Sweet potatoes are inexpensive and easy to grow and harvest. They are considered a superfood full of antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. The sweet potato was ranked number one in nutrition of all vegetables by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) http://www.cspinet.org/
The earliest records of humans growing sweet potatoes (java potato) are at least 10,000 years old in Central and South America and are one of the oldest vegetables known to man. They have been consumed since prehistoric times as evidenced by sweet potato relics dating back 10,000 years that have been discovered in Peruvian caves.
Sweet potatoes aren't started by seed like most other vegetables, they're started from slips. Slips are shoots grown from a mature sweet potato.
Begin starting sweet potato slips indoors from January through April. To start your slips, you need several healthy, clean sweet potatoes. Each sweet potato can produce up to 50 slip sprouts.
To create sprouts, carefully wash your potatoes and cut them in half or in large sections. Place each section in a jar or glass of water with half of the potato below the water and half above. Use toothpicks to hold the potato in place.
The slips need warmth, so put them on a window ledge or on top of a radiator. In a few weeks, your potatoes will be covered with leafy sprouts on top and roots on the bottom.
Within a few days, roots will emerge from the bottom of each new plant. The new slips are ready to plant when the roots are about an inch long. To keep your slips healthy, be sure to keep the water fresh.
Plant sweet potato slips outdoors from March through June, 2-3 weeks after the last spring frost, when the soil temperature is at least 18 °C.
Sweet potatoes grow best in light, sandy soils but grow well on heavier soils, high in clay, and amended with organic matter. They require direct full sun for at least 6 hours/day; the best results are achieved with sun exposure at 8 - 10 hours/day.
Prepare the ground by removing weeds and adding organic matter, such as garden compost or well-rotted sheep manure. Plant in well-prepared soil, spacing the plants 30cm apart.
Research shows that Increasing planting depth is one of the simplest ways to increase the potential yields of sweet potatoes.
Once the plants are established, sweet potatoes can be watered once a week.
Sweet potato is a vine that grows horizontally on the ground. It can reach 15 to 30cm in height and 30cm to 2m in length. Funnel-shaped flowers grow in clusters on the vines. The flowers are shaded with pink or rose violet. The heart-shaped, fresh green, and lush foliage is highly ornamental. Pinch out the growing tips of longer stems to encourage bushy growth.
Sweet potatoes are ready to harvest when the leaves turn yellow and die back – Most varieties will take about 90 to 120 days to mature after planting. Make sure you harvest them before the first frost in autumn, which can damage the tubers. Typically, you'll be able to harvest 3-5 tubers per sweet potato plant, which is about 1kg.
Sweet potatoes must be cured after harvest before they are stored. Curing permits the starches to convert into sugars and makes them last longer in proper storage conditions.
After digging, allow the roots to dry for two to three hours. Once the surface is dry, move them to a warm, dry, and well-ventilated place at a constant temperature of 30 degrees and a relative air humidity of 95% for 10 to 14 days.
After curing, the best way to store your sweet potatoes is in a cool, dry, and dark area, like your pantry or the back corner of your kitchen countertop at a temperature of 12 degrees.
00:00 1. Sweet Potatoes are Superfood
01:08 2. Starting Sweet Potato Slips
04:01 3. Planting Sweet Potato Slips
07:03 4. Sweet Potato is a Vine that Grows Horizontally
08:05 5. When to Harvest Sweet Potatoes
10:44 6. How To Cure Sweet Potatoes
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