Harvest, Cure and Store Sweet Potatoes at Home

[@Chopperdoll]

I’m like a archaeologist when it’s time to dig up my potatoes. Lol yours are huge!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It's such fun to dig them!

[@sonyaPsalm27]

I have NEVER seen a sweet potato so big! I love this channel!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you! That potato was a fun suprise- mine don't usually get quite that big!

[@setnamalat6t3]

I just harvested my first crop of sweet potatoes! They are HUGE!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That is awesome!

[@TheTrock121]

We had our best Sweet Potatoe Harvest this year - 45 lbs from 6 slips. Love them baked w/ butter and cinnamon and the Wife is even drying some to make dog treats.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's awesome!

[@latauarobison6521]

I’m growing or first year in grow bags. Will be harvesting sweet potatoes soon. Just trim off green stems and empty grow bags into wheel barrow to go thru and collect sweet potatoes. I am going to sit up a curing station in garage.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! Best wishes for a great harvest!

[@snowfuller7599]

We are just starting to plant sweet potatoes here in Australia. We are in our second month of spring. Next season, you should try "Ruth Stout method" for your potatoes. No digging involved. Just put the slips in a handful of soil after pulling back the thick mulch, then push the mulch back around the slip. I don't water or feed them at all. The mulch does all the work for you. When it comes to harvest, just pull back the mulch and pick them up. Easy as. Just an idea to try. Love your videos. 👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Will definitely give this a try- thanks!

[@brianseybert2189]

That is how I plant my sweet potatoes and russet potatoes, it makes harvest a breeze. The only bad thing, this year I got the asian jumping worms. That mulch I plant my potatoes in is their preferred food source.

[@snowfuller7599]

@@brianseybert2189 All my potatoes and sweet potatoes are done this way. The only problem I get is a few fall victim to rats. Im experimenting with onions now and am pleasantly surprised by the size of them. Will be doing all my onions this way from now on. Next experiment, which should work as well, is garlic. What are asian jumping worms? Never heard of them.

[@brianseybert2189]

@@snowfuller7599 Asian jumping worms are a scourge to our environment. I have a video at Brian Seybert that will show you what they are, and what they do to your soil.

[@snowfuller7599]

@Larry Hartman Just google them. They seem to be a real problem there and Im not sure if they can actually stop them. So sad. Makes you wonder where they actually originated from. Must have been recently.

[@regatta2k]

Who is the best home Gardner in the world? Jenna, duahhh 👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

😊💚

[@guardmommad5084]

Wow those are some monster tubers!❤️ I planted my tatoes in a container for my first time. Will check tomorrow when my granddaughter is here to help.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I hope you get a great harvest!

[@addysbeeandgarden320]

We use a modified Ruth Stout method for sweet potatoes. 3-4 layers of cardboard. Dirt on top, about 6 inches. Plant the slips, add straw around to hold on the moisture until they grow. Water daily, fertilize with low n and high pk. Giant potatoes, no digging required. Also, please look into the benefits of the vines as animal fodder. They are high in protein and vitamins. Great for everything including chickens, pigs, rabbits, cows, goats, etc. It's been proven to help them gain weight faster and improve milk quality in nursing mothers! Truly a superfood!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks for sharing!

[@addysbeeandgarden320]

Since it's sweet potato starting time, you had previously asked me what my favorite kind was. I didn't have a good answer since I just grabbed them from the grocery store. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite things to eat year round and last week I grabbed them from 2 different grocery stores and cooked them side by side. Our family unanimously decided the darker more round ones were hands down sweeter and nuttier! Upon looking up the different varieties, it is the Beauregard potato that we prefer! Unfortunately the ones I already started were not those,, they were a lighter skinned more tubular. But I've got lots of space and the pigs and goats don't seem to mind what kind they eat. Fingers crossed we can grow the Beauregard as successfully as the other varieties! Btw, strawberry season is Upon us here and the blueberries have gone nuts this year! Hoping for a lovely and productive spring for your zone very soon!

[@Sheree-aka-SherryLynn]

First time growing sweet potatoes in my new home near Atlanta, Georgia. Several of your instructions will work just fine here in my area. Can’t wait to have my first sweet potato from my garden in about a month.!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I hope you have a fantastic harvest!

