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A Sweet Potato Experience!

tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
in Fruit & veg
Hi.  This year I decided I would try my hand at growing sweet potato.  I developed the slips myself from an organically shop bought sweet potato.  The slips were planted out at different intervals as they grew and on 3 different sites in my vegetable garden.  Plenty of water - no fertiliser as I (horse) manured the ground in December.  They are watered every day and kept moist.  I now have a couple of purple flowers and buds on other plants. I read that this could be due to stress but it is not unusual.  We've had a hot summer, no rain and the weather at the moment is very humid and overcast.  I live in the South of France.   

I would like to know if anyone has grown sweet potato and how long from plants to harvest. Mine have been 3 - 4 months in the ground but they took a while before taking off.  I don't think they are ready to harvest by the look of their leaves and structure -  probably late Autumn which would mean they will be in the ground for nigh on 6 months!  Does this seems about right?  

Here are a couple of snaps - 2 close ups and one of the patches from afar!

Cheers
Tui 
A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

Posts

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Thank you @philippasmith2 for your quick reply.  I'll certainly look that up.  

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited August 2020
    Yes, I grew them in a poly tunnel but wasn't too successful as I don't think they had enough light (it was one of those with green string embedded in the cover.)
    Mentioned in the thread here:
    Since then several have reported success, but generally when grown outside or under cloches, I think.  I may try them again now I have replaced the poly tunnel with a greenhouse.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Thank you for the link, @BobTheGardener  I'll check it out.  I'll let you know via the site the result - good ...or dim!!
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    @philippasmith2 and @BobTheGardener - here is the result this morning of my first sweet potato patch diggings.  The nice young man at the garden shop said the conditions down here were not ideal.  But there we are!   Not big or buxom but looking good.  I nearly did a Haka!!First digging.  And then ......Now they need to be "cured" before storing.  I'm so chuffed!!
    Enjoy your day everyone.
    Cheers
    Tui
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • ManderMander Posts: 349
    Have you tried cooking the leaves? I've heard that they make a tasty vegetable but have not attempted to grow any yet. 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited October 2020
    @tuikowhai34 Wow, I'd call that an excellent crop!  :)
    PS:, I had a holiday in that area in my twenties, near Perpignan.  I loved it down there and remember having the best chicken dishes made with locallly grown veg (think chicken slow cooked in Ratatouille) that I've ever tasted and have been trying to replicate the recipe ever since! :D

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    @BobTheGardener  Yes, thank you   Quite astounded myself as I wasn't sure what I would find under healthy plants - so unlike potatoes.  Could be Chicken à la Provençale a recipe of which you should find easily on the net - bbc goodfood is a good site, and if you speak or understand French, then www.marmiton.org should do it for you.  Again, thanks for the encouragement.

    @Mander   and with that, I shall look up marmiton for cooked sweet potato leaves.  Thanks for the idea.  We do eat most greenery, i.e. beetroot and other root vegetable leaves (young ones in salad) also cauliflower (young and tender ones again) are good in soups and lentil stews.  

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    @philippasmith2   Thank you - looks as if I will be delving into 50 ways to treat your sweet potato this winter!  I have even found recipes for the leaves!!

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

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