[angelavdavis]

Joined late to the party, having only started preparing my slips in April.  I have now got three decent slips which I potted up plus two more which are rooting away in water. 

I have also been given one slip by a friend who purchased hers (which is no bigger than my efforts which I thought might be too little too late to be honest).

I am intending to plant two in the GH and two under a glass cloche outside in a bed topped with black weed suppressing fabric to keep the soil snug.

I was tempted to build a "cabinet" to grow the GH ones in, but to be honest, I have enough jobs to do without creating more!

[Trillium]

You could always do the hoop trick were you stick some bamboo canes along the 2 edges then bend some pvc pipe and push the ends into the canes. Finally, when the weather cools a bit you can drape a sheet of poly over it and weight the edges down.

[Capt Zero]

Well I've had no luck at all with my 3 SP's,  2 went yuck    and the last one went into the compost bin,
but ask me if I'm a luck boy!!!!!!go on ask...

Yes I am....all because of  "Peas let my pumpkins grow" she sent ( via her uncle) 5 lovely plants already in pots.



I've saved some room in the GH, so I live in hope that we'll have home grown SP's this year.

[Trillium]

Wow, that's really nice of Peas. You're already way ahead of my small plants   

[Herb]

Plants are growing well after being planted. Probably about 8" tall/long now and more stems sprouting.

 One of them is growing upright,  the other two are trailing. Which is normal?

[Trillium]

Both are normal. The taller plants will quickly send out side runner leaves and vines to keep the soil cool with shade.

[Ema]

Taking mine off the window and into my make shift cold frame today 1 lot has loads of white flies that I am getting sick of squishing

[Peas let my pumpkins grow]

Wow capain zero! I had my doubts about wether my uncle would hand them over in good health lol! We ll get him in the greenfingers gang soon enough !

 My SP s went in last w/e, hope they havent scorched too much under the mini tunnel with this gorgeous weather we've been enjoying - I'm expecting crispified crackled up stems when I get back

[Geminem]

We are growing sweet pots for the first time, any advice would be great. I currently have around 8 slips planted into the allotment, do they need any protection while they are small?

We have at least 20 more growing on our potatoes, where is the best place to plant to get a good healthy yeald? I'm willing to experiment with other places other than the ground.

[Trillium]

Large containers with humus rich soil will work well.

If the weather is a bit cool, covering the plants with something like cloches, etc are great to help build up the heat they need to mature.

[Capt Zero]

Wow capain zero! I had my doubts about wether my uncle would hand them over in good health lol! We ll get him in the greenfingers gang soon enough ! 

No chance....
I've tried...he's got away with planting his crimbo tree (which I think is still growing) and he planted the rhubarb that you gave him...I think that's your lot.

Trillium...a question!
I have room in the GH for 3 maybe 4 of the SP's would this be a good idea?? the reason I ask is photo's that I've seen of SP have massive amounts of vine above ground...can I cut back the tops of the plants if I need to,....like if I can't get into the GH... without damage to the crop???

[Geminem]

Oh thanks, it's nice and warm here at the moment. Will keep an eye on the temperature. I have some thin fleece cover from winter.

 Although we are away for two weeks soon and leaving the plot in the hands of my father in law. I feel like in leaving child behind, we have lots of rules to give him haha

[Trillium]

A greenhouse is an excellent idea for those who have them as the plants really do need 4 months of good heat to produce full tubers.

And yes, you can trim back some of the leaves and even eat them. Not tried them myself but others say they're quite nutritious.

[rowan57]

Sweet Potato leaves are only good for cattle IMHO. Mucilaginous blergh. Sweet Potato's like it HOT HOT HOT, you would be hard pushed in the UK to make it too hot unless you got your childhood magnifying glass out and focussed the sun.

[sunshineband]

My slips are now growing away and I am going to harden them off a bit before planting them in the mini tunnel at the plot.

I have rotted manure ready to dig in for them, and am hoping the plants survive the change to out of their pot into the ground.

How far apart do you plant them?