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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Squashfan on February 26, 2007, 16:35:50

Title: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Squashfan on February 26, 2007, 16:35:50: Hi everybody,
Dunno why I'm writing this when I still have to get my tomato seedlings started! :P I'm using pregnancy as my excuse for the late start to my seed sowing this year. It's a feeble excuse but the one I've got...
Sweet potatoes - has anybody tried growing them from supermarket offerings? If so, what is the method? ??? Many thanks for advice and tips on this. Cheers, Sue
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Barnowl on February 26, 2007, 17:37:57: I started one from the local greengrocer last November as an experiment and it developed slips quite happily in a galss in the kitchen, but too early to plant.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cambourne7 on February 26, 2007, 18:24:48: I have one on the window still which has yet to start creating slips :-(
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on February 26, 2007, 18:44:06: got three halves in jars on the windowsill, one with a couple of roots, one with nothing and one with loads of roots and one big slip and a few started.cut in half, stick toothpicks in around the edge and put a third in water(the cut edge)..hope this makes sense, doesn't to me but I'm tired
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: chuff on February 26, 2007, 18:48:58: Quote from: Barnowl on February 26, 2007, 17:37:57
I started one from the local greengrocer last November as an experiment and it developed slips quite happily in a galss in the kitchen, but too early to plant.
How do you make sweet potatoe slips
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on February 26, 2007, 18:54:48: slips are just the name for the little plant like things that grow out of the little holes or eyes around the top of the sweet potato, they will grow up as the roots go down in to the water
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: caroline7758 on February 26, 2007, 19:22:02: Cambournne- snap! It's been there about a month now. :(
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: carolinej on February 26, 2007, 20:11:54: I've had one in a glass on the kitchen windowsill for about 3 weeks now. There are a few thin roots appearing. I have to keep changing the water though, as it smells like a sewer every few days!!

cj :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: hazelize_uk on February 26, 2007, 20:17:07: i'm sure i saw someones very impressive photos of exactly how to support them in jars and all the roots dangling in the water with nice shoots 'slips' sticking out all over the place! it was fairly recent so i'd do a search as there were lots of ideas on it i remember reading it :D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on February 26, 2007, 20:19:03: Quote from: carolinej on February 26, 2007, 20:11:54
I've had one in a glass on the kitchen windowsill for about 3 weeks now. There are a few thin roots appearing. I have to keep changing the water though, as it smells like a sewer every few days!!

cj :)

I haven't changed the water since january !!
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: carolinej on February 26, 2007, 20:24:58: I dont know what I am doing wrong then, but it really stinks after a few days :o

cj :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Leonnie on February 26, 2007, 20:30:31: There is more info about growing sweet potatoes in this thread

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,27895.0 (http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,91/topic,27895.0)

I have pasted below something I wrote for a couple of other forums

******************************************************

Growing sweet potatoes is becoming more popular in the UK now that we have been experiencing warmer summers and there are varieties of sweet potato available that are better suited to our shorter summers. I have grown sweet potatoes successfully for two years, this will be my third year growing them and I'd like to share my experiences with those who wish to grow this vegetable.

The variety of sweet potato that I grow (T65) has been bred and selected for our shorter summers, the flesh of the tuber is more creamy in colour than the orange colour of tubers bought in supermarkets, and has a nicer flavour in my opinion.

Sweet potatoes are grown from shoots or "slips". Slips are produced by submerging part of a tuber into a glass or jar of water. Use matchsticks to suspend the tuber if necessary. I start my sweet potatoes off in this way around the end of January to mid-February leaving them in a bright and warm place.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/sweetpotato_ani.jpg)
Photo used with permission from Ani at Allotments4All Forum

After a few weeks the tubers will start to produce slips and fine white roots will begin to grow below water level. Keep the jars topped up with water so that they don't dry out. When the slips are about 4" or 10cm long gently twist them off the tuber and place in a jar of water. There will be no roots attached to the slips at this stage. After a few days in water the slips will produce their own set of roots. When they have a healthy set of roots pot them individually into a small pot filled with potting soil. Leave the tubers in their jars of water, as you twist off the slips more will be produced.

