Sweet Potatoes

[Jesse]

Has anyone tried to grow sweet potatoes? I read that they can be germinated by suspending in a glass of water but once they get roots what conditions do they like to grow in, are they like normal spuds. And is it feasible to grow them successfully in our climate?

[Jesse]

[Pixie]

I have tried to find out loads of info ref sweet potatoes as they are one of the few veg that my partner likes, but haven't had much success.

My local librarian is trying to dig out some info for me because if I put sweet potatoes in a search engine I just get seed catalogues etc pop up and very little info especially about growing them in the UK.

I see our librarian on a Saturday so I will have more news after the weekend.

Sam

[Jesse]

Pixie I would love to know what you find out. I love sweet potatoes, especially wrapped in foil and cooked in the coals of the BBQ but like you I have not been able to find out very much about growing them.

[Pixie]

Not a problem

Our librarian is quite good - she loves something to get her teeth into ;D

The other ones tend to run in the opposite direction when they see me coming now!!!but I think she sees me as a challenge

Sam

[mitzzy]

Hi

I had just posted on other part of board about same thing :)

I love sweet potatoes and i wanted to know if you can grow them in uk  and in scotland .

mags

[Pixie]

I love it mashed with swede and butter and salt and pepper MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Diced and placed in a pie dish with diced swede and normal diced spuds with chunky cottage cheese poured over the top and baked - Double MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[Multiveg]

I seem to remember Bob Flowerdew has tried these (and practically everything else as well) and thinks it is possible to grow them in the UK. I'll dig into his books and other veggie books I have for more info to post later....

[Ceri]

I have a copy of an article about growing sweet pots.  I think it was from Kitchen Garden mag.  Its in a Word doc - e-mail me your addy and I'll attach it and send it across if you wish.

Cheers

Ceri

[Jesse]

Ceri, will send you my email address now and if others are interested I will post a link to the document so that everyone can view it from this site.

Please Multiveg, this is something I really want to grow if possible.

Pixie, have you visited the R4A site? There's a link at the top of the A4A page, would be nice if you could post your recipe on that site so it's easy to find for future reference.

[Len]

Try this link it may helphttp://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/gqt/fsheets/02_09_01/fsheetsq3.shtml
Len

[Len]

Forgot also take a look at http://www.kitchengarden.co.uk/forum/view.asp?postID=13482
Len

[Jesse]

Thanks Len, very intersting links and completely different to how I envisaged growing/propagating them. Sounds like they might be growing them at the Eden Project, I will be there next week so will have a good look around and will try to take some photos if anyone is interested.

[Yuet_Lee]

Hi everybody.
I think we're all having problem to grow sweet potato. Because they needed very warm weather. In our country(Hong Kong) you can see them growing everywhere near my home. But I been try to grow them with no succes. Not even spouting. I even try to go to asian shop to see did they have some old sweet potato left that will have some spouts. Nothing there. But it coming up to cold weather perhap I'll need to try it again next year.

[john_miller]

Even in a good year we here in New England cannot get a worthwhile crop from even the fastest maturing sweet potato. I would back yuetlee's comments. Sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae) incidentally. They tend to do better in increased heat or where there is a long growing season.

[Pixie]

Hi Guys

Email is cornishpixiearcher@hotmail.com and I haven't been to visit r4a just yet but I will get there soon :) all my recipies are very easy though - they have to be as I have the memory of a goldfish  ::)

Sam

[Jesse]

John, did you try growing them outdoors or in a greenhouse? I'm wondering if a greenhouse would give them the extended season they need. I read somewhere, was it in the links Len provided or somewhere else, that growing the shoots now (will keep them in a heated conservatory over winter) gives a head start so that in spring they are already on their way, that may help with the short season we have here? Anyway, either way I'm going to give it a bash, I've nothing to lose, did a grocery shop on the internet and clicked for 2 sweet potatoes, they delivered 2 bags of them! So may try growing the ones I cannot get around to eating.

[Pixie]

Let me guess Tescos?

They did the same to me :)

Sam

[john_miller]

I didn't grow them. A fellow grower tried, outside, for a couple of years but gave up- for comparison, we grow melons outside here, without any problems.

[Jesse]

Ooooh, looks like Tesco is being a bit naughty trying to offload their sweet potatoes onto us poor unsuspcting people!

John that doesn't sound very encouraging, looks like I will probably fail miserably then, but going to try it anyway just to prove you right!  :)

[Pixie]

I use them loads so I didn't mind too much

Sam