Most productive red fleshed sweet potato varieties?

uno · January 5, 2014

I tried growing sweet potatoes many years ago, I grew white fleshed ones and they didn't do very well for me.

I love sweet potatoes though and I would like to grow them if I could more yield for my effort it would be great....I always had trouble with root crops here probably due to the heavy clay soil.

So just wondering what some of the highest yielding red fleshed sweet potato varieties are that others here have grown?

If I give them another try this year I will plant some of those and see how it goes.

Thanks

Jim

kath · January 5, 2014

Beauregard won hands-down for me over Evangeline, Georgia Jet, Porto Rico, Sharp, Stevenson and Vardamon here in sw PA, where we've worked hard to improve our basic shale clay soil. It produced the most and largest tubers and was the only one that didn't get some kind of pox marks all over the skin which just got worse in storage. Since this is the only one available at the local Agway, that works out fine for me just in case I have trouble getting slips to grow in the spring. Don't give up before at least giving this one a try.

kath

wmontanez · January 5, 2014

I found one called Koimo at my local Korean grocery store. It is red skin, white-yellowy flesh raw but cooked turns yellow. I was surprised at the production in my area. Short-mid season and oh so tasty BAKED

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8W...it?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8W...it?usp=sharing

Fusion_power · January 6, 2014

Murasaki is a possible, Covington is a good orange flesh, Bradshaw (aka Mahon) is my preferred orange flesh variety.

uno · January 8, 2014

Thanks Kath, Wendy and Fusion power

Kath

I didn't even think of looking for slips at the local stores. I ordered mine in the mail when I planted them a while back.

Wendy

That is the first I have ever seen that one. I don't think I have ever seen one of those locally.

Fusion Power

The Covington variety was supposed to be the most widely planted variety in the U.S. if I understand what I read about it right.

Jim

uno · January 7, 2016

Kath

I just wanted to say THANKS!

I tried the Beauregard sweet potatoes and they grew many times the size of the other varieties I tried years ago. I had vines growing all over my garden!

Jim

kath · January 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by uno

Kath

I just wanted to say THANKS!

I tried the Beauregard sweet potatoes and they grew many times the size of the other varieties I tried years ago. I had vines growing all over my garden!

Jim

Glad they did well for you, too, Jim! They really give you some huge ones- we had some at 15 lbs. this year. The vines are really long, but when they get outside the fence, the deer keep 'em trimmed.

kath

uno · January 11, 2016

Kath

I laughed when I read your post because a deer actually got inside my garden fence and that is what it mostly ate...sweet potato vines! And some tomatoes.

Jim

kath · January 11, 2016

The little bunnies that can squeeze in and out of our fencing always go for the sweet potato vines, too. Every year I hope that when the time comes that they're too big to fit anymore, they'll be on the outside!

Worth1 · January 11, 2016

I'm trying my luck at growing my own slips this year and already have some going from a store bought potato.
I have three more potatoes that are starting to sprout slips.

Worth
IMG_20160111_44174.jpg

PhilaGardener · January 12, 2016

I had great luck with Japanese Purple last year. Beauregard (orange flesh) and O'Henry (white) give me good yields (but no 15 pounders (!)) and I will be trialing Murasaki and Covington this coming season. I don't know of a red fleshed variety but would be glad to hear about one!

January 5, 2014	#1
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Most productive red fleshed sweet potato varieties? I tried growing sweet potatoes many years ago, I grew white fleshed ones and they didn't do very well for me. I love sweet potatoes though and I would like to grow them if I could more yield for my effort it would be great....I always had trouble with root crops here probably due to the heavy clay soil. So just wondering what some of the highest yielding red fleshed sweet potato varieties are that others here have grown? If I give them another try this year I will plant some of those and see how it goes. Thanks Jim

January 11, 2016	#10
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'm trying my luck at growing my own slips this year and already have some going from a store bought potato. I have three more potatoes that are starting to sprout slips. Worth IMG_20160111_44174.jpg Last edited by Worth1; January 11, 2016 at 10:10 PM.

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January 5, 2014	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Beauregard won hands-down for me over Evangeline, Georgia Jet, Porto Rico, Sharp, Stevenson and Vardamon here in sw PA, where we've worked hard to improve our basic shale clay soil. It produced the most and largest tubers and was the only one that didn't get some kind of pox marks all over the skin which just got worse in storage. Since this is the only one available at the local Agway, that works out fine for me just in case I have trouble getting slips to grow in the spring. Don't give up before at least giving this one a try. kath

January 6, 2014	#4
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Murasaki is a possible, Covington is a good orange flesh, Bradshaw (aka Mahon) is my preferred orange flesh variety.

January 8, 2014	#5
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Thanks Kath, Wendy and Fusion power Kath I didn't even think of looking for slips at the local stores. I ordered mine in the mail when I planted them a while back. Wendy That is the first I have ever seen that one. I don't think I have ever seen one of those locally. Fusion Power The Covington variety was supposed to be the most widely planted variety in the U.S. if I understand what I read about it right. Jim

January 7, 2016	#6
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Kath I just wanted to say THANKS! I tried the Beauregard sweet potatoes and they grew many times the size of the other varieties I tried years ago. I had vines growing all over my garden! Jim

January 12, 2016	#11
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	I had great luck with Japanese Purple last year. Beauregard (orange flesh) and O'Henry (white) give me good yields (but no 15 pounders (!)) and I will be trialing Murasaki and Covington this coming season. I don't know of a red fleshed variety but would be glad to hear about one!