Keep the potted on slips safe from frost and still in a warm place. Once they are showing signs of continuing growth start to harden them off gradually as the last frost date for your area starts approaching. Sweet potato plants will not tolerate frost at all so keep them well protected.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/blog/sweetpots290406.jpg)
Sweet potato plants showing healthy growth and ready for hardening off.

Prepare the ground where you plan to grow your sweet potatoes. It is recommended to grow them under black plastic for added warmth but this is something I have never done. Find the warmest and sunniest position you have. They can be grown vertically up a wigwam or trellis but I allow mine to trail along the ground. Sweet potatoes like similar conditions to potatoes, well drained soil with a little manure mixed in and they will need moisture to swell the tubers. Try to avoid fluctuating moisture levels otherwise you may get tubers that have a rough surface or they may have a tendency to crack. I plant my sweet potato plants approximately 40cm apart in two stages: A few go in just before the last frost dates for our area, but they are covered with cloches to protect them. And the remaining plants go in after the last frost dates for our area. Last year there was very little difference in size and quantity produced between the two plantings.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/blog/080506lottie2.jpg)
Sweet potato plant protected with a cloche.

Keep them well watered and weed free during the summer months. They may take a while to get going but they will soon find their roots and start trailing quite quickly. You can pick some of the young shoots and use for greens. I haven't tried this yet so can't comment on what they taste like.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/2006/070806b.jpg)
Sweet potato plants beginning to trail. In this patch, approx 2m x 2m there are 9 plants.

Leave the sweet potato plants in the ground for as long as you possibly can, they need approximately 110 days between planting out and lifting. Most of the bulking up in tuber size is done in the last few weeks so having just a couple more weeks in the ground will make a difference. Lift them just before the first frosts are expected. When you lift them be very gentle as the skins are delicate and will bruise easily. Also be careful you don't put the fork through the tubers when lifting them.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/2006/150906sweetpot.jpg)
First lifting in Mid-September.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/2006/071006sweetpot2.jpg)
Tubers from the remaining plants lifted first week of October.

(http://www.acountrygarden.co.uk/picture_library/2006/071006sweetpot1.jpg)
The largest tuber at nearly 10" in length

Leave the tubers in a warm humid place (airing cupboard) for a couple of days or in the warmest room of the house for up to a week so that their skins can cure. Then store them in a dry and cool place ideally around 10C. Remember to reserve a few tubers for producing slips next year.

There are few pests and diseases to watch out for in the UK. Last year some of my sweet potato tubers were damaged by wire worm but there was no slug damage. In crop rotation plans you should avoid planting sweet potatoes following from root crops. For companion planting marigolds are considered a good companion and carrots, beetroot and potato are considered bad companions.

There are many ways to cook sweet potatoes but my favorite is to bake them wrapped in foil, when ready add a thingy of butter and freshly ground pepper. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrate and have a low glycaemic index. Foods with a low glycaemic index cause a slow and steady rise in blood sugar levels which is preferrable to high glycaemic index foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugars often leading to cravings and overeating. Low glycaemic index foods are particularly suitable for diabetics. Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin C and E which are antioxidants that help to fight heart disease and some cancers.

Article produced by Leonie. Not to be reproduced without prior permission.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on February 26, 2007, 20:36:44: leonie, where do you get your potatoes from? m ???
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: carolinej on February 26, 2007, 20:37:56: Thanks Leonnie,

that was really informative. I didnt know they could climb. I will build them a wigwam. Do they flower?

cj :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Leonnie on February 26, 2007, 20:40:40: I first bought slips from T&M (I think) and then produced my own from the saved tubers the following year and this year. Someone was saying at another forum that there's a variety called Kumara which is sold in supermarkets here, it's a New Zealand variety so may be better suited to our climate than other supermarket varieties. I'm not sure, but if you're going to try a supermarket potato then that's probably the one to look for.

