What you are talking about are the same thing, sweet potatoes Ipomoea batatas. There are many cultivars with flesh colors white, yellow, orange, even purple. The orange fleshed varieties are usually the most moist and sweet. Yams are in the family Dioscorea. Most common commercially is Dioscorea batatas, but there several other species. It is a tropical plant with white, red or purple flesh. Yam was used a marketing ploy for orange fleshed sweet potatoes starting with the variety Porto Rico to differentiate it from the yellow fleshed varieties. While the misuse of the word Yam continues, starting in the 30's, sweet potato must appear somewhere in the packaging.

Here is a link that might be useful: Yam vs Sweet potato

I always preferred, no particular reason, the terminology that "yams" were tropical and the U.S. products were "sweet potatoes".

That as good a way as any to remember. yams will grow in South Florida, but US production is nil.

It's a somewhat confusing marketing thing that came about not from a demand for yams vs. sweet potatoes, but cultural knowledge that they may taste similar, but real yams tended to be softer when cooked.

Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing...however, in US supermarkets you will see sweet potatoes labeled as Yams (especially in cans). This is a legacy designation from when softer variety/cultivar sweet potatoes were called "yams" to separate them from harder varieties. The soft sweet potato is a rather recent variety/cultivar selection innovation compared to the hard varieties.

It's only been relatively recently that canned Yams also have to label itself as "sweet potatoes" on the cans, too...even if the biggest word on the can is Yam rather than sweet potato.

Regardless what you call them, they are the best thing a diabetic can eat. Along with Swiss Chard and spinach.

Mike

Learning to cook for a diabetic!

MIke,

Is that true? My wife was gestational diabetic when she was pregnant (obviously) and has a strong history of diabetes in her family history. Unbeknownst to me, my father's family also had a history of diabetes as well, my grandmother had it, but I never knew her, and now my dad does. Simply put, my wife and I are starting to prepare for the *seemingly* inevitable, while looking to change our diets a little now to minimize the impact when we have to make the changes full-time, while also trying to maximize the time before it actually happens.

What is your favorite way of preparing the sweet potato (yam, whatever!). My wife's family has a great recipe for candied "yams", but something tells me that that kind of defeats the purpose. ;^) I enjoy them baked with some butter, and a sprinkle of brown sugar... but again, adding sugar is a BAD idea for a diabetic! Any help would be appreciated.

eagles,

You can candy them but use diabetic brown sugar. Yesterday, I cleaned them, put them in a pot of water, boiled them for about an hour, drained the water and let them cool so I could pick them up, then put them in foil and stuck them in the oven. I didn't need to add anything - they were very tasty.

Here is one article about their worth. Linda has developed severe diabetic retinopathy and the beta-carotene is supposed to help a lot in that area.

Good luck to your wife. I had never given diabetes a thought in my life until Linda told me that she was diagnosed with it. Now, we know where the wheat bread, noodles and macaroni are in the supermarket. Make sure she gets lots of exercise and eats healthy foods. Hopefully, she will never develop the disease.

Mike

I grew a few different varieties of white-fleshed ones this year. I find them so much better than the wet, stringy orange kinds, much prefer the dry smooth flesh. If they were much sweeter it would have to be a dessert.

FWIW: I came across this Published by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service What is the Difference Between a Sweetpotato and a Yam? rather by accident looking for something altogether different.

pnbrown,

I'd love to hear about your varieties...

I love the orange yam type sweet potato simply baked and topped with a touch of real butter.

They are plenty sweet just plain and I can't stand added sugar or marshmallow (yuck). Why would I want my vegetable to taste like candy? I certainly don't put sugar on my baked potato or broccoli.

It's a nice vegetable just served plain and goes super with roasted pork. Actually, it goes well with any meat or chicken, but the yam roasted pork combination is one of those super go-togethers.

There is a bit of competition for the skins. I love them, but so do the dogs. Scrub the outside well before baking and don't hesitate to eat the skins.

Yep, love the skins. BTW, sweet potato melds really well with spicy heat. I like to mash steamed sweets into a little sauteed onion and hot pepper.

Eagle, I grew korean purple, brinckley white, and another white one which name i can't recall. The first one has purple skin with white flesh. All very good.

thanks... any insights on space taken up and yield?

I have been raising O'Henry yellow......very smooth and non-stringy. I consider them as less clinging and mushy in taste than orange and more flavor than the whites I have grown.

