What happened to my sweet potatoes?

[Farmette]

I grew sweet potatoes last year quite successfully. This yr I grew several varieties in a new raised bed as well as the variety I grew last yr. Most of the potatoes are very long and thin, almost like carrots. There are several have much of the inside missing and in some cases just the skin is left. Along with the debris, there is an abundance of worms. From what I have read, my soil might have been too rich and that would explain the skinny tubers, but what about the hollowed out larger tubers? I've included pictures. Thanks!

[kath]

Well, I hope that someone that really knows sweet potatoes will be along soon to help with regard to what could have caused the damage you describe. So sorry for that loss- hope it didn't affect too many. I can share my experience which is that I've had lots of varieties give me skinny tubers like you show in the same year and in the same soil that produced nice fat Beauregards. After a couple of years of trials, that's the only variety I grow now because it's a season-long experiment that can leave you with nothing for the winter- so disappointing.

Did the return variety do as well as last season?

[Farmette]

I grew Beauregard last yr and some again this yr. Those were the larger ones, I believe, that were eaten (?) out. New to me this yr was /garnet. I also grew some purple and white ones. They were all long and skinny. Thanks for your input.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Farmette

I grew Beauregard last yr and some again this yr. Those were the larger ones, I believe, that were eaten (?) out. New to me this yr was /garnet. I also grew some purple and white ones. They were all long and skinny. Thanks for your input.

Well, I wasn't much help but I can say that in many years of growing Beauregard, I've never seen what's in your first photo. Maybe some type of rodent took a liking to them and the worms are just working on the leftovers?

kath

[Cole_Robbie]

Yeah, I would guess it was primarily some sort of animal damage.

Beauregard is the only variety my grandparents will grow. Its ability to produce in poor soils and droughts is remarkable.

[Farmette]

From what I've read, sweet potatoes do not grow well in rich soil. The soil I planted in was poorer than the mix I used this yr. No problems last yr with the Beauregard; this yr there were a lot less and smaller as well as being damaged, The purple and whites, while long and thin, were spared the damage. I wonder if an animal found them more attractive because they are sweeter than the other varieties.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Farmette

From what I've read, sweet potatoes do not grow well in rich soil. The soil I planted in was poorer than the mix I used this yr. No problems last yr with the Beauregard; this yr there were a lot less and smaller as well as being damaged, The purple and whites, while long and thin, were spared the damage. I wonder if an animal found them more attractive because they are sweeter than the other varieties.

I've read the same thing regarding the type of soil preferred by sweet potatoes, yet mine get rotated along with everything else and over the years the garden has been enriched with many truckloads of composted leaves, hay, straw, manure, grass clippings, kitchen waste, etc. as well as various organic fertilizers, and yet I've grown Beauregards in excess of 10 pounds. Maybe that variety is just less likely to produce those skinny specimens that I've seen with all the other varieties I've tried to grow. Critters do often seem to prefer the best tasting produce.

kath

[Doug9345]

From what I've read sweet potatoes are hot weather crops. Last year we had record amounts of heat. This year record amounts of cold weather in the spring. I was going to try sweet potatoes this year, but seeing how cold it was this spring, didn't even try. I thing Glenn at Sandhill has put together a nice explanation on growing sweet potatoes.
http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/...o_catalog.html