Sweet Potatoes

[TNTreeHugger]

Any tips on growing sweet potatoes in the south?

I bought five plants last year and enjoyed the blooming vines all summer, but didn't expect to get any taters.
I was pleasantly surprised in the fall when I was raking up the spent vines and snagged several bunches of large sweet taters!
I got four pounds of good size.
Want to plant more this year, and even though mine did well without even trying, I'm wondering what I can do to improve the crop.

Here's what I got last year

 

[TNTreeHugger]

 

[TNTreeHugger]

They made the best sweet potato pies!
I made one this morning

 

[djg james]

Any tips on growing sweet potatoes in the south?

I bought five plants last year and enjoyed the blooming vines all summer, but didn't expect to get any taters.
I was pleasantly surprised in the fall when I was raking up the spent vines and snagged several bunches of large sweet taters!
I got four pounds of good size.
Want to plant more this year, and even though mine did well without even trying, I'm wondering what I can do to improve the crop.

Here's what I got last year
View attachment 1149568

Better than mine. I planted twice as much last years in raised beds. Mine were not much bigger than pencils.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Check the Ph of the soil. taters like a neutral Ph. I grow heirloom potatoes every year.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Better than mine. I planted twice as much last years in raised beds. Mine were not much bigger than pencils.

I guess the weather was just right for them... sure wasn't because of anything I did.
Mine are in a sort-of raised bed that was full of grass, I assume, from the straw I used for mulch.
But the sweet potato and Ocoee vines sure loved it. Had lots of beautiful flowers all summer and more Gulf fritillary butterflies than I've ever seen.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Check the Ph of the soil. taters like a neutral Ph. I grow heirloom potatoes every year.

What do you use to check the ph?

 

[sonny580]

Not sure what you need to do in the south but here in central Illinois I plant them in regular garden and start raking dirt up around them as they grow and they do like LOTS of water , heat , and compost or sack fertilizer. Other than that they are fairly easy to grow.
I had a ton of these last year. 12.5 pounds each and they were great quality. --- no strings, smooth texture and great taste.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Not sure what you need to do in the south but here in central Illinois I plant them in regular garden and start raking dirt up around them as they grow and they do like LOTS of water , heat , and compost or sack fertilizer. Other than that they are fairly easy to grow.
I had a ton of these last year. 12.5 pounds each and they were great quality. --- no strings, smooth texture and great taste.

OMGosh! That is humongous!
What you describe is pretty much what I have in my garden spot.
So are they like tomato plants, in that they will put out new roots up the main stem as it's buried?
Will mounding the dirt make the plant grow more roots/taters?

How do you cook a tater that big?

 

[djg james]

Not sure what you need to do in the south but here in central Illinois I plant them in regular garden and start raking dirt up around them as they grow and they do like LOTS of water , heat , and compost or sack fertilizer. Other than that they are fairly easy to grow.
I had a ton of these last year. 12.5 pounds each and they were great quality. --- no strings, smooth texture and great taste.

Sorry Sonny, I've asked you before, but what fertilizer do you use? I'm getting ready to start sprouting my little potatoes so they are ready to plant in the Spring here in Central IL (around St. Louis).

 

[sonny580]

fertilizer is composted horse manure, leaves and anything that will rot. Sack fert. is triple 10.
Water is as much as I can dump on them during the growing season.
The vines will put down roots all along its length as long as its against the dirt.
Mounding the dirt up gives more area for the tater to grow and still be under the dirt. They really need loose dirt to make big taters.
I cut the big guys into sections and cook one section at a time. only took a week to eat one of them. lol!
Trying to get my 12 x 24 greenhouse up so I will be ready to start some plants here. Gonna be a race cause it looks like winter is coming back in a week or so and I have to do a logging job Monday so that day will be shot!

 

[TNTreeHugger]

The vines will put down roots all along its length as long as its against the dirt.

Thanks sonny!
So this could explain the rogue taters I found on the far side of the garden?

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

i had leftover sweet spuds from one holiday season. decided to plant a couple. just cut in half (for no partic reason) lengthwise and put out in garden, covered lightly. soon the vines started spreading. and soon had tubers. they were tasty. sweeter than from store. have tried again. good results. just some reg ferts and some 0/20/0 from time to time.... they need a lot of space.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

i had leftover sweet spuds from one holiday season. decided to plant a couple. just cut in half (for no partic reason) lengthwise and put out in garden, covered lightly. soon the vines started spreading. and soon had tubers. they were tasty. sweeter than from store. have tried again. good results. just some reg ferts and some 0/20/0 from time to time.... they need a lot of space.

Would that work with store bought sweet taters? Do you wait until after last frost to plant them?
I've seen videos of how they start them in plastic storage containers and plant them in the garden after they sprout.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

Would that work with store bought sweet taters? Do you wait until after last frost to plant them?
I've seen videos of how they start them in plastic storage containers and plant them in the garden after they sprout.

mine were store bot. now that i think about it, had no shoots. i just put them out in garden. on side of a bed. left them. covered leaves, etc. no showings so went to ck, toss out. and they were covered in roots!!

u know the ol saying, more than one way to skin a cat! ~

 

[sonny580]

Sometimes they put taters out on the vines far away from main plant. Some varieties are super bad about doing that. When they do this it robs from the main set under the plant making all of them small.
Store taters may or may not sprout! They are treated with a chemical to retard sprouting and depending on how long ago they were treated will dictate how soon they will overpower the chemical and sprout anyway! Its a toss up with them but worth a try. Also they would be an unknown variety! I have best luck here with Beauguards. --- Location also makes a difference.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Sometimes they put taters out on the vines far away from main plant. Some varieties are super bad about doing that. When they do this it robs from the main set under the plant making all of them small.
Store taters may or may not sprout! They are treated with a chemical to retard sprouting and depending on how long ago they were treated will dictate how soon they will overpower the chemical and sprout anyway! Its a toss up with them but worth a try. Also they would be an unknown variety! I have best luck here with Beauguards. --- Location also makes a difference.

Hmmm. Should the vines be trimmed back on the main plant?

 

[sonny580]

The more vines you have the bigger the taters are!

 

[TNTreeHugger]

The more vines you have the bigger the taters are!

I'm definitely planting sweet potatoes this year again, and more of them!

 

[Brewmaster]

Not sure what you need to do in the south but here in central Illinois I plant them in regular garden and start raking dirt up around them as they grow and they do like LOTS of water , heat , and compost or sack fertilizer. Other than that they are fairly easy to grow.
I had a ton of these last year. 12.5 pounds each and they were great quality. --- no strings, smooth texture and great taste.

That is as big as yer head!