Growing Sweet potatoes

[Jayb]

Who's growing sweet potatoes this year? Usually I sprout them from tubers, (laying  a tuber in damp compost and not quite covering it, then into the propagator to wait for shoots)  But with one thing and another, this year I've bought some rooted cuttings which arrived last week. They looked a bit sad when they arrived.  I've potted them up and put them in the propagator and already they are showing a good amount of new leaves and shoots.

Previously I've grown them in the polytunnel, although this year I'm thinking about starting them off inside, potting them into compost bags, but then to save inside growing space I thought they could go outside in a sheltered spot, once – if it warms up.  I'd hopefully have a bit of space to move them back inside the polytunnel at the end of the summer. Anyone tried this or growing them outside? I don't want to mess them up.

[Jayb]

[goodlife]

I have to admit my defeat with sweet potatoes. I just cannot get them to crop anything worth while. I've tried and tried...and tried and never get more than odd finger size tuber.. ::)
I'm curious about getting them to crop outdoors too. If anybody remembers that 'big' allotment experiment that Joe did in GW couple of years ago..he planted his outside and grew (apparantely) on a wigwams. But I failed to catch if he got any crop out of them.
Galina gave me some cinnamon vine tubers to grow this summer..those are now small plants and I have my hopes up that they will produce some tubers more readily than sweet potatoes.

[Aden Roller]

I've been tempted to try sweet potatoes but haven't as I'm always short of space and don't hold out much hope for warm & long enough seasons.

My butternut squash struggle some years even down here in the south.

[Jayb]

I gave up watching GW, so missed Joe's trial, it would be good to know how he got on though. I've had some reasonable results with sweet potatoes the last couple of years and I'm hoping they are going to like being grown in multi-purpose compost this year :P

lol, I agree Aden, recent summers have been a bit poor, particularly in this bit of rainy Wales!

GL, are you growing your Cinnamon vines inside or out?

[caroline7758]

Sweet potatoes are as popular, if not more so than potatoes in New Zealand. Kumara, which is a variety over here, is the generic name for all of them over there. I never saw them growing but I guess it's the warmer summers that make them successful.

[Jayb]

I loved Kumara when I was in NZ, I remember them as being nicer than the sweet potatoes we get here. But now you mention it, I can't remember seeing any growing. Loads of other fruit and veggies though.

[pumkinlover]

I've started them in cold frames for the last few years (only started trying since the summers have been rubbish!) and not done very well- certainly not enought to cover the cost of the slips.
This year I've planted some amongst the tomatoes in the green house border and the rest will go in a folding pallet cloche with glass on top. We love them but they are a challenge and this year I do not think they will get going very fast unless it warms up. Let us know how you get on Jayb.

[Jayb]

Thanks Pumpkinlover, maybe this summer will suprise us all  ;D I doubt I'll have space in the greenhouse border, but something to think of for another year. Perhaps I can re-use an early potato bag in the greenhouse, although it won't be full sunshine spot :-\

[goodlife]

Code Select Expand

GL, are you growing your Cinnamon vines inside or out?I was planning to grow them outside..unless some 'gap' will turn up in GH in next couple of weeks.. ::)
My GH's are stuffed with pots and and trays of plants so at the moments I can't keep track of what goes where...they are all waiting of warmer weather and then the BIG planting operation starts.. ::)

I don't think I've beaten yet with sweetpotatoes though.. ;D..maybe I have yet another go next year..I won't 'rest' untill I've managed at least one decent size tuber.
Oh..and about MP compost.. :-\..I did try that too..but I just couldn't keep it moist enough all the time. But that was in GH border, not in containers. I reckon that year I could have had some decent size tubers.. ::)..if the compost would have been bit more heavier and hold the moisture better. There was several tubers then in the compost but they were all so small...but that year the weather didn't help as my GH was literally cooking with heat...some few year ago. ::)

[cestrian]

I got a couple of small plants from the garden centre. They've been in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks and I'm going to plant them out under cloches this week as the forecast looks good.

[Jayb]

Hope yours are doing well cestrian  :)
Mine are still in pots, I'm going to pot them up in bags in the next few days or so and leave them in the poly for the time being (next to the nesting black bird, as fairly minimal maintenance needed) I'll put them out if/when the weather improves.

[plotstoeat]

I like to try something new each year so I bought three Jamie Oliver ones from Homebase. I put two in containers in the greenhouse and one in a cold frame outside. Any tips on feeding? I don't hold out great hopes for them. Am I right in thinking the plants can be stored indoors over winter and planted again next year or is it best to propagate thru cuttings?

[galina]

It is recommended to grow them through a black plastic sheet outdoors.  The black plastic heats up if the sun shines on it and gives them the warmer growing conditions they need.  However slugs can be a real problem with small plants.  Also keeping the soil underneath the plastic sheet nice and moist, perhaps by 'planting' a few upturned cut off bottles and watering into those?

Good luck.

Another marginal crop here  :(

[plotstoeat]

Thanks for that Galina

[Jayb]

I planted mine into compost bags cut in half, the 125ltr size ones. 2 per bag with a mix of multi purpose and compost. They are currently in the polytunnel as it has been too horrible to put them outside. I'll sprinkle a little potato fertilizer in a week or so.

Slips are propegated from a tuber in the spring, I usually cover a tuber in a half seed tray with compost and place it in a propegator until it sprouts. I'm sure anywhere warm will do, but you might need to put it in a bag to conserve moisture. Once the sprouts are large enough I pull them off and pot them up. It can take a little while form sprouts to form. A more popular way is to suspend the tuber partly in water until it sprouts, though I've not tried this. Also cuttings can be rooted in the autumn and overwintered in the house.

[Jayb]

Lol forgot to add the potato fertilizer  ;D But they are looking surprisingly well considering how horrid the weather has been since planting them. I've changed my plans for putting them outside, they are still in the polytunnel, the weather and temperatures have been so unkind.  Maybe the end of July will bring some warmer weather  ;D

[plotstoeat]

Never used or even seen potato fertiliser. Where do you buy it?

[Jayb]

I bought  a sack from JBA Seed Potatoes last year, though I think sold out now http://www.jbaseedpotatoes.co.uk/

[Jayb]

Sweet potatoes have loved the sunshine this last week and despite all the grotty weather we have had this summer, they look to be growing well and are taking over their spot in the polytunnel  :)

I noticed a few flowers yesterday evening, with lots more buds to come.
[attachment=1]


edit - spell

[pumkinlover]

Having read this thread I planted mine in the greenhouse in amongst the tomatoes as not got room for a dedicated spot they are growing nicely and my hopes are getting high. No flowers though. Will you take them off ? so concentrate on the tubour or do you like them? ;)