Most gardeners start with slips purchased from a local garden center or reputable mail order source. We sell certified organic slips of varieties that grow well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, as well most regions of the U. Growers with short growing seasons will need to practice season extension. Sweet potatoes grow vigorously in warm areas and quickly shade out weeds as the season progresses. Sweet potatoes require loose, well-drained soil for best production.
If you have clay soil or drainage problems, work in lots of compost or other organic matter and make raised beds, hills, or planting ridges approximately 8 inches high. Plant your slips at least 2—3 inches deep 2 or more nodes with at least 2 leaves above ground.
Space 10—14 inches apart in rows at least 3 feet apart, to make room for the sprawling vines. Wide in-row spacing leads to larger tubers. In hot weather, transplant in the evening. If the sun is intense, protect your little slips with some shade for the first few days. Water newly planted slips immediately and keep the soil moist for at least the first week as roots develop. Water frequently until the plants are established. In most areas sweet potatoes produce well without additional watering once established, but irrigation will assure a larger harvest, and even moisture helps prevent splitting and cracks.
Giving 1 inch of water a week through the growing season is a good guideline. Keep the plants free of weeds until they can shade out competition. Cultivate carefully to protect the shallow roots. Side dress each plant with a shovel full of compost for better yields and larger sweet potatoes, though sweet potatoes generally produce well even with low fertility. Deer and rabbits are very fond of sweet potato vines, so protect your plants from browsers, especially while the plants are small.
Th e sweet potato tubers are ready to harvest as soon as they reach your preferred size. Try digging one of your plants when your crop reaches the recommended growing time for the variety, generally 90— days. If the tubers are still too small for your liking, try again in a week. If you dig very carefully, you can replace the plant and it will keep growing. This tuber combines sweet, earthy undertones with a wealth of nutrients. An unheated garage or basement or a cool, dark cabinet or pantry is ideal.
Otherwise, only buy as many as you can eat in a week or two. GROWING: Sweet potatoes love hot weather and despise the cold, so wait to plant them until after the soil has warmed in spring, about three weeks after the last frost.
They need to days to grow, depending on the variety, so get them started as early as possible. Opt for varieties from disease-free sources. This may require you to order plants, known as slips, by mail. Create a raised, compost-enriched bed that is about a foot tall, 2 to 3 feet wide, and as long as you like in a sunny spot. Space plants about a foot apart, staggering them in the bed. Keep the soil moist until the new plants begin growing.
Then water anytime the plants may be under stress from too little rain. Most varieties will take about three to four months to mature — about 90 to days. See your frost dates and length of growing season. Can I grow sweet potatoes from a sweet potato?
Slips are available at garden centers, nurseries, internet catalogs, and from local farmers when ready to plant. Just be sure to inquire about the variety. At this time, place the sweet potatoes in containers on top of 3 inches of light, organic, well-draining soil. Leave space between each sweet. Lightly cover with a few inches of additional soil. Water now and as needed to keep soil damp, not soggy. In 4 to 6 weeks, the slips will be 6 to 12 inches long, with leaves and roots.
Remove the slips from the sweet potatoes, roots attached. If no roots form, remove the slip and place it in water; roots will appear in 1 to 2 weeks. If it is too soon to plant, stand the slips in potting mix or sand and keep moist until planting time. Preparing a Planting Site Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Ensure there is enough space for vines to run 3 feet between rows so the vines. Mix in organic matter to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.
Use fertile, well-drained soil. If you live in the northern US or Canada, consider covering the growing area with black plastic or fabric mulch about 3 weeks before planting. This helps to warm the soil.
Create raised mounds 6 to 8 inches tall and about 12 inches wide. Break off the lower leaves, leaving only the top ones. Set the slips deep enough to cover the roots and the stem up to the leaves sweet potatoes will form on the nodes , 12 to 18 inches apart.
Water with a high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer, then water generously for 7 to 10 days to make sure that the plants root well. See more tips for growing sweet potatoes. How to Grow Sweet Potatoes Side-dress the sweet potato plants 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting with fertilizer. If you have sandy soil, use more. Weed the sweet potato beds regularly starting 2 weeks after planting. Avoid deep digging with a hoe or other tool that disturbs the feeder roots.
Water regularly, especially during mid-summer. Deep watering in hot, dry periods will help to increase yields. Do not prune sweet potato vines; they should be vigorous.
How to Harvest Sweet Potatoes You can start digging up the potatoes as soon as they are big enough for a meal. Harvest when the leaves and ends of the vines have started turning yellow or about days from planting. Loosen the soil around each plant 18 inches around, 4 to 6 inches deep to avoid injuring the tubers. Cut away some of the vines. Handle the sweet potatoes carefully, as they bruise easily.
Shake off any excess dirt; do not wash the roots. Complete harvesting by the first fall frost. Curing Sweet Potatoes Curing sweet potatoes gives them that sweet taste and also allows a second skin to form over scratches and bruises. A table outside in a shady spot works well. Arrange sweet potatoes so that they are not touching. After curing, discard bruised sweet potatoes, then wrap each one in newspaper.
Carefully pack in a wooden box or basket. The tubers should last for about 6 months. Handle sweet potatoes carefully; they bruise easily.
It has dark red roots, dark orange flesh, and stores well. It is carrot-colored and has a good storage life. It is also a good producer for northern growers. Sweet potatoes are a very healthy root vegetable, and they provide many benefits. They were used in folk remedies to treat asthma, night blindness, and diarrhea.
In the microwave, a whole sweet potato baked on high should be ready in 4 to 6 minutes. It may still feel firm when done; let it stand about 5 minutes to soften. Sweet potatoes can also be steamed whole cleaned and unpeeled for about 40 minutes or until tender, or cooked whole cleaned and unpeeled in boiling salted water for about 35 minutes.
Boiling reduces the flavor considerably. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? How Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes Growing Sweet Potatoes. When to Harvest Vegetables and Sweet Potato Facts and Health Root Cellars: Types and Storage Purple Reigns! Why Purple Foods How to Regrow Vegetables From I am a beginner in farming and I frequent your website Thanks for all you do.
Hope this helps. I live in California, Is it good to plant sweet potatoes here or not? Also, i'm in the central valley. Thanks, Thomas. Assuming the conditions of soil, water, and weather are suitable you should have no problem.
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