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This is my first time growing sweet potatoes from the white flesh variety. I decided to grow this particular type because its so difficult to get good quality sweet potato that is really sweet! Most sweet potato that I usually get from the supermarket is often tasteless and its just disappointing. But I was lucky to get hold of a very good one from Asda 3wks ago and I desperately want to multiply this! Has anyone tried growing sweet potatoes before in the UK unpredictable weather? How long shall I have to wait before seeing the crop multiply in the ground?
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Quite a few of us do grow them yes. I grew them last year, from plug plants, as my efforts at getting my sweet potatoes to sprout ending up in them going rotten. I didn't grow the white flesh variety, I tried the beauregard variety.
There are a few threads about growing them on this forum - but this one sparked my attempt at growing them off: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ato_45623.html
They don't grow like conventional potatoes to, it's actually the roots that swell up and form the tubers. I left mine in 3" pots too long, so whilst I did get a crop, they were twisted and rather small.
I *think* they need a humid atmosphere to grow well - but that said, I've seen videos on youtube of some grown on an allotment. Not what you'd see in the supermarket, but then most of what you grow yourself isn't (in terms of looks) - have a look at these vidoes to see what I mean:
YouTube - Sweet potatoes Claire's allotment part 78
YouTube - Sweet potatoes (part 2) - Claire's Allotment part 80 (part 2 of above video)
Result: YouTube - Dig my sweet potatoes - Claire's allotment part 89
I think from your tuber, you'll need to put it in a glass of water to encourage slips to form - them cut them off and grow them on. More info on that in the thread I linked at the top. Good luck! -
Wow! Thks Chris! If I were to leave the potatoes long enough in there without having them dug out, would they turn hard later? And how about in the winter months? Did you have to dig them all out or did you just leave them as they were in the ground?
I'll try out growing the slips and take it from there!Comment
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I got an OK crop last year in my polytunnel. You definitely need to dig them up before frosts though (leave it as long as possible to maximise size) as even in the soil they'll not survive a UK winter.
Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.
Which one are you and is it how you want to be?Comment
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I tried in the ground surrounded by plastic sheeting, and also in potato bags on a sunny patio. Ones in the ground weren't very good, although that might have been because I didn't water them enough.
Patio potatoes did really well - reckon they were in a bit of a suntrap. Will be doing more like this way this year.Comment
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Originally posted by ruff View Post
Sorry didn't see your reply. I didn't have that much sucess with them - they were pot bound too long!Comment
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