Sweet potatoes (Beauregard) were the stars of my garden last year.
This year, I seem to have put them off too late and I can't find any slips at Home Depot, Lowe's (where I got them least year) or online (www.tastefulgarden.com). I tried starting some in water on the windowsill, but they're not sprouting.
Any other ideas? Is it just too late, and I should resolve to do better next year>
- applestar
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I tried the water method last year and they didn't take off until we had the freak heat wave in late April and I refused to turn on the A/C.
This year, I put the fingerlings from last year in a 2' windowbox with 1/2 and 1/2 mix (I think) of compost and sand) and have it sitting out in a sunny spot covered in clear plastic. Until they sprouted, I put a black trash bag over the whole thing and kept it tightly closed. Now that they've sprouted, I put the black plastic under the set-up, a 10" wire border fence to hold up the clear plastic, and open it on really sunny days, 1/2 closed on cooler days, and completely closed at night. I had to double bag the thing again two nights ago and last night due to possible frost (AFTER MOTHERS DAY? )
I have my compost thermometer stuck in the soil through the plastic bags to monitor the temp inside. I've been aiming for daytime high of 90º.
I planted them 4/22 during the heat wave and they sprouted in 1 week. Right now, with the cooler/colder weather, I'm just trying to keep them alive and the growth is at stand still, but a similar set up should help you get the slip growing. I have a second smaller setup in a large salad tub that is also sprouting. Try to get the soil temp up to at least mid-80's to get them to sprout. I thought it would be easiest plastic-covered in the sun, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, bring it inside and try using heating pads or top of the refrigerator, etc.
This year, I put the fingerlings from last year in a 2' windowbox with 1/2 and 1/2 mix (I think) of compost and sand) and have it sitting out in a sunny spot covered in clear plastic. Until they sprouted, I put a black trash bag over the whole thing and kept it tightly closed. Now that they've sprouted, I put the black plastic under the set-up, a 10" wire border fence to hold up the clear plastic, and open it on really sunny days, 1/2 closed on cooler days, and completely closed at night. I had to double bag the thing again two nights ago and last night due to possible frost (AFTER MOTHERS DAY? )
I have my compost thermometer stuck in the soil through the plastic bags to monitor the temp inside. I've been aiming for daytime high of 90º.
I planted them 4/22 during the heat wave and they sprouted in 1 week. Right now, with the cooler/colder weather, I'm just trying to keep them alive and the growth is at stand still, but a similar set up should help you get the slip growing. I have a second smaller setup in a large salad tub that is also sprouting. Try to get the soil temp up to at least mid-80's to get them to sprout. I thought it would be easiest plastic-covered in the sun, but if the weather doesn't cooperate, bring it inside and try using heating pads or top of the refrigerator, etc.
- Ozark Lady
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If you got your sweet potatoes at a grocery store, you may run into what I had happen last year. They were treated to prevent sprouting, and they would rot before they would sprout.
I bought a case early in the fall so that I got some before they were treated. You might check out fruit stands and see if they have any that are not treated to prevent sprouting. And I saved some fingerlings from last year, both are just starting to sprout good.
I put them in a bed of dirt, and just bury a little bit of the potato, then water it, and put it under lights. Not growing particularly fast, but they do have sprouts and some leaves on them.
I bought a case early in the fall so that I got some before they were treated. You might check out fruit stands and see if they have any that are not treated to prevent sprouting. And I saved some fingerlings from last year, both are just starting to sprout good.
I put them in a bed of dirt, and just bury a little bit of the potato, then water it, and put it under lights. Not growing particularly fast, but they do have sprouts and some leaves on them.
- Gary350
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I always look in the pantry for sprouting grocery store sweet potatoes. I cut off the end of the potato that has the sprouts. Cook the good end for dinner plant the sprouting end in the garden. It likes full sun, hot and dry, poor soil. I plant my sweet potatoes in a mix of gravel, sand and dirt it is too hot and dry for weeds and grass but the sweet potatoes do fine.
- applestar
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TZ, that's a good link!
Gary, "gravel, sand, and dirt" huh? I found my clay-rich + compost soil was too sticky, though the sweet potatoes did grow well last year: There was no question of brushing the dry soil off -- sticky mud *had* to be washed off. I was planning to add some all-purpose sand to this year's sweet potato bed, but I guess I might try adding coarse paver sand instead. The best loose, well-draining spot has already been claimed by the Asparagus and the Tea plants.
Gary, "gravel, sand, and dirt" huh? I found my clay-rich + compost soil was too sticky, though the sweet potatoes did grow well last year: There was no question of brushing the dry soil off -- sticky mud *had* to be washed off. I was planning to add some all-purpose sand to this year's sweet potato bed, but I guess I might try adding coarse paver sand instead. The best loose, well-draining spot has already been claimed by the Asparagus and the Tea plants.