Check out the sweet potato and peanut stew in the most recent Joy of Cooking. Wow.

eagles,

My searches say 250-400 bushels (50 pounds per bushel) per acre. At most, that equates to about ~.5 pounds per sq. ft. For something like Beauregard, supposedly a good producer, about 1.5-2 pounds per plant.

Mike

Beauregard -like most commercial varieties - is not impressive for eating quality compared to many others.

A half-pound of SP is a lot of nutrition.

pnbrown,

No offense but I tend to not pay much attention to how the taste of anything is rated. It's too subjective. I've read how Celebrity tomatoes are among the best available and how they are only good for hog feed - provided the pigs are not choosy!

Another example - I much prefer pork brains to beef brains but others feel the opposite.

I guess what I'm looking for is a good producer, orange-colored yam that keeps for a relatively long period, that has resistance to pests and disease and matures 100 days or less. Or a 100-pound stack of pure gold bars for $50!

Mike

Orange fleshed sweet potatoes, for which plants are reasonably easy to find; Georgia Jets (90 days) Beauregard (90 day) Porto Rico (110 day) Vardaman (100 day) Centennial (100day) Carolina Ruby (100 day)Covington (100 day)Jewel, Hernandez. Of course, If you want took through the most complete list of plants that I have found. http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/catalog/sweet_potatoes.html They have the Copper (New) Jewel which is the best flavored for me. Golden Jewel and Red Jewel are easier to find.

Sandhill has an amazing collection of SP, and trove of info. They do some taste rating as well, presumably subjective.

Pat, I believe most all taste testing is subjective.
But I do have to agree with you about the white fleshed sweet potatoes. For a couple of years, when we served a mixed platter of orange and white sweet potatoes, the orange ones always went first. But with time, the family has really warmed up to Brinkley White (the white variety we grow).

The # 1 factor I've found, which makes or breaks a sweet potato's flavor, isn't so much variety, though that does make a difference. The most important factor is... how are they cooked. If cooked at too high a temperature, both the flavor and texture are harmed. The best sweet potatoes we've eaten are cooked below 350 F and cooked until quite soft. "Microwave oven" is almost a bad word for the one cooking sweet potatoes. Yes, one can cook them in a microwave, and perhaps they will sometimes taste good. But sometimes their flavor will be greatly affected. My theory is that the microwave overheats them.

George
Tahlequah, OK

I think you are right, George.

When there is time I put them in the oven at around 250 for 2.5 or 3 hours, if they are average baking size. If I don't have that much time I steam them.

Mike,

Thanks for the information on the space required for production. I think I will stick to buying them from my local produce store. That's too much space for such little yield in my little garden. I have about 100-150 sq feet available. I like things that produce more for my small space, or produce an exceptional taste compared to what you can get in stores.

eagles,

I don't blame you - that's the same reason I don't grow corn. The only reason I am looking to grow them (I can find them on sale for 25â/lb.) is because I have another 15,000 sq. ft. of land. Plus, there's a Farmers Market where people pay stupid prices for food. They don't have to be certified organic - just grown without using "chemical."

George,

The potatoes (four, medium size) I fixed for T-Day were stuck in a microwave for about eight minutes, boiled for about 40 minutes, wrapped in foil then stuck in an oven on medium heat until I could hear and smell the sugar dripping from them. They were very tasty.

Mike

I know it can be done. One of my daughters did sweet potatoes in a microwave, for Thanksgiving, for lack of a decent oven, and it worked great. Nevertheless, many folk have "informed me," for instance, that a given sweet potato variety isn't sweet enough for them, when in fact they simply overheated it in a microwave. If your method and microwave works, great. But if ever you have problems getting a good, sweet, sweet potato, consider slow baking in a conventional oven.

BTW, here's a link for another great source of sweet potato slips, especially if one lives in Oklahoma or a nearby state.

George

Here is a link that might be useful: Duck Creek Farms Sweet Potatoes

eaglesgarden, sweet potato "fries" are popular in our area. They can be deep fat fried, of course, but I do them in the oven. I cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick french fry sticks, drizzle them with olive oil or even spray them with Olive Oil Pam. Then bake them in a single layer on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse salt to serve. They are delicious! (IMO)

Count me in as another fan of the white sweet potatoes; to me they are more potato-like in texture, as opposed to the oranges, which seem to me more like winter squash. I was pleasantly surprised when my local supermarket carried the whites prior to Thanksgiving... wish I knew the variety.