[@j.reneewhite915]

In my short season shaded property I've opted to use an under the bed roller tote w/lid inside the house with 2 grow/heat pads inside and a skinny cup of water in the center of one heat pad. I close it up for 2 weeks and vwala.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@PastorBradRocks]

I'm a NEWBIE--But I think I might have a cool thought for you. I planted Sweet Potatoes in a raised bed that I created using 2x12s... so the soil is about a foot deep... and when I "lift" the 2x12 FRAME off---the PLAN is for the dirt (which is all potting soil) to fall apart way more easily than my good-ol'l Tennessee clay would :-) -- allowing me to more easily harvest my tubers! Hoping it would out that way! Thank you for this helpful video!

[@herhomeandharvest]

Those sweet potatoes are huge! I certainly hope you and your family like sweet potato pie or candied sweet potatoes for the holidays!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

We LOVE sweet potato pie 😄

[@diaperjoeisaped1723]

Hi there: It is Sunday night on October 22, 2023. I am in N. E. Ohio and expecting our 1st hard frost/freeze tonight. I just dug up my sweet potatoes a couple of hours ago and brought them in. Yours are much bigger than mine! I found your video interesting as others have used different storage methods. I will try yours but in a modified format. Thanks for producing this video.

[@joshmitchell8865]

I planted in chemical free square straw bales ftom the Amish this year. We conditioned the bales prior to planting sweet potato slips in the tops. And o my goodness they are prolific and were able to grow sooo large. We did the same with regular potatoes and just covered the seed pots in straw continuously for the season; we were able to get 200lbs of reds, Yukon, and russet. Can't wait to see how much our 10 bales of sweets got us

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's awesome! I've tried regular potatoes in bales and didn't love it, but I definitely want to try sweet potatoes. Thanks for sharing!

[@blksands1]

I am planning on trying to grow sweet potato's here in Hawaii for the first time, am a newbie to growing stuff, can you direct me to where to learn how to do this bale method step by step please?

[@joshmitchell8865]

@@blksands1 s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2071/2013/12/Straw-Bale-Gardening.pdf

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hi Jackie- I share how I grew in straw bales in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKTamot6rLSHn7s though I've not done sweet potatoes in the bales.

[@blksands1]

Thank you for the response@@GrowfullywithJenna

[@1timejohn]

I had no idea sweet potatoes were such a process when I planted them! I’m using a kiddie pup tent with a small space heater and a pitcher of water. Thanks for the guidance.

[@deborahthompson5041]

Good storage information. I harvested some Beauregard last wednesday and 10 later. I am cuing them inside a small bathroom in the tub with cardboard box underneath. I placed an electric heater on automatic 80 degrees. Just for 1 week. I am using your method putting them in plastic food bags and punch holes for another week. Hopefully the will be nice and sweet. I am not going to eat them until Thanksgiving, pies are on the way. Great video. Thanks.......enjoy yours.

[@brianseybert2189]

Last year I made a screen of hardware cloth on 2"X 2"s that fit over my large heat matt I use for starting tomatoes and peppers. I then placed a couple damp towels on the heat matt and covered with a light plastic drop cloth used for covering furniture when painting. It worked great and my sweet potatoes stored extremely well. Have not harvested this years crop yet, frost coming this Thursday or Friday, hope the voles did not get to my big tubers as they did last year. I did a huge baiting program last winter and maintained through the summer. Enjoy your videos.

[@brianseybert2189]

By the way! I plant my sweet, russet and red potatoes in just the top couple inches of soil and cover with about a foot of mulch. No need to dig them at harvest time they just pull right out of the mulch. The only bad thing is this year I found asian jumping worms when I pulled my russet and red potatoes. All that mulch is the preferred food for the asian jumping worms.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks for sharing Brian! I'd love to hear how the harvest turns out this year- I'm curious if you think the baiting helped. I wanted to try this, but was not diligent about checking the bait stations.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yikes on the worms though... I'm hoping they don't show up here.

[@brianseybert2189]

Just finished harvesting my sweet potatoes, Literally. No damage from the voles, unfortunately I encountered dozens of mature Asian jumping worms. The Asian jumping worms turned my beautiful soil into a granular sub straight, not sure what I can do about them. I already posted a video on Asian jumping worms as I encountered them in my leaf mold pile and onion bed. With all the crap happening around our world, I guess Asian jumping worms are not that important, unfortunately they are. Asian jumping worms can take down a forest by consuming all the nutrients needed for a forest to survive. Please take a moment and take a look at my video on Asian jumping worms, it can make a difference.@@GrowfullywithJenna

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Just got a chance to check it out- ugh... the fact that they can take down forests is really concerning.

