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Seasons
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Sweet potatoes are a vital part of the
southern diet. They are enjoyed baked, mashed, fried, and cooked
into pies. It is a nutritious vegetable that is resurging in
popularity.
Sweet potatoes are started from "slips" which are sprouts
that grow out of stored potatoes and develop roots and leaves.
Your local seed store usually sells the slips in bundles of 25-50
starting in May.
The plants enjoy hot weather and take 4 frost-free months to produce
big potatoes.
Planting:
Do not plant sweet potatoes until all danger of frost is past and the
ground is 60 degrees warm.
Till the soil and make raised ridges 6-8 inches high and a foot or so
wide. The rows should be spaced 36-48 inches apart. These raised
ridges provide a place for the potatoes to grow and also the raised
ground warms more quickly.
Insert the slips 12-18 inches apart into the top of the ridge at a 45
degree angle so the sprouts at the tip stick up above the soil surface.
Press the soil gently around the slip and make a shallow depression to
hold moisture. Water each evening until the roots have taken hold.
Because sweet potatoes are a root crop they require a starter solution
high in phosphorus.
Fertilizing:
Side-dress in 3-4 weeks with 3 pounds of 5-10-10 per 100 foot row.
Harvest:
In the south, sweet potatoes are harvested in late September or
mid-October. You can dig small potatoes at any time. In the North,
you will want to harvest before any impending frost. You want to get
them before the fall rains or they will rot in the ground.
Dig the potatoes carefully as not to bruise or cut them Store in a
basket or crate in a warm, humid location. You can expect a pound of
sweet potatoes for each foot of row under average growing conditions. |
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Local Varieties:
These plants do not run as much as traditional plants. The
potatoes are rich yellow/orange nuggets and excellent keepers.
The spuds of this potato look purple when first dug. Allow them
to cure and they will be sweet and juicy for a long while.
This red potato is very juicy and sweet when cooked. The vines
are runners.
This red potato is very sweet and juicy when cooked. It is
comparable with the Centennial.
How to start "slips".
I have never done this, the information has been taken from my
gardening book.
- Store the potatoes in a warm, well-lit area. You will want them to
have started sprouting slightly.
- 90 days before last frost (if the frost date is May 15-then this
date would be February 15) it is time to "pot" the
potatoes.
- Embed the potatoes in soil (pots or beds) at 45 degree angles so
the sprouts at the tips stick above the soils surface. Be
careful not to break the sprouts as each one will become a
plant. They must be kept warm (65-70 degree F) and moist. In
the South you can plant outdoors in cold frames but otherwise use
1-2 gallon pots. Poke drainage holes in the bottom of the
container and put a layer of 3" of mulch or wood chips for
drainage. Then add garden or potting soil. No fertilizer
is needed as the potato has enough nutrients to support sprouts.
- When the slips are 6-12 inches tall, they are ready to
"harvest".
- There are two methods.
-You can pull the slips with the roots intact from the
potato. You risk transferring any disease the stored potato
may have into your garden.
-Cut the slips 1 inch above the surface of the potato. Set in
water a few days-weeks to start growth of new roots.
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®
Hertzler
Farm
and Feed Inc.
Sweet Potatoes