Post by macmex on Nov 8, 2022 13:11:44 GMT
One of the greatest problems for sweet potato preservation is that the majority of gardeners don't know how to grow them, and as is the case with many kinds of ventures, those who know might overwhelm the newbie with too much information at the beginning. Sure, there are plenty of ways to refine growing techniques but let's just talk about the most basic approach possible. Here are some tips and principles for "fast and dirty sweet potato production."
First, plant sweet potatoes, only after nights have warmed to the point you generally don't need a sweater and days are warm. Don't plant early if they are going to be outside when frost, freezing temps or even temperatures in the 40s settle in. Sweet potatoes need warmth.
Second, it's better to plant than not to plant: If you are overwhelmed with details about hilling, irrigation or some other aspect of growing, that you read about, just remember, the most important thing is to PLANT some sweet potatoes! Don't sweat the details.
Third: remember the plants get fairly large. If planted in a row, give them 15-18" space between plants and about 5' between rows. If you decide to grow in a container, use at least 10 gallons of potting medium to the plant (Big container).
Fourth: sweet potatoes need moisture. Though drought tolerant, they stop producing during drought and sometimes crack if hit by drought, followed by more moisture. During dry spells water them. The simplest way to water is with a sprinkler. If you use a sprinkler then wait until the soil is dry, a few inches down and water for for 3-4 hours, letting the irrigation sink in deeply. Then, wait to water again. During our extreme mid summer droughts I try to water once a week.
Fifth: Don't fertilize. While an expert gardener might improve production with some kind of fertilization, most folk will have much better results just planting in plain garden soil. This year I experimented with some fertilizer and, again, found that unfertilized plants produced better.
That's about it. Remember, most varieties need 100 days in the ground to produce usable roots.
First, plant sweet potatoes, only after nights have warmed to the point you generally don't need a sweater and days are warm. Don't plant early if they are going to be outside when frost, freezing temps or even temperatures in the 40s settle in. Sweet potatoes need warmth.
Second, it's better to plant than not to plant: If you are overwhelmed with details about hilling, irrigation or some other aspect of growing, that you read about, just remember, the most important thing is to PLANT some sweet potatoes! Don't sweat the details.
Third: remember the plants get fairly large. If planted in a row, give them 15-18" space between plants and about 5' between rows. If you decide to grow in a container, use at least 10 gallons of potting medium to the plant (Big container).
Fourth: sweet potatoes need moisture. Though drought tolerant, they stop producing during drought and sometimes crack if hit by drought, followed by more moisture. During dry spells water them. The simplest way to water is with a sprinkler. If you use a sprinkler then wait until the soil is dry, a few inches down and water for for 3-4 hours, letting the irrigation sink in deeply. Then, wait to water again. During our extreme mid summer droughts I try to water once a week.
Fifth: Don't fertilize. While an expert gardener might improve production with some kind of fertilization, most folk will have much better results just planting in plain garden soil. This year I experimented with some fertilizer and, again, found that unfertilized plants produced better.
That's about it. Remember, most varieties need 100 days in the ground to produce usable roots.