On the space issue, yes the vines can sprawl... but there are varieties that have more of a bush habit. I'm far from an expert in that area, Farmerdilla could probably list some of those cultivars. But when evaluating how much bang you get for the buck, don't forget about the greens as a vegetable. You can get harvest the tender vine tips throughout the summer.

Has anyone eaten, or even seen, a purple sweet potato before?

I had some as a child at a luau in Hawaii and (possibly because it is a childhood memory) they were the best sweet potatoes I'd ever eaten. I've never seen one since. If I ever do you can bet I'll buy it immediately.

I'm also a fan of 'Satsumaimo' the Japanese white sweet potato, I loved getting them from a 'Yaki-imo' cart when I was in Japan. They are served hot with absolutely nothing on them and they're really good, just break them in half and enjoy.

I also got to try at least one form of 'real' Yam when I was in Japan, and I have to say it was one of the yuckiest things I have ever eaten. Very little flavor, but extremely slimy. It's not as bad as Natto though, which is slimy and tastes horrible ;oP

Adventures in food are fun!

Peachy,

Gary from Duck Creek Farms has three varieties of purple SPs. I plan to grow some next year.

Mike

Peachymomo,

I included a link, above, to Duck Creek Farms. I'm sure that Gary, who runs the place, has purple fleshed sweet potatoes, even if they are not actually listed.

Sandhill Preservation Center lists Okinawan, a purple fleshed varity. When my family and I lived in Mexico, I found and grew a native variety which had purple skin and deep purple flesh. It was very good. Unfortunately, it is against the law to bring sweet potatoes into the country, in any form. So, I had to let them go when we returned.

Sandhill Preservation also lists Korean Purple, which is a purple fleshed, white meated variety. This closely matches the description the white fleshed sweet potatoes most commonly grown in Mexico. I wouldn't be surprised if the Japanese white fleshed sweet potato is very similar.

We have very fond memories of both the white and purple fleshed, purple skinned sweet potatoes, which we enjoyed in Mexico. It's a temptation to expand my collection and acquire one of the above mentioned varieties. But the truth is, I'm doing well to maintain what I have. Plus, I know an older gent, in our town, who has been growing and maintaining a sweet potato for many years. He no longer remembers the variety. But I am thinking of getting a start from him.

George

Here is a link that might be useful: Sandhill Sweet Potatoes

Thanks for the links, I've been wanting to try purple-fleshed sweet potatoes for some time. A local Asian store sells them occasionally; you could look right at them & never know what they are. They are white skinned. The owner offered me part of one she was eating, and I'm hooked. Only time will tell if they will succeed this far North.

Oh, and regarding true yams... there are varieties of true yam that are hardy in the temperate zones. One of them, "Cinnamon Vine", is commonly sold as an ornamental. Its tuber is edible... just very difficult to dig up. True yams are perennial, have rampant vines, and form bulbils at the base of their leaves. Yams have become invasive in parts of the South (look up "air potato"). They are not something you would plant in an annual garden.

I take a different view and it looks to me like ALL that we have in the US are actually sweet potatoes and we call some of them yams. Then there is a true yam in Africa that we don't see.
I refer to this .
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-23-a.html
A rose by any other name--------------

If referring to what is sold commercially, Colokid, you would be mostly correct. The only true yams I've seen sold in the U.S. were the purple yam (Filipino name "ube"), and that sold rarely only in a few Asian stores.

zeedman,

Duck Creek has some shorter season varieties. I'm in Cincy but the only way I could grow the one type is if I do them in containers and they spend their first and last month in a GH! One hundred forty days is a long growing season! Now if you have a high tunnel you can use...

Mike

My son just returned from 3 years in Nigeria and he found he was extremely allergic to yams which are common food there. Thankfully he had an epi pen and arrived at the hospital in time for a second injection. The common way to serve it there seems to be 'pounded yam'. From what I have read, it is a huge tuber (8 ft or more) and stringy and the pounding tenderizes it. I know they also make flour from it.

My son has no problem with sweet potatoes.

Another good way to use up yams *and* sweet potatoes is to dice them and stew them in coconut milk with diced potatoes, carrots, green beans, lima beans, edamame, pretty much any other veggie you like, dash of fresh ginger, hot pepper, and optionally some yogurt or buttermilk stirred in at the end. Serve over rice. A rather fatty dish though.

Melody - I gather from your original question that you're new to gardening in Missouri. The clickable link below is from the Missouri Extension Center and has recommended varieties for Missouri. Maybe that will help.

