How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Your Garden
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Are you looking for a way to add some variety to your garden? Why not try growing sweet potatoes? This article will teach you everything you need to know about how to grow sweet potatoes in your garden, from planting to harvesting. So read on and get started!
Where to grow sweet potatoes
If you are growing sweet potatoes, it is important to be aware of the pests and diseases that can affect them. The most common pests are aphids, whiteflies, and slugs. These can be controlled with organic methods such as using soapy water, horticultural oil, or Spinosad.
The most common diseases are blight, wilt, and rot. These can be controlled with fungicides such as copper oxychloride or mancozeb. It is important to apply these at the first signs of disease in order to get the best results.
Varieties of sweet potato to grow
Beauregard Improved is a variety that will give you sweet-tasting orange flesh. Bonita is a pinkish tuber with orange flesh that is also sweet. Evangeline is an orange-fleshed tuber which is almost twice as sweet as many other varieties, but it needs a long hot summer to grow well. It is very vigorous.
How to plant sweet potatoes
When the slips have rooted and shown signs of growth, move them on to their final growing positions.
If you are growing them in the ground, give them plenty of organic matter to dig in and make sure the soil is well drained.
If you are growing them in pots, make sure they are deep enough to accommodate the long stem and that there is plenty of drainage.
Water regularly but sparingly, especially when the plants are flowering and setting fruit.
Make sure to provide plenty of water when the plants are flowering and setting fruit!
Growing sweet potatoes from chits
If you have a few friends over, why not have a potato-chitting party? Get everyone to bring a few tubers of their own and set up a little station in your garden. Provide some moist soil, some pots or trays, and let everyone get to work! Not only will this be a fun way to spend an afternoon, but you’ll also get to grow some delicious sweet potatoes.
Growing sweet potatoes outside
Growing vegetables is about patience! The gardener should be watching carefully, in order to help the plants, get situated in their new home. The gardener should be sure to water and fertilize the plants as needed and keep an eye on them to ensure they are growing well.
Growing sweet potatoes undercover
If you have a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory, sweet potatoes do best when grown undercover. Plant them in the greenhouse border in well-prepared soil, spacing the plants 30cm apart. You can also plant them in large containers filled with peat-free multi-purpose compost enhanced with well-rotted manure or compost. Plant them 30cm apart, with a minimum pot diameter of 30cm.
How to care for sweet potatoes
Pinching out the growing points will help to keep the plants compact and will also encourage them to produce more tubers. Water regularly, at least once a day, and remember to open the doors and windows during the day if your crop is grown undercover to keep it well ventilated. Feed your greenhouse or container crops with a general-purpose fertilizer every two or three weeks.
How to harvest sweet potatoes
After harvesting, wash the sweet potatoes in a tub of water to remove any soil. Let them dry for a few hours before storing them in a cool, dark place. They will keep for up to six weeks.
Before storing, you may want to brush off any excess soil and trim off the damaged or wilted leaves.
If you have harvested your potatoes and they are in good condition, but you do not have time to use them straight away, then you can cure them. This will help to extend their shelf life.
To cure the skins, lay them out in the sun for a few hours after harvesting. Once they are dry, move them to a warm humid place – such as a greenhouse – for around 10 days.
Once you have cured the skins, you can store them in a cupboard or shed for a few weeks. Keep them dry and check them regularly for signs of rotting. Avoid storing any damaged tubers as they can rot and spoil the rest of the crop.
How to store sweet potatoes
After the sweet potatoes have been cured, they can be stored in a cool, dark place such as a cellar or a root cellar. They will keep for several months in this way. Sweet potatoes are a very nutruitious vegetable that can bring a lot of tasty recipes to your table. Enjoy them!
