Ugliest sweet taters I ever saw

[hoodat]

I found these in an oriental market labeled Japanese sweet potatos although I spent a lot of time in Japan and never saw any like them. They are the most mishapen ones I ever ran into but I bought a few out of curiosiry and was pleasantly surprised when I steamed a couple. They have a very dry flesh, just the way I like them. They soak up the butter that way. One of them shows signs of trying to sprout. I think I'll let it and try some in the garden. Normally I don't plant sweet potatos because they need so much room.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Japanese is a variety of sweet potato. I grew some this year. The red ones are Japanese, the orange are Garnet, and the white are O'Henry. They taste pretty good but production was not great.

 

[journey11]

LOL, they sure are funny looking! Glad to hear they tasted better than they look!

 

[simple life]

I have been buying Japanese Yams in Whole Foods for the last couple of months.
They are the same ones in the picture by Ridgerunner, the store labels them as Japanese Yams, whatever they are they are great.
I absolutely love them! Man are they sweet, I like the texture better than the regular sweet potatoes too.

I have tried all three than you mention Ridgerunner, while they were also good I really love the red ones.

Since we are on the subject, the day I first tried these was at a tasting the store was doing and they had a sign that said,
"yams are sweet potatoes" I never gave it any thought before because I use them interchangeably but what is the deal on these?
Are they essentially the same, does one grow where the other doesn't?

 

[thistlebloom]

Since we are on the subject, the day I first tried these was at a tasting the store was doing and they had a sign that said,
"yams are sweet potatoes" I never gave it any thought before because I use them interchangeably but what is the deal on these?
Are they essentially the same, does one grow where the other doesn't?

Although the terms "sweet potatoes" and "yams " are often used interchangeably ,they are a completely different genus. Sweet potatoes are Ipomea Batatas and yams are Dioscorea Yams only grow in tropical climates, or at least near tropical, in the U.S. they are grown in s. Florida. But happily for us addicted to them the sweet potato can grow all over the place with some varieties workable in the north if they can be given a long enough season. That there is the rub for me as mine have never quite gotten the optimum size. This year I'm going to be smarter than a sweet potato and trick 'em into growing to size!

 

[digitS']

I'm not very well traveled, relative to sweet potatoes, Hoodie. These were what the ones looked like that I grew this year (click).

Actually, that picture is from San Diego but then the tubers I had were from California. I was told that they were "Japanese sweet potatoes." They were very purple, not wrinkled and certainly sweet!

. . . i didn't take any photo's of the ones that came out of my garden. They were terribly skinny but still tasted good. I won't be trying them again up here. Six weeks potted and growing in the greenhouse plus a full season out in garden - didn't result in more than 2 servings from each plant . . .

Maybe I'll try the Georgia Jets again in 2011 .

Steve

 

[obsessed]

Awesome, I will put the Japanese sweet potato on my list for things to grow next season.

 

[hoodat]

Don't forget that the tender growth tips on sweet potatos make a good green when they need trimming. The Phillipinos are more interested in the top growth than the roots. They even sell sweet potato shoots in oriental grocery stores.

 

[obsessed]

What do you mean hoodat? As it grow shoots will form and then harvest those? will that decrease productivity? How do you make the shoots?

 

[hoodat]

What do you mean hoodat? As it grow shoots will form and then harvest those? will that decrease productivity? How do you make the shoots?

Sorry. I used the wrong term. What I meant to say was that the tender tips of new growth make good greens, not the shoots. The shoots would be the new growth coming from the potato itself.
Unless you have a vast amount of space sweet potato vines normally need cutting back when they get out of bounds. This gives you fewer potatos but larger ones. The tips of the cuttings are what you eat, If you try to cook too far back from the tips they get fibrous.