Sweet Potatoes

[Mike]

Has anyone ever grown sweet potatoes through the fall before? According to Gardenate, I should be planting them now, but I don't really have room in my garden right now. My plan was to try planting them when I dig up my red potatoes in what I'm guessing will be sometime in July to August.

So, the question is, if I plant them by August, would they still be able to grow and produce this year? Or should I wait until next year to try a crop?

 

[Meadowlark]

You are looking at 110 days to maturity. I've had crop failure when only 90 days growth and frost, so they need the full time to grow.

If you plant them by August, in your zone it is very unlikely you will get a crop. Early July better odds. June even better.

As an aside, I just planted some Asian and Murasaki sweet potatoes last week.

 

[Mike]

If you plant them by August, in your zone it is very unlikely you will get a crop.

This is exactly what I was afraid of. May have to cut out another piece of land out on the side of the garden so I can go ahead and get some in the ground now. Baked sweet potatoes with just butter, salt, and pepper is one of my favorite steak sides and I'd really like to not have to keep buying them in the store when I have a huge garden now. Also, I've never grown sweet potatoes before so it'd be a nice little change.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[skinyea]

Random question. Growing Sweet potatoes for 1st time. I have 4 Sweet pots in dirt for slip harvesting. have a ton of slips, do not really need anymore. what do you do with the sweet potatoes you have been using for slips?

 

[Meadowlark]

I compost them...and then the compost pile gets covered in sweet potato vines...more organic matter

 

[skinyea]

I compost them...and then the compost pile gets covered in sweet potato vines...more organic matter

could I plant them?

 

[Meadowlark]

Yes.

 

[skinyea]

I am growing Murasaki sweets for 1st time. if nothing else they are an incredible summer ground cover.
120-140 days to maturity.
is that from the time the slips form or from the time you put the slips in the ground.

 

[Meadowlark]

Hey @skinyea...I figure about thats from slips in the ground. They really do take a long time and a lot of the root growth is in the late stages.

I had that same thought about summer ground cover and actually tried it out this summer in an area. They took over everything, suppressed weeds but I don't know yet how/if they helped the soil.

 

[skinyea]

Hey @skinyea...I figure about thats from slips in the ground. They really do take a long time and a lot of the root growth is in the late stages.

I had that same thought about summer ground cover and actually tried it out this summer in an area. They took over everything, suppressed weeds but I don't know yet how/if they helped the soil.

TY. yeah they cover everything. not 1 weed can grow. I doubt they give back to the soil like Cowpeas or Sunn Hemp, but man they cover everything

 

[skinyea]

update- Sweet potato leaves are fantastic stir-fried. good eating. and they grow like crazy so you have a ton of leaves

 

[Ostrodamus]

I've had success with container growing sweet potatoes indoors even. I've used bags and bins, 2-3 slips per 15 gallon grow bag. I was able to harvest a late crop this way. I've since been able to get my "$hit" together and manage my time/crops better to avoid this, but it's possible to have a fall harvest.

 

[skinyea]

So I pulled the Marisukis I had in containers. got about 25 lbs from 5 containers. I pulled them at 110 days.

Have baked some for dinner last night, mashed some tonight.

cooked them cut up real small with onions garlic and eggs for breakfast.

My wife and kid like them everywhich way so far. only issue is the hairs or strings. is there away of getting them less stringy? i did peel the mash.

 

[Meadowlark]

I haven't noticed the stringy factor...maybe cook it longer?

110 days sounds about right and 25 lbs is a good harvest. Well done!

 

[skinyea]

I haven't noticed the stringy factor...maybe cook it longer?

110 days sounds about right and 25 lbs is a good harvest. Well done!

i have more in 2 of my main gardens. will pull those around 145 days.

the ones in the containers had white roots on them still which were stringy. even when peeled

 

[Ostrodamus]

I contributed the 2 stringy crops I had to be due to nutrient deficiency. I didn't know what I was doing, so I just did the "set and forget" method. I had many small stringy potatoes. Lesson learned. Fertilize.