[@TheSovereign2011]

Ahhh! You were right about the early first frost

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sadly, yes- we've been hit every night here for the last 3 or 4 days. My warm season stuff is done 😣

[@sweetfernhome]

JENNA, Those are HUGE!!!!!! I'm so nervous to dig mine out, first time growing them and I have no idea what will be under the soil.

[@Javaman92]

That is what makes growing potatoes or sweet potatoes so cool! LOL

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm nervous every single year! I was worried this year because I didn't think they got enough water (plus the vole issue) but I was pretty happy with the turnout.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I do agree- digging potatoes & sweet potatoes is always like a treasure hunt for me 😆

[@JulesGardening]

BIG, we've not grown any in years - space and opportunity cost. But your haul has me thinking, again. lol. Good one Jenna. 👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Quite a few folks have mentioned here how well they do in straw bales... something to consider for your backyard garden perhaps?

[@kittyfruitloop8264]

Thank you for the very precise and to the point video with practical advice for anyone. I just dug up my first sweet potato harvest ever and now I'm wondering, "now what?" Yours is the fifth video on curing them I looked at and I'm no longer confused, thanks! .

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm so glad to hear this! Thank you!

[@Jammaster1972]

If you want to avoid piercing the tubers during the harvest, grow them in containers then dump them onto a tarp.

[@mgronnvoll]

We'll be harvesting our sweet potatoes in a few weeks (zone 6A). The foliage looks great, and we've already dug up one monster! I'm hoping for a good crop. The curing has always vexed us - we don't have a room in the house with that high heat or humidity. The plastic bag trick may just work for us. Thanks for the tip!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Ooh that is exciting!! Best wishes for a great harvest!

[@hobbygardenforhealth6973]

Thank you for thus info. I just pulled mine today.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

You're welcome!

[@lynnlovessoil]

I cured mine in a Rubbermaid container with a heat mat under it set to 85, a large open mason jar filled with water inside it and the lid ajar. They cured beautifully. I let them cure for 2 weeks. I need to harvest some more this week, the first frost is coming tomorrow.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

What a great solution for curing- thanks, Lynn!

[@lynnlovessoil]

Massive sweet potatoes!! That is so awesome 👌

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks, Lynn!

[@marykappesser5145]

Jenna, I have a small area to grow in. I grow them in an old rubbermaid trash can with the bottom cut out. I put about 4 or 5 slips in and they grow in the sunniest place in my yard. I plant them on my birthday ( June 1) and harvest first week of October. I usually get 8 to 10 decent sized potatoes. The can has soil about 3ft deep and often tubers will find their way all the way down to the the soil underneath. I get such a kick out of growing them. Although, the deer often find them tasty and that limits my harvest a lot. I have been spraying the leaves with boiled garlic water which has helped deter the deer. But my goodness, that football sized potato will feed a whole family.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Love this idea, Mary- thanks for sharing! Deer & rabbits love mine, so I always keep them covered with insect netting until they are well established.

[@dawnraudibaugh4804]

Im in upstate ny. Love your style of sharing info. Thanks

[@tonyarueff3230]

Those are nice sized sweet potatoes! I am also getting ready to harvest sweet potatoes in central Illinois. I started my own slips this year from sweet potatoes i grew last year as planted in a raised bed because of vole pressure. I will be happy with sweet potatoes half the size of yours. 🙂

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I hope you have a great harvest, Tonya!

[@emkn1479]

My husband has tried and failed to cure sweet potatoes for the past couple of years. Hopefully this is the year for success. I’ve seen others use large plastic tubs with an open water bottle placed over a heat mat indoors. We have a couple containers that already have cracks in them so I think that’s what we’ll try. Thanks for the ever-informative videos. Jealous of those tubers, wow!

[@sn232]

Wow great idea!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Great tip EmKn! Thank you!

[@duaneschultz9230]

Thank you for the video on sweet potatoes. I was thinking about growing those next year and the video is very informative. The sweet potato are absolutely huge. Good job. God bless you and your family. Duane.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks, Duane! I hope you do give it a try next year!

