Your 2025 Garden

[tripletfeb]

Anyone here have experience with sweet potatoes? I have read conflicting instructions online about curing, and storage. I would love someone's personal experience with them. Thanks.

I grew sweets for a few years. To cure, I just set them inside, in a cool location for a few weeks. Worked for me but we ate them pretty quick(about two months) so I can't speak to the long term storage

 

[Sally PB]

I grew sweet potatoes twice. The first year, the vines took over "their" area and way more, so the next year I grew just 3 vines, and they sure spread too.

Since I have a short season, I had to get shorter season varieties, and I don't recall what they were.

Curing... They need a warm, humid spot to cure so that the starches convert to sugar. Warm was supposed to be 80+ degrees and humid was supposed to be 85%+ RH. I don't really have a place like that, so I got inventive. For awhile, I had them spread out on tables in the green house. Since I had to let them grow as long as possible, the green house wasn't warm enough in short order.

Next stop was on the dining room table. I had them in large clear garbage bags, covered with my electric blanket. I monitored the temp with a thermometer to keep it around 80-90 ish.

Some of them got a bit of mold in the bag, but most were ok. I stored them in the basement. We didn't eat that many, and they didn't store that well. Some rotted, some got moldy.

Since the ROI was rather low, I haven't bothered to grow them again.

 

[R2elk]

I grew sweet potatoes twice. The first year, the vines took over "their" area and way more, so the next year I grew just 3 vines, and they sure spread too.

Since I have a short season, I had to get shorter season varieties, and I don't recall what they were.

Curing... They need a warm, humid spot to cure so that the starches convert to sugar. Warm was supposed to be 80+ degrees and humid was supposed to be 85%+ RH. I don't really have a place like that, so I got inventive. For awhile, I had them spread out on tables in the green house. Since I had to let them grow as long as possible, the green house wasn't warm enough in short order.

Next stop was on the dining room table. I had them in large clear garbage bags, covered with my electric blanket. I monitored the temp with a thermometer to keep it around 80-90 ish.

Some of them got a bit of mold in the bag, but most were ok. I stored them in the basement. We didn't eat that many, and they didn't store that well. Some rotted, some got moldy.

Since the ROI was rather low, I haven't bothered to grow them again.

I tried growing some supposedly short season ones, one time. Got some okay vines but no tubers.

Once was enough.

 

[R2elk]

Picking grapes today.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I usually use them for soil conditioning, but I keep some for slips the following year. I have never bothered to cure them as such, just harvested after the first frost and spread them out to dry for a couple weeks. I have close to 100% long term survival. I can't speak to flavor.

 

[jxp]

Picking grapes today.
View attachment 4212571

My glass is ready - fill 'er up!

 

[fuzzi]

I usually use them for soil conditioning, but I keep some for slips the following year. I have never bothered to cure them as such, just harvested after the first frost and spread them out to dry for a couple weeks. I have close to 100% long term survival. I can't speak to flavor.

How did you spread them out to dry? Inside? Outside?

I've grown them twice before. The first time I had them lying on a table on the (covered) porch. Something ate them in less than a week!

The second year I tried curing them in an oven with the light left on to add warmth, and a pan of water below to add humidity. They molded.

To cure I was thinking of placing them on a large tray from a dog crate, in the shed, on top of the chest freezer. It should be warm enough, and probably humid. Once cured I am unsure where to store them. We don't have a basement/cellar. If I place them under the house mice and other critters might spoil them. Argh.

 

[LaurenRitz]

How did you spread them out to dry? Inside? Outside?

Since I only harvest enough for slips the following spring, the kitchen counter or a cardboard box is usually sufficient.

As well as the tubers, they make amazing fat feeder roots that dig deep. I let them die over the winter and all that turns into new soil and breaks up the clay.

Depending on your circumstances, I'd say wrap in newspaper, place in paper bags and hang in a dark closet.

 

[NanaK]

This is my first year with sweet potatoes. I grew my slips from local grown SP. I don't know the variety. In reading I found there are 90, 100, and 120 day varieties. My slips were planted 107 days ago. They seem to love long very hot spells. We sure had that!

The risk of digging too early is small or no potatoes. The risk of digging too late is huge knobby SP that may develop a core and stringy ends. Not as good to eat.

I'm starting to see some yellowing of the foliage. I read this is a sign the SP are maturing.

I think later this week I may dig down beside a plant to see whats happening. If I find nice SP's I will dig up that plant and try to decide when to dig the others. I only have about 5 plants.

My FIL (now deceased) grew them in his home garden. He farmed all his life. I remember many times seeing his SP spread out on tables under a shelter. Single layer of SP with no sides touching. After about a week he would turn them over. He told me the skins are fragile when first dug so try not to damage them when digging and handling. Skin damage can bring rot. After they were cured he would put them in boxes to store in a coolish place that did not freeze. He did the same with white potatoes. Lot's of critters love SP so be mindful of that when curing and storing.

My BIL grew sweet potates commercially on a large farm. Their process is a bit different.

When I dig my SP I plan to cure in my greenhouse. I hope to lay them out like my FIL did. Turn after about a week. Leave at least one more week. Then store.