Overview
These super nutritious tubers are not closely related to regular potatoes, and are in fact members of the morning glory family, as their lush and beautiful foliage will attest. High in vitamins A and C, manganese and antioxidants, they give a health boost to the output of your edible yard. Growing well both in ground and in raised beds, the spread of the vines is beautiful and their love of heat and long growing season make them the perfect vegetable to grow here in Sacramento.
Light/Spacing
Individual sweet potato slips should be planted around 18 inches apart. Slightly wider spacing is better if planting whole sweet potatoes directly into the ground, and remember that if the plants are too close together the potatoes will not grow as large. These plants require full sun to grow well, but as the vines can travel quite far, they can be planted in shaded patches if the vines are allowed to spread off into sunny areas.
Soil Prep
Rich and well draining soil is best. Avoid anything too heavy such as clay as the potatoes will struggle to develop. Waterlogged soil will affect growth and can cause the potatoes to rot.
Irrigation
While sweet potatoes do need plenty of water to produce well, they suffer when planted in waterlogged soil. Deep waterings with longer periods between that allow the soil to start to dry out are best. Sweet potatoes are much more tolerant of too little water than too much.
Harvesting
As sweet potatoes have such a long growing season, it is best to leave them in the ground for as long as possible. Frost will kill the vines, so aim to have them out of the ground before the first frost, or if taken by surprise, as soon as possible afterwards. To harvest, cut and dispose of all vines. Locate the main crowns of each plant and dig up the potatoes being careful not to damage them. At this stage their skins will be very tender and it is easy to damage or bruise the crop.
Pruning
Sweet potatoes require no specific pruning, but can sometimes become unwieldy and need to be cut back from paths or walkways. The leaves are edible and small amounts can be removed at any time without affecting the overall health of the plant. Once the vines have grown long, lifting them from the ground occasionally to prevent them from rooting can prevent the plant from wasting energy trying to develop new roots and potatoes too late in the season and will ensure the main crop of sweet potatoes is as large as possible.
Pests/Diseases
There are a number of important pests that affect commercial sweet potato growers, but in the home garden it is rare that any of these will affect your plants. Sweet potato whitefly for example are mainly present in large cotton fields, and can migrate to other crops after harvesting. Cucumber beetles will eat away at the roots, and should be removed when spotted. As with all vegetables being attentive to your plants and regularly inspecting them will allow you to deal with any pests before the problem becomes too large.
Post Harvest Care
Any damaged potatoes should be consumed immediately. Sweet potatoes need to be cured for long term storage. They should be left somewhere humid and warm for around ten days, until their skins toughen. If you cannot find a humid area to let them cure, they can be individually wrapped in newspaper, placed into a sealed plastic bag and left in a warm spot. Open up the bag if you notice lots of condensation, which can cause rotting. Once the skins are tough the sweet potatoes can be stored for months in a cool dark and dry area. If the outdoor temperatures are low a garage can make an excellent spot. Wrap the potatoes in newspaper and place into a cardboard box
Preserving
In addition to taking advantage of sweet potatoes' long shelf life, there are a number of ways to keep enjoying your harvest long into the future. They can be canned in either syrup or water using a pressure canner. If you choose to freeze your harvest you should cook the sweet potatoes first, these can then be reheated and mashed or added to soups and stews. Sweet potatoes can be processed into flour by thinly slicing, dehydrating and then grinding or blending. The flour can then be stored at room temperature for use in baking, as a coating for fried foods or as a thickening agent.
Best Uses
Sweet potatoes can be used in many of the same preparations as regular potatoes; mashed, baked, fried or cooked into a hash. Some interesting options include using cooked sweet potato in place of garbanzo beans to make hummus, or grating raw sweet potato to make a slaw. If consuming raw sweet potatoes for the first time be sure not to eat too much, as their very high fibre and resistant starch content can cause stomach upset and gas in some people.
Pairings
Butter, brown sugar, honey, maple, and pecans, black beans, corn, chicken, salmon, kale, feta cheese, and various spices like cinnamon and rosemary.