[@twotonenavy]

I'll be harvesting my sweet potatoes this week, in Southeastern Michigan, Zone 6b. I, sadly, planted them a little late, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I've never had much luck with them being any bigger than a thin carrot. I grow them in 15 gallon fabric grow bags. Wish me luck! 😁

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Best wishes for a great harvest!

[@pixievincent2478]

I, too, am in Ohio, and have a forecast of an overnight low of 34 degrees this week! Too close for me to want to chance it, so I'm digging mine today. This is my first time growing sweet potatoes. I'll admit, the storage issue is my biggest challenge! Esp for the first 1-2 weeks at high humid temps. I appreciate your extra ideas for that. I also saw a video where a guy stuck white Christmas lights in his plastic tote to heat it up along with a jar of warm water in the middle of them. I guess I'm going to try it. We'll see how it works.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's a fun idea! We got nailed with the frost 2 nights ago-- earlier than normal for me! I hope your harvest goes well!

[@pixievincent2478]

@@GrowfullywithJenna evidently, the garnet sweet potato that sprouted on my counter while I was very ill last winter must have a longer growing season than Ohio can sustain. I got skinny tubes. They need another month or two I would guess. Such is life trying new things!

[@krstoner53]

I will probably get a few laughs here but I cure mine under an electric blanket with a plastic tarp on top of blanket in my basement. Works great though

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Love this idea!

[@Balaams_Donkey]

Those are GINORMOUS! After watching your video I decided to go ahead and pull my sweet potatoes this weekend. I've never busted one, but that's probably because I grow a smaller variety, I grow them in loose 16" deep 4x8 beds, and I harvest by hands. Last year I did them in several 25 gallon grow bags, so it was really easy to tip the bags and get every tater, totally pristine. Hey, I don't know if you remember me, but I wrote you (in the Comments section) a couple weeks ago about my first try at sweet corn and if the heatwave had baked my chances (dessicated tassels) of getting any corn. You were so kind. You shared a link to an article about heat impacts on corn crops. I wanted to thank you for the helpful information and tell about ANOTHER WEIRD thing that has happened to my corn patch. I've continued to keep it going - to see if I get anything because I did have a couple healthy pollen heads, but also because I underplanted the corn with beans and squash. I was letting my chooks free-range around this part of the garden this morning while I stand guard (so they don't eat up my garden too much), when I noticed that several cobbs appear to be developing nicely, but there were a couple that seemed to be taking on a melon shape, like OVERNIGHT. I pulled them off and opened them up and saw giant freakish kernels! They were TOTALLY scary looking. I wouldn't let my chickens have them, though they seemed to think they were great, and I whisked them off to the garbage. I thought maybe I poisoned my corn by spraying BT on the silks during the worm invasion... Well, later today I did an Internet search and found that the fungus has a fancy name, Huitacoche, or Corn Truffles, and are very expensive to buy and very edible.... Maybe... I'll be brave enough to do a Mexican stir fry with the next cobb I pull like that. Have you ever had this happen to your sweet corn? Did you cook with it? There are several videos on KZbin from gardeners and chefs, but I wondered what your thoughts and experience was. Thank you so much for the beautiful and informative channel. God bless you and your family 🙏❤️🕊️

[@Balaams_Donkey]

Oh, and PS - I don't know the name of my sweet potato variety - they were a locally grown (California) organic sweet potato from Trader Joe's that I liked to eat. They have brilliant magenta skins, deep orange flesh and a long cylindrical shape. I think a bonus reason why I don't get any damage when harvesting is that their growth pattern is very predictable. They grown vertically in the soil, straight down around each vine. I keep that in mind as I plant my bed so I know where my tubers will be when it's digging time. This is different than the regular white and golden potatoes I plant (Also used locally grown organic Trader Joe's as seed). These ones grow out laterally on the same level, since I don't mound. I also use grow bags, 10 gallon this season, and plant two depths to get two layers of potatoes. Maybe this comment will be helpful to someone 😉

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I do remember! And yes- around here we call it corn smut and some varieties are more prone to developing it than others. I've yet to cook it myself, but used to always give any that I found to a gentleman I worked with, as he loved to eat it. If I recall correctly, the main thing is to pick it before it gets too old, as the flavor will be better. It's definitely something I want to try one of these days!

[@Balaams_Donkey]

@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you ❤️

[@ThomasWBaldwin]

wow! those are huge.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yes- they were definitely a pleasant suprise this year!

