Sweet Potato Time 2012

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Thephoenix572

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #120 on: June 06, 2012, 20:46 »
I planted mine sweet potato plant in the greenhouse today
All the way from my allotment in beautiful Derbyshire. I'm in year 3 of my allotment and wish I'd caught the bug years ago, things growing from strength to strength

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troy

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #121 on: June 09, 2012, 21:05 »
Hi Trillium, after seeing your post i started my sweet potatoes (18.2.12) and waited very patiently for some signs of shoots which much to my delight  2 of them have started to sprout, this week  so my question is
1,Do i trim the roots that are in the water?
2. How do i keep them going since there is no way they will get 4 months of warm weather this year
3. At what point do i put  them in potting compost , so that they are plants for next year?, and will the plants need to be kept in a warm place.
Many thanks for your help  this is new to me and i dont know any one who grows them, i am told it's easier to buy from the super market  but i'm very keen for this to work, it's good to have a challenge :)

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Trillium

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #122 on: June 09, 2012, 22:30 »
The top shoots are hard to keep over winter but you can try. When they get about 5" tall, pinch out the growing tip and always keep the water topped up and it should last until next spring.

Never trim out the bottom white shoots in the water.

The top shoots can be gently twisted off at the potato surface and immediately potted up in moist potting mix. Some folk prefer to put the shoots into a smaller glass of water and that works too, but don't forget about it. When it has a few shoots it must then get potted up. I'm lazy and just pot it up in the first place.

And yes, sweet potatoes are tropical plants and need all the sun you have plus warmth and no drafts.

When planting out in the UK, I'd recommend a greenhouse, coldframe or large cloche to keep warmth in. They're a mounding type plant sort of like regular potatoes. All the individual white roots on the sprout are your future sweet potatoes. They'll first grow into longer finger-like shapes, then start to fill out. One fellow I know grows them in row cloches all summer long to give them the heat they need.

The trick after growing them is to 'season' them for storage and the conditions are very specific and hard to come by, so I mostly bottle mine for winter, or they can be dehydrated in slices. 

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Countryman_uk

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #123 on: June 25, 2012, 12:25 »

Have 12 buckets in the polytunnel with sweet potato's in , first time i have given them ago , so hopefully should get a few in sept

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Sean.

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #124 on: July 10, 2012, 09:46 »
I'm looking forward to mine. They've been in since mid-may. I have them growing outside in a black plastic, er....mound of compost filled earth. Always a worry at first, when the stalks wilt.

I have never grown my own sprouts to plant though. I think I'll try that next time. What do you do to grow the sprouts ?

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JayG

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #125 on: July 10, 2012, 10:01 »
I have never grown my own sprouts to plant though. I think I'll try that next time. What do you do to grow the sprouts ?

You brew a nice cup of tea, make yourself comfortable, then start reading this thread from the first page!  ;)


If that's not enough info, there was a similar thread run last year too:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=69949.0
Sow your seeds, plant your plants. What's the difference? A couple of weeks or more when answering possible queries!

One of the best things about being an orang-utan is the fact that you don't lose your good looks as you get older

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Sean.

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #126 on: July 10, 2012, 10:43 »
Kettle's on :)

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brianthomas

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #127 on: July 16, 2012, 22:23 »
hello not been on for a while heres an update ? have totaly given  up the patch for now
if youve been watching the news about east yorks goole has flooded again due to youkshire waters pumps breaking down again.
17 of the 21 plots at our patch under 2ft water still very bad after 2wks spuds ruined
brasicas turning yellow onions rotten, all that hard work winter digging mucking to retain moister??? well I can only hope and pray fore a better august given up on sweet pots will start again in jan 2013 hope yours are a suckcess bt.

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Trillium

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #128 on: July 20, 2012, 22:52 »
It's really hot here, averaging 33C each day and the sweet potatoes are loving it. However, it's dry as a stick here so despite the heat they're struggling a bit without occasional water.

Sadly, a lot of UKrs are also struggling with their new rice paddies and there's nothing to be done except plan for next year and fingers and toes crossed that it will be drier.

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khelashi

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #129 on: August 21, 2012, 10:18 »
I'm curious - did anyone have a harvest of sweet potatoes yet?
Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. :-)

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mumofstig

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #130 on: August 21, 2012, 14:40 »
It's not time to harvest them yet  ;)

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symonep

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #131 on: August 23, 2012, 21:57 »
When can you harvest them?
Gained an allotment on the 19th June 08, 135ft by 40ft! eekk. Finally after 4 years it is looking like an allotment and not a jungle

We have 5 lovely hens in the garden, fish, 2 dogs and 2 canaries

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Trillium

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #132 on: August 24, 2012, 13:38 »
Harvest time would be late Sept to early October depending on your weather and the plant's growth. At that time you can furtle a bit to see how things are developing. Young potatoes will resemble long skinny fingers until they fill out, which hopefully has happened by then.

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Annen

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #133 on: September 26, 2012, 23:48 »
I've got 3 bags out in the greenhouse.  Loads of top growth not showing any signs of dying back yet.  Is it too soon to have a quick furtle?
Anne

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bazial

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Re: Sweet Potato Time 2012
« Reply #134 on: October 03, 2012, 08:43 »
Emptied my 2ftx2ft tub of sweet potatoes yesterday ,leaves were turning yellow ,the crop was very good indeed ,14 potatoes 6 to 8ins long x1 1/2 ins dia and one 6ins long x3ins dia .
Had some roasted for our supper last night and very nice they were indeed.
That tub was in the greenhous ,I have two more up the allotment under clotches that are planted in the ground they  still have good fresh leaves so I shall leave them to get bigger ,(I hope)
bazial



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