[Trillium]

After a late start this spring because my sweet potato tuber would not sprout for ages, I finally pulled up my 3 plants on Monday to see the results. Did not expect to get only a handful, literally, of finger sized tubers  There is enough for a small meal for 2.

For next year, I have kept the sprouting potato going and it has numerous sprouts on it that I will keep growing for an early start. By then the potato will have exhausted its stores and need composting, but not before I pinch off all the sprouts in late Feb. and pot them up. Look out 2014!! 

[rawrecruit]

Right, good luck for next year Trillium and everyone else.... I'll be trying some different varieties next year as my O Henry was also quite small (but yummy!)

[Ema]

I've not dug mine up but even with bit of clear plastic over the plants don't look happy might dig them up at the weekend I'm guessing the tubers arnt frost hardy.

I'm also thinking of getting an early start for 2014 this time with some fly mesh over so the slips don't get aphids

[Ema]

I dug them out today and was quiet surprised by my findings as the plants looked like they were suffering from the cold dispite beig covered.

3 plants and the tubers weighed in just over 1kg

Most are piddly but a few are a reasonable size



Here they are cleaned up


I love sweet potatos so if these are at all tastey I will be growing a lot more of them next year. I think considering the 3 plants had about 2ft square of space this small harvest is more space economical than this years squashe which took up loads of room.

[sunshineband]

All bar one of mine are wormy like ones.

I have dug up and trimmed back the plants them selves and potted them up, together with some of the finely rooted leaf joints too. They are in the frost free greenhouse now at home.

I have a cunning plan to stop the voles from disturbing the soil all around them next season, and hope that the plants get off to a good start.

Can't stop a girl from trying 

[Trillium]

That's the spirit, Sunny   

[sunshineband]

That's the spirit, Sunny   

The leaves haven't wilted, so that is a good sign 

Is the formation of tubers daylight length dependent? Those pots would not be large enough if they now start tubering in them 

[Trillium]

Heat is what gets the tubers growing, sunlight just keeps the plant healthy.

My tubers resembled Ema's but she got some fatter ones than I did. 

[sunshineband]

I just need to keep them healthy over the winter (even cleaned the greenhouse glass again) ready to go out next summer.

Our one that was decent sized tasted good 

[Herb]

As a recollection, I had two plants in a polycarbonate coldframe in the ground, and 1 plant in a potato bag in the greenhouse.

These are the results:

The right-hand side are from the greenhouse, the ones planted in the ground are also full of holes (I think made by slugs), pretty much inedible so were composted, definitely seems to me that putting it in the greenhouse is the way forward.

[Trillium]

Herb, did you watch the video I posted early in this thread about growing them in big boxes in the greenhouse? That might help you out.