[@conradofm]

Sweet And Helpful 😊

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad it was helpful! 😀

[@charliehoos9773]

THOSE ARE MASSIVE!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I was pleasantly suprised with the size this year!

[@lynnlovessoil]

Growing them for the first time this year. I planted Japanese red skinned w/yellow flesh and purple sweet potatoes. It's been 100 days since I planted mine. The red skinned ones seem about ready to harvest but the purple ones need more time.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

The purple ones always seem to take much longer for me- sometimes my season isn't quite long enough for them!

[@cheyennestorey7591]

I absolutely love your channel, but I have no room to start seeds inside, and cannot afford a greenhouse. If possible, could you please make more videos on direct sowing seeds, or recommend a zone 6 channel that has that information for newbie gardeners? Thank you for providing so much valuable information. Bright Blessings.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I will certainly try to focus more on direct sowing, Cheyenne! I'm not sure what zone he's in, but the Rusted Garden has a whole series on beginning gardening.

[@cheyennestorey7591]

@@GrowfullywithJenna thank you.

[@stacyk.3402]

Just did. I leave them sit for a few weeks and then pressure can the cubes

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad to hear it!

[@jackofnone9439]

We grew ours in a potato tower. All we have to do is unfasten the fencing and tip it over and open it up. This is our first time growing them and we haven't harvested yet. We're doing that in about 1/2 an hour. I'll let you know how they turned out in an edit. Edit: they didn't grow great, but the towers are the only place we got ANY...we'll try this again next year.

[@noraalvarado8178]

I'm in zone 6a and bought my first organic sweet potatoes 3 years ago. Don't know what variety it is. I plant them Ruth stout way with hay over top and pull them out with my hands. Haven't dug them up yet and waiting for first frost here in N.Y. I don't know about all that curring stuff. All I do after I dig them is let them dry in the sun just that day then lay them out on paper bags on my cold tile floor in the spare bedroom for the rest of the winter. When it gets close to spring some start to sprout and I save atleast 4 to start my slips. Foil pan with moist potting soil and lay the potatoes right on top of the dirt. Put the pan in my furnace room and always check to make sure soil is kept moist . Sprouts grow first week because of the heat. Got over 80 slips and gave some away. So sweet just love them and wouldn't grow them any other way.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! Thanks for sharing your methods, Nora!

[@KerriEverlasting]

I love the factual background you give about starches and things. No idea how to harvest without damage, mine just look like your vole eaten ones. I'm still fighting the remaining rat. Do you get any pest issues when curing? Great video, thanks! 💖

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks, Kerri- but sorry to hear yours look like my vole eaten potatoes- that's so aggravating! Regarding pest issues while curing-- I haven't yet! If I were curing them in a place that got less human and dog traffic, I suspect critters would take the oppurtunity to nibble on the tubers- especially rats & mice.

[@jonredd650]

Beautiful!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you!

[@bobmariano3731]

Wow 😮 awesome Jenna 👍😘⚾️

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks!

[@bobmariano3731]

Those are HUGE 😮👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I was suprised too! I didn't expect them to turn quite this big!

[@UpcycledStuff]

straw bales baby. I've never dug a sweet potato as I've grown them in straw bales for the past three years. Just pull the bales apart and put your potatoes in a basket, nom nom nom 😋

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks for the tip! I've done regular potatoes in straw bales and wasn't overly impressed, but have never tried sweet potatoes. I'll have to test it out!

[@sammyboyde6489]

Jenna, I was curious what seed companies you like these days and how you store your saved seed? I've been saving in ziplok mylar bags in the fridge, around 40 degrees. I know some people store in the freezer, what do you think? I'm still getting good germination from some beet seeds from 2011, kept in the fridge in a mason jar. I'm wondering when they will stop sprouting!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I've got a whole range of favorites including Gurney's Seed, Adapative Seeds, Fruition Seeds, Johnny's, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Territorial, Seed Savers Exchange... I'm probably forgetting somebody 😆. Honestly, I don't get super technical with my seed saving. This is because I am a trial manager and get sent new seed to grow every year, so I end up with more seed than I know what to do with. However- mylar is definitely a good way to go if you're serious about seed saving. Different species have different optimal storage requirements (I recommend 'Seed Storage for Horticultural Crops' by S.D Doijode and 'Seed to Seed' by Suzanne Ashworth as reference materials), but most vegetable seeds will store best in dry, cool conditions. So storing them in the fridge is a great idea, but for many crops the freezer will allow them to remain viable even longer. I have a friend who stored brassicas in his freezer and those seeds kept their germination for over 9 years. I suppose it would come down to how long you actually need to keep those seed, and if you have the space to spare in the freezer!

