Topic: Sweet Potato Questions

[Rob08]

After a few years of searching I have finally found a company that stocks the purple fleshed Okinawan sweet potato.  Only problem is they are based in the US. 

Would anyone here know if it is possible to import plant roots/tubers from the US or is there a block on this sort of plant material entering the UK?

Also, this particular type of sweet potato requires 140 hot days to produce a worthwhile crop.  Would I be correct in guessing that, bar a really brilliant summer, the only way I will achieve that is with a polytunnel or greenhouse? 

Then the next question is, will sweet potatoes grow well in a polytunnel?

[saddad]

I have some Beauregard in a Greenhouse...
So I'm sure they would grow well in a Poly..



and this was some of last year's produce..


 ;D
Hopefully I'll be able to dig mine up this afternoon..
 ::)

[Rob08]

Well that is good to know.  I doubt I will get a polytunnel up for the 2008 season but for the following year I will definitely allow space for a sweet potato crop. 

As I hope to go to the US next year I must see if there is any way I can bring that sweet potato over. 

From all I have heard the Okinawan sweet potato is visually stunning and tastes great as well - it ranges from a light lavender colour to purple. 

The first I heard of it was a discussion on the Gardenweb site some years ago.  I figure if you are going to grow veg you may as well grow the interesting ones...

[saddad]

Definitely.. I grew Para Cress last year... hot or What! One bit and it was like the dentist had frozen your gum!
 ;D

[Tora]

I'm very much interested in growing purple fleshed SP as well. In Japan they are commonly called 'Murasaki-imo'  and widely used for sweet products - Murasaki-imo icecream is heavenly! :P

I looked into importing tubers from Japan and contacted Defra but it was not possible at all. Tubers seem to be one of the most strictly controlled.

Have a look at this on-line guide(PDF file) from defra. http://www.soton.ac.uk/international/welcome/ifindoubt.pdf
You should contact defra if you need to know anything that isn't mentioned there about importing plants and seeds. They are generally very helpful.

Please keep us posted how you get on. :)

[Rob08]

I'm very much interested in growing purple fleshed SP as well. In Japan they are commonly called 'Murasaki-imo'  and widely used for sweet products - Murasaki-imo icecream is heavenly! :P

I looked into importing tubers from Japan and contacted Defra but it was not possible at all. Tubers seem to be one of the most strictly controlled.

Have a look at this on-line guide(PDF file) from defra. http://www.soton.ac.uk/international/welcome/ifindoubt.pdf
You should contact defra if you need to know anything that isn't mentioned there about importing plants and seeds. They are generally very helpful.

Please keep us posted how you get on. :)

Thanks for this info - it is good to have the source to check against.  I will check the Irish regs as well to see if they are any easier to work with (though I doubt it as they tend to hold to EU law very strictly).

I might also make enquiries in the Netherlands - they have a huge Asian (though mostly Indonesian) community there and perhaps this sweet potato has already made it there.

[Rob08]

Well the good news is it looks as if I will be able to import them into Ireland under licence from the Department of Agriculture.  Am waiting to hear back on that now.

Will keep you posted.

[star]

good luck Robb......

[Rob08]

Turns out all I need is a phytosanitary certificate from the company selling the sweet potatoes.  Since the company in Hawaii that I want to buy from has to do this for shipping to the mainland USA anyway it should not be a problem, though I just have to convince them of that fact!

The variety I am looking to bring in is this beauty:

[saddad]

If you are doing an import order put me down for some as well! If they are not going to ship other than in bulk i'll help share the cost!!!
 :)

[ruud]

Hi  rob,intresting sweet potato,if you dont mind i will search in holland for it.I also have some relatives in the states mayby they can solve the problem.

[Rob08]

If you are doing an import order put me down for some as well! If they are not going to ship other than in bulk i'll help share the cost!!!
 :)

Hi Saddad, the smallest ordering size is a 30lb box.  I cannot guarantee that the sweet potatoes will produce viable slips as they have to be irradiated prior to shipment - I do not know what effect that has on the life in the tuber.  I will make more enquiries before I commit to anything but will keep you posted.

Ruud - if you can source these in the Netherlands please let me know.  I had thought of checking there too but would not actually know where to start.  Al praat ek Afrikaans die woorde verskil nogsteeds genoeg van Nederlands dat ek nie kan uitwerk wat Okinawan sweet potato in Nederlands sal wees nie...

[Robert_Brenchley]

Irradiation will surely kill the potatoes.

[Rob08]

Irradiation will surely kill the potatoes.

That's what I thought but these are shipped to mainland US for growing there so am not sure.  I need to make more enquiries but as they are in Hawaii there is something of a time delay in responses...

Am checking out two mainland US and one Phillipines based company as well.

[ruud]

Rob,everyone in holland understands afrikaans,it is 17 century dutch.Ik praat nu 20 century modern nederlands tegen jouw,dat verschilt(verskil) niet(nie) zo veel.Here in holland there is a serie started on the tele about the family vanderstell who came to sud-afrika and started a wine imperium called stellenbosch.

[Rob08]

Rob,everyone in holland understands afrikaans,it is 17 century dutch.Ik praat nu 20 century modern nederlands tegen jouw,dat verschilt(verskil) niet(nie) zo veel.Here in holland there is a serie started on the tele about the family vanderstell who came to sud-afrika and started a wine imperium called stellenbosch.

I went to school in Stellenbosch - still one of the nicest towns in South Africa.

[saddad]

"Tier Aserblief Leafy"... phonetic Afrikans from visitors and colleagues... no idea how it is really spelt.. "Buy a dankey"...
 ;D

[ruud]

Hi rob got a trail which i am following,asianfood import and export,company in holland who got on there list a purple sweet potato,only problem is is it the same one yours is from hawai and mine is from china.An other vegetable you know is skorsie.I cannot find seeds,maybe you know somebody.

[Rob08]

Hi rob got a trail which i am following,asianfood import and export,company in holland who got on there list a purple sweet potato,only problem is is it the same one yours is from hawai and mine is from china.An other vegetable you know is skorsie.I cannot find seeds,maybe you know somebody.

A skorsie is a gem squash in English:



If this is what you are looking for you are in luck as I do have seed for it and can send you some.

There does seem to be at least 3 main types of purple sweet potato -

1. white skinned, purple fleshed (this is the Okinawan one)
2. purple skinned, purple fleshed
3. purple skinned, white fleshed.

If the Asian importer is supplying either 1 or 2 they would do just fine and I would be very interested if you are able to get them there.  Being in the EU already there should be no problem with getting them into the UK or Ireland either.

[Rob08]

"Tier Aserblief Leafy"... phonetic Afrikans from visitors and colleagues... no idea how it is really spelt.. "Buy a dankey"...
 ;D

Hi Saddad, that is very good!

We used to teach American visitors to say 'buy a donkey' for baie dankie (thank you very much) and 'donkey manure' for dankie meneer (thank you sir).

Not sure what the 'tier' is meant to be (means tiger in Afrikaans) and 'leafy' is an excellent one - will have to remember that (for the rest of you that is phonetic for liefie meaning luvvie in Afrikaans).