Have you had Calico Fried Potatoes at Silver Dollar City? They fry sweet potatoes and regular potatoes in giant skillets with onions, red and green peppers and smoked sausage. It makes the whole park smell good. My mother-in-law LOVES them so I tried to make a similar recipe but I used ham instead and I baked instead of fried. I seasoned them with Lawry's seasoned salt and some Mrs. Dash. I like the sweet potatoes better than the regular potatoes in this dish so last time I made it, I left out the regualar potatoes. It makes a very pretty dish, good enough for company.
I'm not a real cook and this isn't a real recipe. Just trying to remember what all I put in it.

Calico Sweet Potatoes

3 or 4 Sweet Potatoes chunked
1 coarsely chopped green pepper
1 coarsely chopped red pepper
1 coarsely chopped large onion
1 TBSP Canola Oil, maybe more
I think I used about a cup of smoked ham chunks
1/2 tsp Lawry's Seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash (I used the garlic blend)
(That was a wild guess on the amount of seasoning. It might have been more)

I tossed all the veggies with the oil, then seasonings, added chunked ham, put it in a 9x13 casserole dish and baked it until the sweet potatoes were soft. I can't remember how long and I can't remember if I covered it. Sorry. You may have to experiment a little but trust me, this is way better than candied sweet potatoes and healthier. The sweet potatoes taste so good with the smokey flavor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Sweet Potatoes in Missouri (MO Extension)

Christie, that recipe looks super good. I've got some winter squash, so I am going to try that recipe with the winter squash.

For those of you who like an extra sweet, orange flesh sweet potato there is a new kid on the block From LSU, Evangeline

Here is a link that might be useful: Evangeline

peachymomo,

I see the Hawaiian Sweet Purple Potato on eBay from a vendor in Hakalau, Hawaii. 20lbs for US $26.95, Shipping US $15.95
I would venture a guess this is the purple sweet potato you ate as a child. From these you could start your own slips for your garden.

Lou

Farmerdilla, what are your favorites for the deep south? I hope to start some in my florida garden in march.

Copper (new) Jewel, Centennial. There are hundreds of varieties that I have not tried. I don't care much for most of the whites, have grown Poplar Root, White Triumph, Violetta, White Jewel. Yellows/light orange; Nancy Hall, Carver, Oakleaf, Willow Leaf ...
Dark Orange: Porto Rico ( great flavor but prone to scurf) Copper jewel, Golden jewel, Centennial, Beauregard, Georgia Red, Oklahoma Red, Hernandez, Ringley's Porto Rico.
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Poor sweet potato! It has a serious naming problem. Not only does it get stuck with the name of some OTHER tuber that's not even remotely related either botanically or taste-wise (I too have tasted "real" yams, and they're not much like sweet potatoes at all)...

...but they also got their "proper" name STOLEN by a certain tuberous nightshade plant! I heard that the word "potato" originally referred to Ipomea batatas, then was later used used as a more general term for root or tuber vegetables, and then later somehow got stuck on Solanum tuberosa, so that people felt that the original potato had to now carry the qualifier "sweet", even though not all varieties of Ipomea batatas are sweet.

Though I guess it's bad enough calling the other potatoes "Irish potatoes", when they're from South America, or calling them "white potatoes" when not all of them are white and some sweet potatoes are white.

Basically... we need better words for things. :-P

Melody - I forgot to mention that Gardenweb has a forum for Gardening in the Ozarks that you may find helpful and you're welcome to join in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ozarks Region Gardening

All of my sweet potato slips grew mold before they grew roots. Any suggestions on how best to avoid this organically? I did dip the slips in 3% peroxide before dangling them half in, half out of the water, to no apparent effect.

Chamomile tea will somewhat suppress mold growth in water. So will tannic acid from oak leaves.

The best way to grow sweet potatoes for the home gardener is to put the tuber half in half out of water with the stem end up. Set them in direct sunlight which suppresses mold growth. Change the water every 2 or 3 days.

Would anyone be interested in a bulk buy of Evangeline tubers? I can get a box for about $35 which we could then distribute.

DarJones

Dar, Looking at the time stamp of your reply I see you were very vigilant to make sure that you had the first post of the new year or it was quiet the coincedence. In reality I know it was only 1100 pm for you. I would be in to try the evangeline. Rodger

Happy New Year

Farmerdilla, rodger, Dar, would any of y'all be willing to send me a couple of small tubers of long-season white and yellow varieties that you have, to florida in late february?

I reckon we can guess the postage beforehand and I'll send it.

Thanks!

Pat