[@bobbiewilliams3109]

We just harvested 110 pounds of three varieties of sweet potatoes and curing them in my husband’s garage shop with a portable heater and a bucket of water for humidity. Long term storage will be a problem for us. Will you show us your canning method for sweet potatoes please. I’m not real familiar with canning but I do have a water bath and pressure canner sitting on a shelf.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Wow! That's a lot of sweet potatoes! I use this basic method for canning sweet potatoes: www.amodernhomestead.com/how-to-can-sweet-potatoes/

[@_Boregard_Rippy_]

.... So Sweet ...!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

😄

[@phillippinter7518]

Those are huge, even without accounting for your growing zone. What variety(ies) do you typically grow?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Covington and Carolina Ruby are two of my favorites that I typically grow every year.

[@sn232]

Thank you very much...what type of sweet potatoes are those honking big sweet potatoes? I have never seen them that big before! What do you do for fertilizer and how often? Excellent video showing how to do all stages, the plastic bag works very well, and if it is cooler outside at night, you can cover with a towel and remove thru the day for extra warmth in the first 10-14 days. I know an Amish family and they keep their sweet potatoes in the cool basement with straw or newspapers between layers or sweet potatoes, or wrap the sweet potatoes in newspapers and store stacked in a crate as you do. They do not worry about laying one on top of the other for storage, but I have heard it's good to not do that. What is your opinion on that? Thank you again, soon I am going to cut the vines, wait a few days, and then dig them up, supposed to help the curing of them. I had never heard it was ok to keep them in the ground until the first frost before, but that's great advice. Do you enjoy eating your sweet potato leaves throughout the summer?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

The really big ones are 'Carolina Ruby'. The only thing they were fertilized with this was a layer of aged cow manure that I put down before planting the slips. I've also heard it's not good to layer them (and I don't)... but I'd say if it's working for that family, it's probably worth a shot! Every year I think about eating the leaves, but seem to always have so many other leafy greens to eat, I never get around to it! Do you eat yours?

[@sn232]

@@GrowfullywithJenna I ate the leaves last year when I had the sweet potatoes growing in a haybales, and the leaves were delicious when they are young. It was extremely easy to grow and harvest, just pull apart the bales of hay. This year I have them growing in large pots and the leaves definitely were not as tasty, they were more tough and bitter, so next year I'd like to try growing in the ground like you are doing. Thank you for the tips!

[@gulliverdalton8680]

My crop got completely wiped out by bandicoots. You didn’t mention the best thing about SP is that the young leaves are tasty, for me it was a year round source of fresh green vegetables. I had given up on tubers and was just eating the leaves but isn’t even enough of it left for that now. Lots of cute bandicoot babies around though.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that!! Bandicoots are one critter I thankfully don't have to deal with here. Great point on the foliage- it's not something that is commonly eaten in my area, but definitely a plentiful source of nutritious greens!

[@tawanaconaway499]

I love your channel. I dug my potatoes up the other day. What r u using for fertilizer??? I live in CT

[@annesummers09]

Wow, takes a long time from planting to actually eating them. 🤔Thanks

[@suffolkshepherd]

Those sweet potatoes are colossal. Great gardening. What variety are you growing?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks! I've got several varieties, but the really big ones are a variety called 'Carolina Ruby'.

[@daverocks295]

I have a store bought sweet potato that has stems with leaves growing from it already. Pretty sure it's too late to plant in my area but not sure it'll store over winter either. Maybe I'll toss it into my recently emptied potato box and just see what happens.

[@traciekowalski7664]

Great harvest!! Some of them were big enough for multiple people. When did you put you slips in the ground? I'm in 6a, Northern Ohio, and want to plan a sweet potato bed for next year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks! I planted this year on June 1. I typically plant anywhere from May 20th to mid June

[@HomesteadDIY]

My average first fall frost is Oct 30, but this year all the long range forecasts show a frost not coming till just before Christmas this year. Obviously I’ll monitor it, but do you have any suggestions on how that might affect harvesting/storing vegetables that I’m normally putting away 2 months prior?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It shouldn't really affect them them at all- they'll still be mature about 100-120 days after transplant and you can dig, cure and store as you normally would. The only reason I wait till the frost, is that it pretty much coincides when the tubers are mature anyways and it's a bit easier to cut back all that foliar growth after it's been hit with frost.

