sweet potatoes

[alan42]

hi all
i planted my sweet potato slips about 3 weeks ago but don't see any significant progress yet, theres a few new leaves but no major growth and was wondering how everybody Else's are doing ?
Alan

[alan42]

[Plot69]

Mine is still in a jar of water on the window cill... I'm sure the bloody thing is upside down.

[amphibian]

Mine is still in a jar of water on the window cill... I'm sure the bloody thing is upside down.

I eventually decided mine was upside down and turned it over. It sprouted rapidly.

[PJW_Letchworth]

I have 3 which are still on the kitchen window sill.  They are about 5" high with 10 to 12 leaves each.  They are slow to grow (or at least mine are) but one of them is getting a little pot bound and is in need of being put outside.

When should they be planted out?  I saw on GW that Joe Swift planted his (or were planted for him) but mine are no where near as big as they were.

[Eristic]

If mine were straightened out they would be about 2 metres long and full of side shoots. I get worried being alone in the polytunnel in case one of them grabs me round the neck.

I still keep giving them away but as soon as my back is turned there are more sprouts. Think I might put them up for sale next year and give up work.

[hopalong]

I have taken the mini-polytunnel off mine and they seem to be enjoying the fresh air. I gather they like temperatures of 20 degrees or more, so I may be taking a risk.  I received them quite late from Organic Gardening but they are now about 18 inches tall and climbing up bamboo wigwams.

[Mushy Pea]

Hi Everyone,

Here is our Sweet Potato.

It has been sitting in the windowsill for around 2 months now and the shoots (slips) are only a couple of inches so far. I wonder if we will ever get anything to plant this year.  ???

[ceres]

I take the slips off as soon as they're big enough to handle and put them in water to root, then pot them on.  I wonder if your's are maybe not growing fast enough because there are too many competing with each other.

If you still want to plant them out, although it's getting late, I'd take them off the potato now and get them rooting. 

[hopalong]

How long is the growing season? Roughly when do you harvest them?

[ceres]

4-5 months.  Don't know if it might be shorter in a greenhouse or poly.

[hopalong]

4-5 months.  Don't know if it might be shorter in a greenhouse or poly.

I planted them out in mid June, so I suppose that means they'll be ready in late Sepember or in October.  Better protect them again before then, I suppose? Incidentally, I'm told you can cook the leaves: they taste a bit like like spinach.

[saddad]

My slips from T+M have only just got going... but are now about 60cm long, take a while to get established but then really go for it. I leave mine in the ground as long as possible, at least until October, but I have them under glass.
:-\