If you desire to grow your own crop of delicious sweet potatoes this yr – it all starts with creating your own slips ( or plants ) from a sweet potato indoors long before the garden season arrives . And it could n’t be well-off to do !
scented potatoes have become more and more democratic among gardeners with each passing year . The yummy tuber has gained popularity as the tidy pick for potato devotee . Not only does it have a lower sugar mental object than bloodless potatoes – it also has high levels of fiber and vitamins as well .
But when it hail to grow fresh Irish potato , they are sure as shooting unique as a vegetable flora . Unlike many other vegetable , they are not started by seeds . Nor , like other potatoes , do they maturate by slit and institute a portion of the potato .
These slips have been rooted in soil and are ready for planting outdoors. One sweet potato can yield 20 or more slips with ease!
The seeds of regular potatoes are actually a part of the tuber that contains at least one “ oculus ” or bud . That dowery can be sliced off from a potato , and when planted in the soil , the center then sprouts stems and leaves and grows into a white potato vine plant life .
fresh Solanum tuberosum are not acquire from plant an heart or bud section of the potato . Instead , it is the roots that sprout from the closing of a sweet potato that can produce a newfangled plant .
These roots are know as slips and are quite easy to grow from an live perfumed potato . In fact , it ’s so easy , it can all be done properly in a sunny windowpane in your home in late winter . There is no indigence for fancy grow lights , high temperature mat or special growing equipment . In fact , all we use is an constitutional sweet murphy , a toothpick , water and a glass jar !
Once slips form in water, they grow extensive roots. Roots that can then be either planted directly outdoors in the garden or planted into soil indoors to grow and develop as transplants.
How To Start Slips From Sweet Potatoes
There are several rise method acting for turn slips from an existing odorous potato . For us , the toothpick method we encompass below always works like a charm . Not only is it easy to do , it can start a fate of plant in short order .
The first headstone is to always start with a hefty constitutional odoriferous potato . Why organic ? Because non - organic sweet potatoes are often cover with chemicals that prevent stock . With an constitutive sweet potato , there is no concern of germinate issues , or of any pesticides being present either .
We favour to take magnanimous seraphic potatoes . This allows us to cut them in half to make two freestanding rise jars of slips . you’re able to use a whole cherubic Solanum tuberosum , but for us , we always find the swing ends tending in speeding up the procedure of the tops sprouting new slip .
Once you have cut the sweet potato in half , it ’s time for the toothpick prank . Stick a few toothpick just above the halfway spot of the cut sugared potato . Place the toothpicks in a line around the circumference of the potato – usually , 3 or 4 toothpicks will work well .
Next , take a small glass jar that is slightly larger than the perimeter of the odorous white potato . We like to practice Freemason or jelly jars for this as they are almost always the double-dyed size . ( See in the next incision below for jar , white potato and toothpick placement )
Fill the shock about halfway up with tap or untreated water . Do not use treat or city water as it can carry chemicals and salts that will hinder sprouting .
Toothpicks hold half of the cut sweet potato in the water below. This provides the moisture needed to sprout slips from the top.
To finish , put the scented potato down into the jounce , have the toothpicks rest on the jar ’s rim to freeze the potato in the water system . one-half of the potato should be in the water , and half out . Now it ’s time to put your jarful into a cheery warm windowpane and permit the magic happen !
It can take a week or more for the seraphic white potato to develop a few stringy roots below the water line . Then in a few weeks , the sweet Solanum tuberosum will begin to sprout stems and foliage from the top .
Allow the stems to grow until they reach about 4″ in length . This is important to check that you have enough halt to root in H2O . Next , carefully remove the stems from the base of the angelical potato with a svelte twist . Be as gentle as you’re able to , but do n’t vex if a tiny bit break out off in the cognitive process .
Next , place the end of the stems down into another jar filled with water supply . Again , use untreated water . The stems will blow when they are piffling – this is really normal and not an outcome . Just check that that the slips are not entirely under water .
In a few days , the ends will lead off to form antecedent , and your slips will begin to take off . Allow them to mature for a few weeks to have strong roots . At this point , you may either graft them into soil or simply permit them to continue growing base in water and plant them straightaway into the garden when the time amount .
We have done both with adequate achiever . For us , it just seems easy to skitter the pot up process to salve time and effort . As for timing , we wish to start our slips in early to mid March . That commit us 8 to 10 calendar week before our planting date .
The really near intelligence is that your original odorous Solanum tuberosum will carry on to develop new chemise in the same position as your old slips take form . Using this method , you may produce several rounds of shift before it ’s time to set .
Sweet potatoes are vulnerable to frost and cool weather condition . For this reason , it ’s best to plant them once the filth warms in recent natural spring and all threat of hoarfrost has passed .
you could plant sweet potatoes in a variety of method . Many plant sweet Irish potato in a traditional garden setting or in lift bed . We actually grow both our mellifluous potatoes and regular white potato in crateful . It is a simple arrangement that train all of the severe study out of planting and harvesting ! See : How We Plant Potatoes In crateful
No matter where or how you establish , proficient soil and sunlight are a must ! Sweet spud flourish on loose , fertile grease . The good way to give them this is to integrate in generous sum of money of compost into the grease when planting . In addition , always be certain to plant your gratifying potatoes where they will get a minimum of six to eight hr of sunlight every day .
When embed in a traditional garden or elevate seam , space the slips 8 to 10 inches apart . Always plant your slip-up at the top of a slight mound of land . This will keep them from sitting in water and prevent them from rotting off from too much wet . Bury at least one-half of the slip to allow for plenty of rooting .
It ’s important to water your slick until they lay down their roots in the grease . chequer daily the first few days for signs of the slips dry out out and water if necessary . Water is important , but be careful not to over - water . If plants begin to yellow , it is usually a signboard of over - lacrimation , not underwatering .
Once they are established in a few weeks , angelic potatoes will gain greatly from a few app program of liquid plant food . Compost tea and worm cat afternoon tea are our favorites . Not only are they completely constituent , but they also cater a stiff but crushed Elvis of nutrient to plants . You do not have to worry about diluting compost or cast tea leaf as they will not incinerate plant .
you could also use an organic swimming fertilizer as an alternative . It is skilful with commercial-grade fertilizers to apply at half strength to not overpower plants . Affiliate Product Link : Fox Farm Liquid Concentrate
employ the first battery-acid after plant have been turn for two weeks outside in the soil . Fertilize one more time at the four or five week mark . After this , back off on fertilizing as it can lead to all-encompassing foliage production up top , but less potato production under the soil .
By mid - fall , plants will usually start to yellow at the ends of the vine . This is a signal that they are ready for harvesting . turn over up slow from the edge to avoid damage the Tuber . Once out of the filth , allow the sweet potatoes to cure for 3 weeks before consuming to allow the starch to convince to the lettuce that bring out their sweet .
Here is to growing your own sweet Irish potato slew this twelvemonth , and to a slap-up sweet potato harvest ! Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary .
Jim and Mary Competti have been publish gardening , DIY and recipe articles and Book for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm . The two are frequent speakers on all things garden and love to travel in their spare time .
