I want to give sweet potatoes a go next year, any tips, good place to plant, supplier, variety?
Thanks
CoMpO
SWEET POTATOES
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retropants
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Hello Compo!
I have given them a try this year, but results are pending as I won't be digging for a few weeks yet!
What I did: (not ideal, but cheap)
I bought a sweet potato from a greengrocers.
Placed it in a tray of compost inside a heated propagator in my greenhouse. (this was April I think)
It soon sprouted shoots, which, when large enough, I cut off and rooted in pots. These were then grown on and planted out in the greenhouse border late May early June (maybe later, can't remember). I have kept them very well watered. They didn't take over the greenhouse as anticipated, or flower, so I am dubious as to whether I'll get any crop, but who knows what's lurking beneath??
HTH?
I have given them a try this year, but results are pending as I won't be digging for a few weeks yet!
What I did: (not ideal, but cheap)
I bought a sweet potato from a greengrocers.
Placed it in a tray of compost inside a heated propagator in my greenhouse. (this was April I think)
It soon sprouted shoots, which, when large enough, I cut off and rooted in pots. These were then grown on and planted out in the greenhouse border late May early June (maybe later, can't remember). I have kept them very well watered. They didn't take over the greenhouse as anticipated, or flower, so I am dubious as to whether I'll get any crop, but who knows what's lurking beneath??
HTH?-
retropants
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I think they need the heat, so greenhouse is best. They are tropical apparently. To be honest, I am not holding out much hope for any crop, as they have not grown rampantly as expected, they are only about 18" tall, and rather bushy, as they are from the convolvulous(sp?) family, I was expecting metres of growth, and put in 6' stakes in anticipation of this!
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Mike Vogel
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I grew some succesfully last year. Warm up the soil with black polythene. Ridge up the soil before planting.
When you get the slips I would suggest putting them straightaway in tepid water and only when you see roots forming putting them in compost in toilet-roll inners.
Plant out mid- to end-June, letting only the very tips of the plants show above ground. Authorities differ as to whether to mulch with black polythene or not, but at any rate keep them moist, preferably with nettle or comfrey "tea" or a seaweed fertiliser.
Let them grow as long as poss, butharvest once the first frosts have killed the topgrowth. They then need "curing" for a week in an airing cupboard, but mine were OK without that luxury.
good luck.
mike
When you get the slips I would suggest putting them straightaway in tepid water and only when you see roots forming putting them in compost in toilet-roll inners.
Plant out mid- to end-June, letting only the very tips of the plants show above ground. Authorities differ as to whether to mulch with black polythene or not, but at any rate keep them moist, preferably with nettle or comfrey "tea" or a seaweed fertiliser.
Let them grow as long as poss, butharvest once the first frosts have killed the topgrowth. They then need "curing" for a week in an airing cupboard, but mine were OK without that luxury.
good luck.
mike
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