My first ever sweet potato harvest - Myth Buster

[Elizabeth]

This last spring I had some store bought sweet potatoes that I had left over from the holidays sprout in the pantry. I decided to encourage them along by putting them in water so I could get slips. I remember someone telling me years ago that you couldn't grow sweets this near the coast in San Diego because it doesn't get hot enough (mid 80's is a heat wave here). I figured I would give it a try anyway, all it was going to cost me was a little effort and some garden space. Well...yet another gardening myth busted!
I harvested them today.
I got 42.25 pounds of sweet potatoes from 24 square feet. My garden beds are actually quite large containers, these particular ones are 4'x3'

I had 4 slips left over so I put them in a big pot by the front door. That produced 5.25 pounds.
47.5 lbs of sweet potatoes total.
I learned a few things - they need more water than I was giving them. One bed had 24.25 lbs and the other 16.25 - the difference was a broken irrigation line - I didn't know one of the micro drip lines had come off the multi connector under the soil, so that bed got a lot more water when the system ran. The drier one wasn't as accessible once the vines got bigger so I was only checking moisture on the one that happened to be getting the extra. Next year, and you can bet I will plant these again next year, I will add extra drip lines to the sweet potato beds.

I learned hills started from slips and whole mother sweet potatoes produce just about the same amount per hill. I didn't know if it was normal to do so or not, but I planted the mothers too.

I learned that they really like heat in a container. The pot by the front door had way, way better production from the slips on the south and west side of the pot - there were lots of feeder roots on the shade side, but almost no sweet potatoes. The pot is on the west side of the house so it doesn't get sun until midday.

I read that you aren't supposed to wash them, so dirt and all I now have them in crates in a shower in our outside pool bathroom which doesn't see much use this time of year. I have a radiant heater and a remote thermometer and humidity gauge so I can keep track of things and 4 wide containers full of water. Right now it's 76 degrees and about 75% humidity in there. That should go up as the radiant heater does it's thing. They are slower to heat things up, but once it's warm it can maintain very well without blowing drying air. I guess the next step on this experimental journey is to figure out how to tell when they are done curing.

I need to plant earlier next year. My slips were planted June 25. I think my harvest would have been bigger if I had planted mid-May. I had lots of skinny ones that didn't have time to plump up. This was just a fun lark this year, next year I'll do it for real

[akgardengirl]

That's really cool! I won't be growing them up here tho.
Sue B.

[rnewste]

Elizabeth,

Next year, you need to build some EarthTainers!!

BTW, totally unrelated, but in photo #8 your shower grouting looks like perfection. What cleaner product do you use on it?

I showed your photo to Dear Wife - - and all I got was a scowl in return...

Raybo

[kath]

That's great, Elizabeth! They look flawless and it's really encouraging that you got so many nice ones. Even the skinnier ones look usable and over 40 lbs. is a lot of sweet taters. You gathered a lot of useful information from all the variables you observed this year so you should be able to control the outcome pretty well next season.

Not sure if there's a way to tell when they're "done" curing- most of what I've read says a week to 10 days in the proper conditions. They look the same before and after. Supposedly, they taste sweeter after they've been in storage for a while. Enjoy!

[Elizabeth]

LOL Raybo - The shower isn't used daily - it's for pre/post pool/spa showers, and for the occasional time I get so incredibly dirty in the garden I daren't walk in the house so it stays pretty clean.

When I do clean it I use eco kind of things, Shaklee, ecover, stuff like that. We don't get mold because we open the largish window in the shower when we're done...or before we're done if we are feeling daring

[Elizabeth]

Thanks Kath I kept out the really skinny ones (fat pencil size). I tried one while I was harvesting - it tasted starchy like a raw Irish potato, so I'm thinking I'll wash those up, oil them up with some nice olive oil, season and roast for 15 minutes. Perhaps I'll dice a few into a soup too.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

Thanks Kath I kept out the really skinny ones (fat pencil size). I tried one while I was harvesting - it tasted starchy like a raw Irish potato, so I'm thinking I'll wash those up, oil them up with some nice olive oil, season and roast for 15 minutes. Perhaps I'll dice a few into a soup too.

Good idea- when you try to store them, they shrivel up in no time. I only cure and store the ones that are at least an inch in diameter. Sweet potato pie is yummy, too.

[semi_lucid]

Cool. I'm planning on giving them a try next year.

According to the website below, speaking of the variety Beauregard,

"Chances are this is the variety that is available in your local market."

http://www.sweetpotatoplant.com/potatoes.html

John

[salix]

Sue - you should give them a shot. I got a couple pounds of the skinny ones (like in picture #7) up here, in a bad year, without a clue as to what I was doing!

[semi_lucid]

If your going to try them in the north, you might try the 'Georgia Jets' in the link above.

[akgardengirl]

That's hopeful Salix. I am going to grow some of Tom's taters next year. I got them in too late this year for any decent sizes.
Sue B.

[salix]

Semi Lucid - I would love to try them, but as of yet have not been able to locate a company who will provide named cultivars to Canada.

[semi_lucid]

Originally Posted by salix

Semi Lucid - I would love to try them, but as of yet have not been able to locate a company who will provide named cultivars to Canada.

Is there a law that prohibits import, or they just don't want to ship to Canada?

I've bought things from vendors in Canada, it didn't seem to be a problem.

John

[semi_lucid]

I was looking around, and Sandhill recommends against Georgia Jet


"Georgia Jet: Early. Vining, normal leaf, pink/red skin, orange flesh, above average yield. While this continues to be a popular variety, I find it to be one of the least desirable ones to grow. Yes, it is early. Yes, it gets big, but it cooks up mushy. It doesn't have the flavor or resistance to cracking that some of the other varieties we carry have. We sincerely hope that you will try some of the more flavorful heirlooms that we offer. While you may not get an 8 to 10 pound "whopper," you're going to get something that will tantalize your taste buds with the heirlooms"

http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/..._potatoes.html

[salix]

Thank you for your research, John. I have already several times looked through their listings and informative shipping instructions, but alas, they cannot ship to Canada. Only seeds.