[@craigdreisbach5956]

Thank you Jenna. I am such a Newbie when it comes to sweet potatoes. So should I expect all of the tubers to form where I planted my slips? Somehow I expected additional tubers where the vines spread out and re-rooted on their own. Perhaps this re-rooting should have been discouraged. Kind Regards. Craig

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

You're welcome! It depends a lot on the variety you're growing and your growing conditions. Some varieties are rampant spreaders and I find tubers everywhere (and have to be EXTRA careful when digging), but other varieties (notably, O'Henry, my favorite white sweet potato), tend to form all the tubers in a clump under the main stem.

[@charlesthompson8743]

I plan to wait til first frost to knock my sweet potato tower over and harvest them. My wife and I are practically chomping at the bit.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Happy harvesting!

[@bshaw971]

I did mine in containers I knew they would be small lol but they look like carrots 🥕

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm sorry to hear that! There are a variety of factors that could be causing this, but two of the most common are over watering and the fact that overly fertile soil and/or too much fertilizer can lead to lush foliar growth at the expense of tuber size. Also, in a container sometimes folks run into issues overcrowding their plants, and tubers don't size up.

[@frankfurder3742]

This is why I use 15gal grow bags, no digging, just dumping them out LOL

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Smart!

[@ericwilliams1124]

Great harvest. How did yours get so big?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks! The biggest tubers came from the variety 'Carolina Ruby'. Sweet potatoes also tend to really like my soil here- amended clay seems to make them quite happy!

[@LazarusEfek]

Dig by your hands covered gloves, you'll get the potatoes completely nice Without any scratches. 👍

[@timmmmmmmmmmy1]

Bare hands and a hori hori .

[@Lochness19]

Do they need sun to cure or just heat? I'm growing them for the first time this year in large plastic totes. Seems the voles or some other animal are gradually pruning back the foliage so I won't have to do it myself... Our first frost might not be for a few weeks but it's fairly consistently cool now (high around 60F, low around 45F). The greenhouse is only about 10F warmer so inside the house. will be warmer.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Just heat for curing. We're getting quite cold here, so I'm having to move mine to the house also- greenhouse won't stay warm enough without running a heater.

[@gmc1758]

That's a big potato!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I was suprised by the size of that one too!

[@charissacain2203]

First time growing sweet potatoes. If they have bug holes in them. Can I go ahead and blanch and freeze them. Without curing.

[@nakamura7491]

Hi. at what temperature and for how many days do you dry it?

[@wonderfullymundane1061]

I'm in SW Pennsylvania, zone 6b, which type would you suggest for this zone?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Honestly, just about every shorter season variety I've grown has done well here- some of my favorites include 'Carolina Ruby', 'Covington', and 'O'Henry' (a white fleshed variety).

[@sn232]

What camera do you use? Your videos are crystal clear!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Primarily a Canon Rebel EOS SL3

[@sn232]

@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you for your help :)

[@ourcozygarden]

Those sweet potatoes are huge! Great harvest 😊

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you!

[@Big_Bother_1984]

Can I leave them in the ground until next spring? I want so many sweet potatoes!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm unsure if this would work in a warmer climate, but here (Ohio), I can't leave them in the ground. Once the ground freezes, it will ruin the potatoes, plus voles and other critters view them as a veritable feast in the late fall/winter when food is getting scarce.

[@btucker1739]

Hi Jenna! How did you become a seed trial person? That’s a job dreams are made of

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Honestly, I just kind of fell into it. I started working at a gardening company years ago and worked my way through many different positions within the company from marketing to R&D. When I started managing their trials I knew I had found my dream job, and now I do it on my own.

[@Javaman92]

UGH, I don't have anywhere that comes close to the curing or storing requirements for sweet potatoes. 😞 My basement is dirt and nasty and I don't like going down there unless there is a problem. The closest thing I have is a back room that is only kinda heated but the humidity will be (I'm guessing) a lot lower than in the 70s. I suppose I can check into canning them. By any chance do you have a video on that? 😉😁

[@emkn1479]

Millennial Gardener has a video where he uses a large plastic tub, a bottle of water, and a heat mat.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Honestly, I'd say just pick the warmest spot you have for curing and don't worry too much. Many years I have less than ideal curing spots and they still turn out OK! I don't have a video on canning, but like this basic recipe/process: www.amodernhomestead.com/how-to-can-sweet-potatoes/

[@Javaman92]

@@GrowfullywithJenna Thank you!

