Several years ago, I was part of a food coop and we got all kinds of organic veggies. Some of the sweet potatoes sprouted and I planted them. I had never grown sweet potatoes but after what I thought was a sufficient amount of time, I began digging around and found nothing, despite vines that had taken over the entire garden. I pretty much forgot about them and when Vince started tilling up for the fall garden, there were sweet potatoes everywhere! We ended up with two laundry baskets full of sweet potatoes.
Last year I ordered sweet potato slips and the company was late sending them (only after I called did they finally ship them) and they didn’t do much.
Sweet Potatoes
These had been sitting around way too long so I cut them up and planted them. Anywhere I could find a spot in the garden, I stuck in a sweet potato chunk. If they produce, there will be sweet potatoes everywhere because I have them so spread out in the garden.
I planted them a couple of days before the monsoon began so they may have rotted .. we’ll see.
shirley bruner says
I planted sweet potatoes for the first time last year and had TONS of potatoes. I found out those vines grow up to 8 feet away from the plant. I was digging for a long time to find them all. I have many jars of them now. there were 4 huge ones that never got used and they started growing a vine in the house…just sitting on a shelf….so I cut them up and planted them this year. they are sprouting already. woopee!
Katie Z. says
I has no idea sweet potatoes sprouted without being buried, etc. I’ve grown them always from purchased slips, and I sprouted my own in potting soil this year. I love learning something new!
Sherrill says
I’m just hoping to get some tomatoes from my 5 plants! One I had to pull up..for some reason it just kinda withered and it had 3 tomatoes on it. 🙁 And I have one plant that’s huge and not one tomato. Go figure.
Linda Enneking says
My mother always put a sweet potato in a cup of water to make sprouts to plant. She used toothpicks to keep just the bottom of the potato in the water. In a few weeks there were plenty of new plants ready to break off and set out in the garden.
Sandi B says
How well would they do in the shade? All of the sunny area available is already planted. If I planted where I’m thinking, the deer would probably munch anyway! Thanks, any of you for your help!
danielle says
I would love to grow sweet potatoes. Maybe I will just try one on my own. Mixed reviews on how well they do out here…..except for the water – cant hurt to try!