Planting Sweet Potato Sprouts

[VT Chicklit]

I currently have a sweet potato sprouting in water on my bookcase. It has 4 sprouts that are about 2 inches long each, so far. I am not sure if I need to break off the sprouts and root them in water and if I do, how long do they need to be before I do this? If this is not how it needs to be done then should I cut the sweet potato into pieces with eyes and plant the pieces, like a regular potato?

Another question I have is can the sweet potato be planted like regular potatoes above ground in a fencing cylinder with straw and compost. Also, do you cover the new growth like you would with regular potatoes. I understand that the sweet potatoes grow below while regular potatoes grow above your seed. Since sweet potatoes grow below, it would seem to me that you would need to start with a deeper amount of planting medum than with regular potatoes. Am I wrong?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am not sure if I need to break off the sprouts and root them in water and if I do, how long do they need to be before I do this?

I've heard of people covering the whole potato with soil after the roots start on the part of the potato in the water so the sprouts will root. It works for them but I find it is not necessary here for me. Those sprouts are extremely hardy. It probably does give the swet potato a head start and, if you have a short growing season, it may help. Sweet potatoes need a warm growing season, so I won't be planting mine for another month. The ground needs to be warm for them to grow well.

If this is not how it needs to be done then should I cut the sweet potato into pieces with eyes and plant the pieces, like a regular potato?

This idea is discussed near the bottom of the thread in this link.

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=25279

Another question I have is can the sweet potato be planted like regular potatoes above ground in a fencing cylinder with straw and compost.

I have never done this but I would expect it to work well. I'd use a fairly large cyinder to give the potatoes plenty of room to grow.

Also, do you cover the new growth like you would with regular potatoes.

Not necessary. I build my ridges before I set out my sprouts so they will be easier to dig. With the vining growth habit, I think it would be difficult to cover the the new growth effectively. If you use a bush variety, this might work better. The vines will set roots where they touch the ground also. Sweet potatoes grow thickly and pretty much self-mulch once they start to spread. Of course you can mulch so you don't have to clean the weeds out until they start to spread.

I understand that the sweet potatoes grow below while regular potatoes grow above your seed. Since sweet potatoes grow below, it would seem to me that you would need to start with a deeper amount of planting medum than with regular potatoes. Am I wrong?

Your basic premise is correct. I build ridges about a foot high to set the sprouts in and I still have to dig down to get some of the potatoes. And they don't all grow right under where you plant them. I've found them well to the side of the original set.

I suspect you will wind up with more than 4 sprouts from you sweet potato. To give you an idea of the potential harvest, last year I planted 12 slips each of Georgia Jets, White Yams and O'Henry's in a 50 foot row in my garden. I gave most of the Georgis Jets to a church food bank since most were so big my wife had trouble slicing them. I gave a few of the others to my mother and brother. We are still eating sweet potatoes. They have different storage requirements than white potatoes but they store very well.

Good luck with yours. I personally like sweet potatoes.

 

[seedcorn]

ridgerunner, how do you store your sweet potatoes? I've never had any luck keeping them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Keep them in low humidity, in the dark, and around say 50 to 60 degrees. Do not let them freeze. My mother stores them in an interior closet off her kitchen. I keep them in a detached storeroom but use a heater to keep them from freezing. It probably got in the upper 30's a few times but never froze. I'll probably try them in my attached garage next year so I don't have to remember to run the heater.

They are different from white potatoes that need to be more humid and cooler.