10 Gallons of Sweet Potatoes!!!

[Ridgerunner]

That is an awesome result. Mine did not do as well as yours this year, probably because of the deer eating the vines back a few different times. There's always next year.

I usually dig mine with a mattock instead of a shovel. I seem to do less damage that way. If the pieces are still pretty good size, the cut will heal over and that piece will keep for a while. Just make sure they get a good chance to air out and give all the nicks, cuts, and scrapes a chance to heal before they go into storage. I try to use the cut ones first because they will shrivel up faster than the whole ones.

I had one monster that was too big for a meal for us. I boiled it untill it was soft (took forever) mashed it and froze it in measured amounts. It made 7 cups total by itself. I'll either use it in sweet potato bread or just thaw it, heat it, stir in some butter and maple syrup, and have a veggie for a quick meal.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Thanks Miron & 4grandbabies

Ridgerunner, I'll google "mattock" to see what it is. Thanks for the tips on using the cut ones.. I was figuring the chickens might like them too since I'll have to use them up quickly.

Sweet potato bread sounds SOOO yummy.

Any idea how long they need to cure for? They are all spread out like in the pics in my kitchen... the warmest open place I could find for them.. but it's only 70 degrees in here

 

[injunjoe]

They look great!
You have tators coming out your ears.


Joe

 

[Ridgerunner]

I use the cutter mattock for various things but then I grew up using one. You can definitely cut the sweet potatoes with one of these but I tried a shovel and did more damage. Part of that may be just what I am used to.

http://www.easydigging.com/Garden_Tool/pick_mattock.html

You'll have to just observe and see when you think they have healed. Once they scab over and it dries, they should be ready. I'd think a week would be more than plenty.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Thank you SO much!

 

[obsessed]

ok so one quick question on the logistics of a sweet potato. Do they grow in the roots like regular potatoes? and then the foliage is a vine? If not where do the potatoes come from?

 

[DawnSuiter]

The potatoes I had grew from the roots of the main plant AND from the roots of the runners.. they would spread like a vine & the vine would take root here and there like strawberry runners or a spider plant. The BIG potatoes came from the main plant.. smaller ones from the runners.

I too had a short season.. the sweet potatoes were backordered.. and our frost came EARLY... so we COULD'VE used another 3-4 weeks on them... hopefully next year.

 

[DawnSuiter]

I just wanted to add that today we processed the taters.

I have 9 pints canned
15 cups mashed for the freezer
and about 7lbs to use fresh over the next few weeks

Not as much as I had hoped but that is a GREAT harvest for us!

 

[Texan]

Those look good. I was a total failure with the potatoes this year which was my first year. I am gonna try it again next spring though.