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Sweet potatoes are fun to grow

2 years ago

I pulled this out of my garden a little while ago, from a grow bag. The others are from a much bigger raised bed. I don't know why it grew so big. I got curious even though it's not really quite time to dig them up. The vines are still green. I pulled the ones on the right up first and then decided to check on the ones in grow bags on the side of the house.

Featured Answer

woodrose77

2 years ago

Yes, they do, Ded, It helps them to last longer without going bad, but you can cook new potatoes straight from the garden.

Kathsgrdn, that sweet potato is amazing, never saw one that big! Now I'm craving a buttery sweet potato, or sweet potato fries.!

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Comments (19)

donna_loomis
2 years ago
Very nice!
Kathsgrdn thanked donna_loomis
schoolhouse_gwagain
2 years ago
Nice sized potatoes!

Reminds me of the time years ago, I was cleaning up the veg garden in late Fall and my shovel unearthed a sweet potato. I had forgotten all about planting them. I think there were three or four, but not as big as yours. Same thing happened with the parsnips I "forgot". It was the following Spring when I found those!
Kathsgrdn thanked schoolhouse_gwagain
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carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
That's huge - congratulations!

Are they all the same variety?
Kathsgrdn thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
2 years ago
Carolb, yes, all the same. I saved some small ones from last year, then grew slips for this year. They're Georgia Jet.
User
2 years ago
Wow! Impressive. Get out the butter!
Kathsgrdn thanked User
laceyvail 6A, WV
2 years ago
Now you need to cure them.
Kathsgrdn thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
2 years ago
laceyvail, yep, they're in my outbuilding now.
dedtired
2 years ago
One time i something called ipomoea as a vine for my windowbox. I was stunned to find sweet potatoes growing in the fall!

Do all potatoes have to cure?
Kathsgrdn thanked dedtired
summersrhythm_z6a
2 years ago
Nice! I grow veggies in pots. Maybe I will try sweet potatoes next year. I am growing watermelons for the 1st time, no melons, just flowers.
Kathsgrdn thanked summersrhythm_z6a
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
2 years ago
You can cook them right away, I believe, but freshly dug ones may not be as sweet as cured, and some ooze a milky sap when cut.
Kathsgrdn thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
socks
2 years ago
How to cure them? Leave in a dark cool place for a couple months?
Kathsgrdn thanked socks
vgkg Z-7 Va
2 years ago
I used to cure my SPs by storing them in the garage where the temp was in the 90's during the day. Curing time for 2 weeks. Not sure if it made much of a difference but they do store well indoors and last for 8-9 months. I'll be digging up the first ones under the mother plants around Labor Day and digging up the secondary ones (re-rooted vines) by our first frost. Very nice looking harvest Kathsgrdn!
Kathsgrdn thanked vgkg Z-7 Va
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
2 years ago
The previous owner of my house put in a potting table in the outbuilding. I put down newspaper on it a few years ago and put the sweet potatoes on the paper, then cover with another layer of newspaper. It gets hot in there. Last year the sweet potatoes I grew lasted until Spring. I had boxed them up and put them in the garage after curing. Easier in the nasty weather to just open the garage than go out to the outbuilding.

I took two of the smaller ones and made my own slips for this year. I plan to do it again this year.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
2 years ago
I love raw sweet potatoes!
Kathsgrdn thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
summersrhythm_z6a
2 years ago
I just googled it, ” eating raw sweet potato can effectively contribute to weight loss”!
Kathsgrdn thanked summersrhythm_z6a
laceyvail 6A, WV
2 years ago
I used to cure them in my car in the hot sun.
Kathsgrdn thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
murraysmom Zone 6a OH
2 years ago
So they need heat to cure? That's interesting. I got some "fresh" ones from the farmers market once but no instructions on what to do with them. :(
Kathsgrdn thanked murraysmom Zone 6a OH
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
2 years ago
murraysmom, according to what I read online, yes. I just googled it again and it says ideal is 85 and humid.

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