Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: leakydave on April 11, 2012, 11:09

Title: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: leakydave on April 11, 2012, 11:09: Has anyone had success growing commercially supplied (variety "Beauregard") sweet potato slips in 40 litre containers? I live in the Isle of Axholme (Nth Lincolnshire, UK).
I'm expecting delivery of the slips in a week or two so I'm up for any advice available - number of slips per container/type of compost/fertiliser/watering etc.
Thanx in advance.
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: Yorkie on April 11, 2012, 11:58: Welcome to the site :D

I'm going to move this thread over to the GYO section as more people will see your question there.

There is a thread called sweet potatoes 2012 (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=87463.0) which I haven't read but might help.

If you use the search function there was a similar thread last year too.

By the way, it's often helpful when we're chatting about growing stuff to be able to remember whereabouts in the country (or world!) people are. You can edit your forum profile to show this information - just click your username.
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: Trillium on April 11, 2012, 19:43: You could try, but I'd limit it to one slip per container. SW's put up a very large top growth that likes to crawl about to shade its roots. The roots themselves, if given enough sun and heat for 4 months, will likely fill your containers. Each of the shoot roots is a potential potato if they get the conditions they need.
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: devonbarmygardener on April 12, 2012, 23:35: We tried in 2009 - 'Georgia Jet' type - in big 60 litre potato type fabric bags and nothing.
The slips grew a few roots but no swellings - not a single sweet potato.

After the problems I've had with T&M (sure you know which company this is) I wouldn't get them this company again. They must be based up north somewhere because the times they send stuff out is too late for the far south west - we could do with their plants a month earlier.

Good luck.
Me and my mate John felt that growing them in bags (like potatoes) would be the best option - maybe a spot in the greenhouse would be better???

Emma
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: Trillium on April 13, 2012, 03:05: The only way sweet potatoes will grow is with real warmth. Not 60F + weather, but real 80F+ temps, so a greenhouse would be more ideal if you're in cooler areas of the UK. They'd do fine with the toms.
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: leakydave on April 18, 2012, 11:22: Thanks for the replies - still waiting delivery and yes, T & M not helpful at all re delivery - "between mid April & early June!" with no notification. Guess I should stay home for 7 weeks.
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: Thephoenix572 on April 18, 2012, 12:25: I had great success in growing then in a greenhouse last year
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: devonbarmygardener on April 19, 2012, 21:59: Quote from: leakydave on April 18, 2012, 11:22
Thanks for the replies - still waiting delivery and yes, T & M not helpful at all re delivery - "between mid April & early June!" with no notification. Guess I should stay home for 7 weeks.

Thats exactly how I felt!
My nematodes arrived while I was away for a week - good job the sorting office is freezing!
Emma
Title: Re: Growing sweet potatoes in containers
Post by: leakydave on May 31, 2012, 15:03: Slips arrived today! Following instructions to the letter so I'm off to the garden centre for some root trainers (now I know how big the slips are).