and onto the ceiling. Not wanting to repeat that again.

- Lisa

I put the plants in larger pots and have them in the greenhouse. The frost nipped them a bit and I cut some of the vegetation down. I had this experience in the out door garden one year when the rabbits kept on eating the vegetation, so cutting the vegetation is a viable method of keeping them. But I wont start them so soon next year. I also started some more slips for insurance. I will add some more pictures later.

Durgan · February 11, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Durgan, how are your potted slips doing? How do you keep them at a manageable size indoors? I started my store bought organic sweet potatoes too early and they grew up the rack and onto the ceiling. Not wanting to repeat that again.

- Lisa

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Durgan http://durgan.org/2017/February%2020...%20Slips/HTML/ 11 February 2017 Sweet Potato Slips
My sweet potato slips were started too early so they are being cut back as required and will be kept alive until planting time about the end or May. They have been touched by frost, since my greenhouse is not ideal as for temperature when the outside gets below about minus 10C. There is a heating mat under the pots.

greenthumbomaha · February 11, 2017

Thank you for the photo. What would you estimate the latest time to start slips would be for a June 1 plant out?

- Lisa

Durgan · February 11, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Thank you for the photo. What would you estimate the latest time to start slips would be for a June 1 plant out?

- Lisa

Sometimes the shoots take a long time to start sprouting. I think about March 15 to 30 is a good time to start.

oakley · March 2, 2017

Interesting that Northerners can grow sweet potatoes after years of hearing not possible.

We have a dozen offerings at our local market and one or two are always on our grocery
list...we like baked sweet potato fries with steak or burgers.
This one is near the color of a beet. Not super sweet and needs a longer cooking time...
closer to a regular potato but we really like it.
(i added a bit of olive oil quickly while prepping) hence the shiny bit.

Very sturdy potato and did not get limp or soggy.

Tracydr · March 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulF

Glenn's information and knowledge is exceptional. I have grown sweet potatoes from Sand Hill several times.

I remember another sweet potato seller from Oklahoma...I think Duck Creek Farms. He seemed to have pretty good knowledge and a nice variety as well. Is this place still in business?

I like to support Sand Hill and Glenn's hard work as much as I can.

I've ordered from him before and have an order with him this year. Excellent slips,great selection!
It's still in business.

PhilaGardener · March 3, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I've ordered from him before and have an order with him this year. Excellent slips,great selection!
It's still in business.

Duck Creek Farms posted #14 in this thread, no less

Tracydr · March 3, 2017

Can the vines be trellised to take less space?

Worth1 · March 3, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Can the vines be trellised to take less space?

Yes.

Worth

Hatgirl · June 4, 2017

I sat a sweet potato in damp sand, and it has developed some shoots. But I don't know what to do next

There are no roots at the bottom of the shoots. Do I cut into the stem, or cut out a little of the original parent potato? Can I then immediately plant the slip out, or should I put it in water, or in compost in a small pot?

December 4, 2016	#17
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	4 December 2016 Sweet Potato Slips http://durgan.org/2016/December%2020...20Slips./HTML/ 4 December 2016 Sweet Potato Slips The last of my sweet potato from the 2016 crop was set aside to grow six slips. My procedure is to place the potato in soil just below the surface and let it grow in light. The slips grew well (25 days) and were removed and placed in water for about a week to develop stronger roots. Then they will be planted in a pot to grow, until planted in the outdoor garden. I find the growth is excellent using this method, and it is convenient since only six plants are required.

December 5, 2016	#19
Raiquee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 307	Thanks Worth! I grew sweet potatoes two years with horrible results. I may give them a whirl in 2017 and try waiting until July. I never would have dreamed waiting that long before! __________________ Desire' Mother of 3, homesteader, canner, gardener, dwarf tomato participant.

December 3, 2016	#16
MarianneW Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Arizona Posts: 153	I should try some this next year, since I don't really have a winter. One of my friends planted 3 slips last spring & they covered about 250 sq ft of ground at around 2 or so feet high, but I don't think I have that kind of room. I should ask her how her harvest went....

December 5, 2016	#18
Dark Rumor Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 287	I have had sweet potatoes make rather large potatoes under pine bark mulch. Those tators are very fun to grow and if you plant them around your house like I did, you only have to plant them one year.

January 28, 2017	#20
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Durgan, how are your potted slips doing? How do you keep them at a manageable size indoors? I started my store bought organic sweet potatoes too early and they grew up the rack and onto the ceiling. Not wanting to repeat that again. - Lisa

February 11, 2017	#23
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Thank you for the photo. What would you estimate the latest time to start slips would be for a June 1 plant out? - Lisa

March 3, 2017	#28
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Can the vines be trellised to take less space?

June 4, 2017	#30
Hatgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 211	I sat a sweet potato in damp sand, and it has developed some shoots. But I don't know what to do next There are no roots at the bottom of the shoots. Do I cut into the stem, or cut out a little of the original parent potato? Can I then immediately plant the slip out, or should I put it in water, or in compost in a small pot?