Keeping Sweet Potato for growing next year

[BenLothair]

I managed to grow some sweet potatos this year but several of the plants have just got a few small sweet potatos "hanging off them" - someone told me I can keep these and then re-plant them next year. Does anyone know if this is possible? If so, what is the best way of storing them over winter? Thanks.

[chickenjane]

glad you asked this as I've been in the same mind.
The little plants cost a lot & I don't want tohave to reinvest if I can avoid it.

problem; I've read 2 conflicting reports about how they propagate them.

1) keep a tuber, get it to sprout, then treat the shoot like a cutting & make it root. These form the slips that were sent out to me in june. Sweet potatoes are related to bindweed not to ordinary potatoes & won't grow from tubers.

2) keep a tuber,make it sprout next spring then plant it. ie as per normal potatoes.

so which is it? assuming I actualy have a crop ( haven't looked yet) & that I can keep a few tubers alive over the winter in a pot.

third possibility is that I dig up the plants with care,remove the potatoes, trim the stems & try & keep the whole plant alive over winter. Then in the spring get it going asap & later split it into several pants fro replanting?

HelP!

[Alison]

I've taken cuttings for the last 2 years and then kept them alive (ish) over winter. Had to bring them inside though as the greenhouse was too cold for them. Not managed to grow any potatoes big enough to sprout them and anyway, would rather eat them. They root very easily by the way, suppose it's a bit like the slips you get in the first place.

[chickenjane]

So if i kept a tuber, spritted it in the spring & planted the rooted shoots that'd be it?

[Alison]

Dunno, never sprouted tubers so not sure how that works, just know that they are a totally differnt thing from normal spuds. I've just taken cuttings from the bit above the ground and grown them on.