Caroline, mind didn't flower, I don't think our season is long enough.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: STHLMgreen on February 27, 2007, 10:02:43: Leonnie,

Sweet potatoes are maybe my favourite think to come out of the ground. And while I wouldn't try growing them while we're living up here, I liked reading about how it was done.

Thanks for sharing your know-how.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on February 27, 2007, 10:10:46: brilliant, clear instructions, leonnie, that'll help me, wish I'd found this site last year.. ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Kea on February 27, 2007, 10:21:23: It might have been me saying that Kumara might be better suited to the UK climate.
The Maori's bought it with them when the migrated from Polynesia south to New Zealand
in about 900ad so it's been selectively breed from then to grow in the cooler climate. It doesn't grow in the South Island of NZ but I think that is because of the very low humidity rather than summer temperature's as it's just as hot in the south.
Where I live now in Cambridgeshire the humidity over summer is comparable to the Kumara growing areas in the North Island, which is why I think it would grow well here. I don't like other types of sweet potato and only eat Kumara. My English husband while visiting NZ with me at first refused to eat Kumara because he didn't like sweet potato very quickly changed his mind, it is now one of his favourite vegetables.

I should add that I haven't tried growing it yet but intend to have a go this year following the istructions for growing sweet potato above.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Leonnie on February 27, 2007, 10:55:27: Thanks Kea, yes it might have been you I was thinking of who mentioned Kumara. It will be interesting to see how that variety grows for you in our climate. How do they differ to the ones here, I mean in taste? The variety I grow is a creamy flesh colour rather than the orange that you buy in supermarkets and it has a different falvour which I think is much nicer. It will be interesting to know if Kumara is more like the ones I grow rather than the supermarket bought (orange) ones.

Philcooper.....please empty your mailbox, I can't pm you because it's full :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Kea on February 27, 2007, 15:26:52: Kumara tends to either have creamy-yellow flesh or sometimes creamy-orange but they all have purple bits in the centre and it always seems to me the more purple the better the flavour.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Kea on February 27, 2007, 15:55:07: I found this link which you might find interersting.
http://www.barfoots.co.uk/sweet_potatoes.html
Actually I found lots more links including a gardening forum in NZ where they seem to get the slips going in a different way by putting the rounded end of the tuber into the ground then harvesting the 'tips' same as slips off as they are produced then planting them. They seem to start as early as July which is approximately January here but the people doing this live in sub tropical Northland so I guess here in the UK we should stick to the jam jar on the windowsill!
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Squashfan on February 28, 2007, 09:49:42: Many thanks all, very informative and will get cracking on them right away! If not, there's always next year. ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: telboy on February 28, 2007, 16:09:28: A very interesting thread - many thanks.
Now trying to find Kumara.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Kea on March 02, 2007, 17:52:19: Sainsbury's have it (kumara) in some places. Also seen once in M&S.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Jitterbug on March 25, 2007, 21:59:15: I have also had a potatoe in water for quite a few weeks now and only thin roots starting to emerge. I went to the supermarket and bought some of those New Zealand potatoes and will put one in water and then put the other one in damp compost.

Fingers crossed!!

Jitterbug
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on March 26, 2007, 16:18:48: I've just put four into pint glasses, am I too late. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on March 26, 2007, 16:30:05: Quote from: cornykev on March 26, 2007, 16:18:48
I've just put four into pint glasses, am I too late. ;D ;D ;D

pint glasses ? ck..I thought the idea was to cut them in half, stick cocktail sticks in to support them with the cut end in the water, how do you get them to fit in a big glass, I've got mine in little tumblers :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Marymary on March 26, 2007, 22:22:32: I didn't cut mine in half & have loads of slips though none as chunky looking as those above.

