Allotments 4 All

Hi all
I am a bit confused. This is the 1st time that I have tried to grow Sweet Potatoes I am growing Slips from T & Morgan. I have followed their instructions to the letter. I have 1 in a very large bucket in the greenhouse and 5 under fleece growing through weed suppresent fabric at the allotment. My problem is T&M say earth them up like potatoes. Since I am growing through weed fabric and in a tub how or what do I earth up ? They seem to be doing OK they look like bindweed at the moment but are putting on growth .

You end up with a mound over the slips as they grow... so you cant grow through fabric or in a pot!! Also dont need them in the greenhouse or under fleece..   Maybe you should have read the instructions before you planted them .. 

I quote from T& M's instructions
" We suggest planting through black plastic or mypex cover as you would melons" To provide that little extra warmth
" We would suggest growing in a poly tunnel or greenhouse" Covering with fleece muslin or cloches will aid faster Establishment.
Because the floor of my greenhouse is entirely slabs I planted one of the plants in a tub 1 metre across by 1.5metres high as a back up to my plants on the allotment. I have today moved this into a large frame in a warm part of the garden.

Quote from: plot22 on June 09, 2014, 06:51:37
I quote from T& M's instructions
" We suggest planting through black plastic or mypex cover as you would melons" To provide that little extra warmth
" We would suggest growing in a poly tunnel or greenhouse" Covering with fleece muslin or cloches will aid faster Establishment.
Because the floor of my greenhouse is entirely slabs I planted one of the plants in a tub 1 metre across by 1.5metres high as a back up to my plants on the allotment. I have today moved this into a large frame in a warm part of the garden.

Instructions are clearly misleading!  Should not have been 'plant through', but plant and cover, so that you can remove the covering, earth up, then recover.  It is a shame to cut up your Mypex,  I wouldn't bother earthing up.

Ok ... I see it is defo the suppliers fault!! 

http://www.esva.net/ghotes/food/haymans.htm

A bit long and in another country, but is it any use? There is something about piling up soil......

I have bought sweet potato slips this year (lost my own to a bad winter) and planted them out recently in deep soft manured ground with poles to climb (very pretty flowers) but am certainly not planning to earth them up.

In my more successful years, they have leapt up the poles and produced anything from "witches' fingers" to respectable potatoes.

Before frosts in the autumn, you can cut off the tips of the plants, root them in water, put into compost, and try to nurse them through the winter.