Author Topic: Sweet Potato (Read 6604 times)

Tora · « **on:** October 08, 2007, 17:54:09 »

I found this in my row of sweet potatoes. ;D It's about 4cm wide and 10cm long. Will it become any bigger if I leave it in the soil? ???

Kea · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2007, 18:13:45 »

I hope I've got one like that I'd be delighted. Maybe i should be digging them up now too.

star · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2007, 18:23:56 »

That looks great Tora, mine were rubbish. Only as thick as pencils :'(

Kea · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2007, 18:25:27 »

Like the one I dug up I thought might be usefull at Halloween for 'witches finger's' probably in place of pumpkins :(

manicscousers · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2007, 19:53:08 »

still not dug ours up, saddad said they put weight on towards the end , hope so, yours looks good :)

artichoke · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2007, 10:23:03 »

I know we're supposed to wait as long as we can bear it, but just had to dig one up recently, and it had 2 roots like Tora's, so I'm thrilled, as it's my first successful attempt. Roasted them with some ordinary potatoes and they were lovely. I grew them from my daughter's sweet potato that was shrivelling and sprouting and about to be thrown away in spring 2006.

The first season I planted the rooted sprouts out nothing much happened except 10 bushy little plants. I overwintered them in pots on a windowsill and planted them out again in late May, and thy have shot away up some poles I set for them (next to the gigandes!). The flowers are surprisingly pretty, too.

I wonder if anyone knows if we could cut off bits of these plants and root them in water for next year?

Or cut the plants down, remove the potatoes, and pot up the plants indoors for next year? I don't want another 2 year delay.

Another thing that surprised me is how deep down the potatoes were, vertical in the soil.

Tora · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2007, 15:49:14 »

Thanks all, I'm well chuffed. I didn't think I would get any. ;D

Artichoke, my sweetpotato in the pic is grown from a slip taken last year too. Variety is unknown, a white-fleshed tuber bought from either ASDA or Indian shop. I also have Kumara, which was grown from a tuber bought this spring. I planted all plants more or less at the same time. I really hope I get some Kumara as well.

Regarding saving plants, I heard you can take cuttings (they should root easily in a glass of water). The kumara tuber I took slips from is still producing slips so I'm going to pot them up to overwinter too. :)

Kea · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2007, 16:34:41 »

Good perhaps I didn't dig deep enough, I only dug one plant so maybe there's still hope. Just watching the weather and temperatures to leave them as long as possible.

saddad · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2007, 18:12:36 »

Still waiting on mine... we have a group round on Sunday and there isn't much else to see so The SP's can wait...
;D

miniroots · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2007, 07:31:01 »

Oh good.

I've got a few slips growing in a cupboard in the kitchen (quite by accident!) - if I pot them up over winter where should I keep them?
It can get pretty cold in the house over winter - will they cope with the fluctuating temperatures?

Suffolklad · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2007, 07:47:28 »

Sweet potatoes are one of the things I really want to grow in my new polytunnel next year.
Do I have to buy seed though ?
I'm sure I read somewhere that I can just buy supermarket ones and plant them.....or do I have to grow slips from them and root those ?
I can't find much about them in my books.
I believe they are climbing plants so I'll have to provide support ?
How early can I plant them in a poly ?

So many questions.....

artichoke · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2007, 13:38:09 »

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,28535.0

This is one of many threads on the subject! It explains all about not planting the potato, but planting little shoots from the potato and how to treat them.

I made mine climb to save space, but they can sprawl instead. They are just a sort of bindweed really....

star · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2007, 18:07:51 »

Yes they can sprawl on the ground too. Apparantly they will root along the stem into the ground, and produce loads of sweet potatoes, but are much smaller than if trained to climb.........cant be much smaller than mine this year lol ::)

I will try again though ;D

Suffolklad · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2007, 18:39:44 »

Thanks for the link artichoke - very interesting !
As I will be planting them out in a polytunnel, it's probably worth my while getting some started earlier

manicscousers · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2007, 21:06:59 »

I've been stopping myself but, tomorrow, one of the plants is coming up, we have 7 so I can't contain my curiousity any longer ;D
wish me luck ;D

Tora · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2007, 12:04:17 »

Good luck, manics. 8) Don't forget a camera to shoot your 'harvesting session'. ;) I'm going to dig some up soon too. ;D

artichoke · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2007, 13:00:31 »

I have cut off thetips of my plants and put them into a jug of water, where hopefully they will root....

manicscousers · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2007, 16:52:33 »

think I'll leave the rest until frost is forecast, this is the 'crop' from 1

Tora · « **Reply #18 on:** October 12, 2007, 15:57:08 »

Wow, they look brilliant! 8) I will be happy if I get that many from one plant. :) Since there's no frost forecast (lots of rain instead! :-\) I'm resisting the temptation and leaving it for a bit longer too.

saddad · « **Reply #19 on:** October 12, 2007, 16:20:23 »

Same here Tora but I might have to firkle one out on Sunday!
::)

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Author Topic: Sweet Potato (Read 6604 times)