On GW they are intending growing them & seemed to be burying whole SPs in a box of compost - not quite sure what they are planning to do with them.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on March 27, 2007, 19:58:14: Hi Scousers, I didn't cut them in half I put four of them in four glasses pointy end down two thirds in the water with two cocktail sticks supporting on the glass. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on March 27, 2007, 19:59:26: ah!! ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: woody on March 27, 2007, 20:16:51: just started mine today, i have two whole ones with points down in water, hope it works.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: chicks2bee on March 27, 2007, 22:25:56: i'm inspired to grown some sweet potatoe know after reading your thread i went to supermarket today to try and get some but they were sold out i'm going to try asda tomorrow. really want to get some started as i'm expecting a little baby boy in less than 2 weeks and sweet potatoe is really good baby food mashed up.

thanks again foe the inspiration.

p.s really good growning insturctions.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: carolinej on March 27, 2007, 22:35:40: Quote
i'm expecting a little baby boy in less than 2 weeks

How exciting! Dont forget to let us know when it all starts off, so we can pace back and forth.( The labour... not the sweet potato sending down roots!)

cj :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: chicks2bee on March 27, 2007, 22:43:40: will do if i get time lol this is my 2nd i know how time consuming they are!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: carolinej on March 28, 2007, 08:20:56: Oh You are so lucky, I wish I had 2 children...

I have 4!! ;)

;D ;D ;D

cj :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: dingerbell on March 29, 2007, 09:00:08: Tesco do Sweet Potatoes in Value packs which makes it a really cheap source. I bought some Kumara in Sainsbury's yesterday so let's hope they produce slips. I'm going to try groing mine on in a poly tunnel for extra warmth.... :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on March 29, 2007, 15:49:30: I have two sprogs Caroline it seems like four sometimes and good luck with the baba Chicks. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: telboy on March 30, 2007, 21:31:19: I'll try anything new.
Bought & cutin half a 'tesco' jobbie.
Been sitting in trough for ? a month.
Whispy things are growing down from the skin edges.
Are they alive or wha?
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Marymary on March 30, 2007, 22:25:29: Think the whispy things are probably roots - you need to wait for some shooty things with leaves which go upwards. ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Jeannine on March 30, 2007, 22:43:49: I don't know anything about growing these apart from setting one going once and it grew lovely green slips at a daft time of the year so I chucked it.

Question?

Is it not too late to start one off,by the time by green slips had started on my experiment quite a bit of time had passed and I would think it is too late now as I believe they need to be fairly big when they go out and they need a long growing season ??

?? I am probably wrong, can someone enlighten me .XX Jeannine
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Marymary on March 31, 2007, 23:37:30: When I started mine off in February everyone was saying it was too early, so should still be worth a go now I would think. :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Svea on May 03, 2007, 21:54:23: i have just twisted off some slips and put into water. i.e. not yet potted on, but will do this w/e
they should have plenty of growing time left - i will probably not put them out before end of may - well, depends on the climate forecast :/

i got my slips from leonie last year, and they did very well. i also had a great yield and a few whopper potatoes.

only thing is, the slugs loved them too. i have to increase my slug control in the latter stages of growing, i.e. the last month or so - hopefully i will end up with slightly less holey SPs this way
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: mc55 on May 03, 2007, 23:42:57: my first 8 have been potted up, another 7 slips in water and lots more baby slips on the potatoes, so looking good so far.

I suffered from pest damage last year too - guess they are just too tasty to resist.

Thinking about growing a lot more next year - maybe a whole bed full, especially now I know how easy it is to get slips ... we prefer them to normal potatoes and yet we grow more potatoes than sweet potatoes.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Svea on May 04, 2007, 08:06:54: you have to have allotment neighbours who dont prove so helpful that they decide to weed all your bindweed for you!
the stuff trawls and looks just like the evil stuff (but of course, makes some tasty veg and dies down completely in the winter)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 04, 2007, 09:00:08: How well does it grow outside?
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Svea on May 04, 2007, 20:22:44: with a summer like last year, very well indeed. i just planted them on a sunny spot in the garden, but to be honest, they would have grown just as well anywhere on my plot.

they grow like bindweed! but they need a longish season before the frost to make the tubers at the very end. so the later you can lift them, the greater the yield (but before the frost, obviously!)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on May 04, 2007, 20:52:55: we don't seem to be able to get any slips this year :(..must be doing something wrong..still, there's always next year :)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: miniroots on May 04, 2007, 21:19:11: One question -
There doesn't seem to be the same worry over virus infection from Supermarket bought sweet potatoes...

