Topic: Sweet potato finally growing

[Digeroo]

Managed to get one to sprout, but after several month on a sunny windowsill it was not much bigger and no roots appeared.

In the end I planted it at the allotment with the tuber downwards and the little cluster of shoots sticking upwards.  I gently earthed it up, but there was not much space between the leaves and the tuber. 

Finally it has started growing and it considerably bigger and looking bonny.  It has a plastic bottle over it and gets watered very often.  I have some 8 ltr bottles and so it now has one of those, though it might be some time before it fills it.

I rather wish I had put it in a growing medium much earlier. But was expecting to create slips.

Has anyone any suggestions about how to proceed?  Do you think I should dig it up and remove the tuber?  I am worried that it might become a rotting mess and cause the plant to rot off.   I cut off the smelly bottom of it before I put it out.

[Plot22]

I eventually managed to get 8 slips from one of my last years Thompson and Morgan potatoes. All are growing quite well obviously liking the sunny spot I set them in. I also bought organic potatoes from the supermarket despite washing them repeatedly and changing the water every couple of days I struggled to get shoots . However 2 months ago 2 of them started to shoot but grew very slowly so I set them with the potato attached when I set my own slips . Two out of the three I set are now producing shoots above the ground and looking bigger every time I visit the allotment. For next year I am going to keep a couple of potatoes from my own slips to produce slips again as I believe it is so long winded to try and get the supermarket ones to produce any. Like Digeroo I have no idea what to do with the couple of potatoes that I set intact I cannot see the point in trying to separate the slips from the potato but I would be interested in what other replies come forward.

[astraman1]

very hard for me too couple of tries since feb in may finally managed one slip

now in the ground growing very slowly will see what comes of it

[pumkinlover]

Sounds similar to my experience.
One still in the jar where it has gone rotten and fallen in! another has two shoots but I didn't know whether to cut the bit out or plant whole.
Still sitting there while I decide

[Digeroo]

One still in the jar where it has gone rotten

   Mine was smelling awful so I think I just caught it in time.

Mine is looking very good at the moment. Seem they grow in ditches and I have put it in one of the driest parts of my plot.  So I will have to keep watering it.  It has several shoots so not sure if I should remove some.  I had a little root about but still cannot see any roots.

I have just thought I could have cut off most of the tuber so less to rot. But if they grow wild in ditches so I hope they are not too fussy. 

I have come across reference to eating the leaves.   Has anyone tried.

Seems they like night time temperature of 22C.  Whoops! it was only 13C last night.      But seems to like a minimum of 55F or 12.8C so we just squeaked in.      I think I will have to rig up a little green house for it. 

Does anyone know how big they get?                                               

[pumkinlover]

Last year mine sent out lots of sprawling shoots. I think I read on here that they need pinching out, if correct that would give you a size reduction.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've made a few enquiries about edible potato leaves as they're used in my wife's culture. I've been told that most potato leaves don't taste good, and they use specific varieties which as far as anyone knows aren't grown here. Does anyone know more?

[Jayb]

Afraid not, but they do sound interesting, particularly as often that is all mine grow - leaves!

[Jayb]

When I visited my aunty this week I noticed she had a sweet potato in her vegetable basket that was sprouting, I nearly nabbed it to bring home!

[Plot22]

I have written on this post before just a quick update. I have stopped 3 of my own grown slips because I thought that they were getting too big. Since doing this I have notice that 2 out of the 3 have started to flower. The original ones last year from T & Morgan never did this but at the same time I never stopped them because I was not aware that I should. As anyone else any experience of this?

[winecap]

I ended up with 6 slips from a Covington tuber and they are still growing slowly but some have got quite bushy and are heading in all directions. I noticed flower buds the other day, which I've never had before, so if I at least get some colour that willl  be nice. Does anybody know how much water they are supposed to like?