sweet potato slips

[Anne Robertson]

For those that were asking, this is what sweet potato slips look like.

[Anne Robertson]

[Mrs Ava]

Wow!  Funnily enough I was reading in my Kitchen Garden mag this month about those.  Had no idea they were climbers!  Excellent pics Ani.  How many sweetpots do you think you get from each slip?

[Anne Robertson]

EJ, 4-5 would be nice, more would be better ;D Last year I bought slips from T&M at £9.99 so thought I'd try my own this year. Be interesting to compare which is better. Last years harvest was about 20 but most were small.

[Tora]

They look really healthy, don't they? When did you start it, ani?
My potatoes have no sprouting just yet, I'll keep my fingers crossed! :D I probably should have started it earlier.
I'd love to hear how everyone's sweet potatoes perform. I imagine lack of heat in this country is the major problem? I once went to a PYO to pick (or dig, more like) sweet potatoes. The plot was packed with sweet potatoes, everywhere I dug I hit them. But that was in Japan, so they get much milder, hotter conditions there.
I love sweet potatoes. They make fantastic tempura. ;D

[Jesse]

Those look really good ani :D I had three tubers that I produced slips from, one didn't give anything (well it has two puny slips which aren't getting very big), the other two between them I've had about 18 slips off and possibly still more to come. I've found once you remove the slips from the tuber it then produces more.

[Anne Robertson]

Tora, not very good at keeping track but about 6-8 weeks ago.
The reason the one at the back is very low in the water is because a slip on another one started to grow below water level and then it started sprouting roots while still attached to potato so I thought I'd leave those slips on and sink the potato and since that pic was taken they have roots 2-3" long plus they are growing in hieght too.

[Tora]

Thans ani :)
That's interesting, didn't know slips can grow below water level.

[cowellen]

ok - just for dumb me - what exactly is a slip(im guessin u mean the roots or  the leaves ??? ::))

did u just put a sweet potato  in water -  ??? i love sweet pots and would love to know how to get them started...

[Anne Robertson]

Slips are the leaves that grow from SP. They themselves grow roots when gently removed from SP and put in water, then pot up when roots established. Suspend in water like an avo pip, see back left pic above. The other is submersed because by accident I found that that roots will grow on the slip while still attached if just under water line. (back right pic)
Great fun to grow and if you're short of space then the 'vine' can grow up a support.

[cowellen]

many thanks -

im off to sainburys to buy some sweet potatoes - not to eat to experiment with - well i might eat some - can feel a curry coming on..

and thanks again  ;D ;D