Are they safe?
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on May 04, 2007, 21:38:08: I have four sitting in pint glasses, two doing nothing, one with long spindley roots and the other with the spindlys and purple looking things with green leaves, are these the slips what do I do with them and when. ;D ;D ;D ???
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: mc55 on May 04, 2007, 22:52:48: Quote from: Svea on May 04, 2007, 20:22:44
but they need a longish season before the frost to make the tubers at the very end. so the later you can lift them, the greater the yield (but before the frost, obviously!)

yes, I lost my nerve a bit early I think - they would definitely have benefitted from longer in the ground, but then again I guess the critter damage would have been even worse ?

Quote from: cornykev on May 04, 2007, 21:38:08
purple looking things with green leaves, are these the slips what do I do with them and when.

yup, these are the slips ... carefully twist them off, where they join the potato, then put them into a glass of water to encourage roots. I dont' think this is essential as the ones from T&M had no roots and advice was to plant immediately into compost.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on May 05, 2007, 15:00:40: Cheers MC55 how long do I leave them in the glass before I pot up. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: mc55 on May 05, 2007, 20:45:09: I pot mine up as soon as tiny white roots appear at the bottom of the stem.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Svea on May 06, 2007, 22:28:02: i leave the slips until they are , oh, 3 inches long? then put them in water for about a week, by which time they have little white roots, then pot them up, keep watred just like your other seedlings, and plant out aftr all danger of frost has passed (which could be sooner rather than later this year)

have a look at the photos on the first page of this thread - leonie explained it all very well!
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Jitterbug on May 07, 2007, 15:14:48: My slips are coming on - I hve about 5 in water now and more on the potatoe but the tuber I put in soil in the greenhouse is going great guns. Will be going out shortly to remove all the shoots and place them in water.

If I have any spare I am more than prepared to share them out as I have no space on my lottie (as I only have 5 rpds) so will be planting my sweet potatoes in pots this year unless I have a spare space that I have not contemplated...

Jitterbug
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: manicscousers on May 07, 2007, 16:43:08: jitterbug, i would be prepared to pay you for some slips..I was going to send off an order, I could do with 6 :)
just let me know if you've any over and how much.thanks, marilyn
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on May 07, 2007, 18:43:21: Thanx. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Barnowl on May 08, 2007, 11:28:02: Some people say twist the shoots/slips off and others say cut - which is best?
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Tora on May 08, 2007, 14:10:52: I twisted one of shoots off and it didn't come off very clearly. I don't know if I did it right. The shoot looks a bit hollow at the base.

Also the shoots are growing in several clumps on the tuber. Am I supposed to pull the wholte clump off or just a biggest shoot from the clump? ???
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Svea on May 08, 2007, 23:13:18: it doesnt matter. i took the clump off and then seperated whatever i had into two/three plantelts.

they are really keen to root - i took cuttings from the mature vine last autumn as a test and they rooted within two days. don't be afraid - they are less fragile than you think (remember they are related to bindweed - no joke!)
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: cornykev on May 09, 2007, 15:00:02: I twisted one off and its in the jar, a couple more are getting there. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Aussie Chick on May 09, 2007, 21:54:29: I too would be prepared to buy some slips...does anyone have any spare??

AC.
Title: Re: Sweet potatoes
Post by: Tora on May 10, 2007, 09:02:58: Quote from: Svea on May 08, 2007, 23:13:18
it doesnt matter. i took the clump off and then seperated whatever i had into two/three plantelts.

they are really keen to root - i took cuttings from the mature vine last autumn as a test and they rooted within two days. don't be afraid - they are less fragile than you think (remember they are related to bindweed - no joke!)

Thanks Svea. ;) Don't you wish bindweeds were edible (and as delicious as sweet potatoes)?! I have loads of them in my plot. :D