[@Pixieworksstudio]

What type were they please, Jenna? We only get the smaller variety here in the UK

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I've got a mix of varieties- but the largest ones you see in this video are a variety called 'Carolina Ruby'.

[@Pixieworksstudio]

@@GrowfullywithJenna Thanks for that

[@janebo1068]

I am also in zone 6,But i am having the hardist time. I have a Big vego garden bed,I have great loose soil,I started all my slips early,gave them 4 or more months to grow and all my sweet potatos are about a foot long and and inch in dia what am i doing wrong???and they still dont look llike they were done all the way, this year was a fantastic (weather wise) to grow them . I put in 1 purple and 4 white slips and only the purple ones took hold.....any suggestions...and i am on a drip irrigation

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm sorry to hear that! There are a variety of factors that could be causing this, but two of the most common are over watering and the fact that overly fertile soil and/or too much fertilizer can lead to lush foliar growth at the expense of tuber size. Also, sometimes folks run into issues overcrowding their plants, and tubers don't size up.

[@matthewkurt2246]

I actually cure my sweet potatoes on top of my fish tanks just above the hood. Plenty of warmth and humidity there.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Ingenious! Thanks for sharing, Matthew!

[@franksinatra1070]

I was thinking about growing them next year for the first time but the curing and storing may present a problem for me. I guess I can cure under a poly tunnel in the fall. The only place close to the storage temperatures you mentioned would be my garage in the winter but it usually gets down into the 40's. The house is generally around 70 in the winter so not sure how long the would store in my less than ideal temperatures.

[@Lochness19]

Maybe attic, crawlspace or basement?

[@franksinatra1070]

@@Lochness19 Attic may work for curing. No crawlspace. Basement is finished and is usually around 70. Thanks

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

If you use the poly tunnel, just be on the look out for rodents trying to eat your sweet potatoes!

[@sn232]

Maybe wrap in newspaper to give them some insulation, I know an Amish woman that does that. I did that and placed in a cardboard box and they survived colder temps for storage. I hope that would work for you.

[@franksinatra1070]

@@sn232 Thanks I'll give that a try

[@mikefrench3800]

Amazing crop!!!! I love those sweet taters!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you! I was pretty happy with the harvest this year.

[@bendaniel5320]

Harvested ours this week and voles had destroyed them😒. Guess we will try not using the black plastic as you noted here. 🤞

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh no!! I'm so sorry to hear this!

[@carahoglund5266]

I harvested my sweet potatoes a week ago. Last year I got lazy and just kept them in a cardboard box in my living room, spritzed with water a few times. They cured perfectly well. I also stored them on a small open shelf in my kitchen all last year, and even the smallest ones stayed pristine until about June of this year. I think they are much more hardy than we give them credit for.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks for sharing this, Cara!

[@Sweetlady1916]

How did get your potatoes so big?

[@williamaber2791]

How did you get sweet potatoes that large?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

They seem to be quite happy here- I think the combo of our relatively warm summers and the amended clay soil really promotes their growth!

[@onemoredoll5791]

I dont have a basement, nor a cellar and I live in Southern California. I literally cant find any video on this. I have a massive crop to store

[@mtdd420]

Growing in smart pots avoids any damage when harvesting

[@rik80280]

How on earth do you get them so big?! I thought only southerners could grow them that large.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm lucky in that my Ohio summers have plenty of the heat that sweet potatoes enjoy and they seem to really like my amended clay soil!

[@threeblindmice369]

😮 that sweet potato 🍠 looks like a football 🏈 hut hut 😂 Deer jumped my fence and ate all the leaves so I have no tatters this year 😖🤬🤬

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh no!! I'm so sorry the deer got yours. I had issues with rabbits eating all the foliage last year- so I started putting netting over them until they are well established. That seemed to help a lot.

[@ChristineButler-i8j]

How do I can sweet potatoes?

[@LucTieuCa-62]

❤❤❤

[@johnjude2685]

I love them but when wife doesn't they are laid down and forgot about unless I hollow and we don't like that. She should think about what is good food more. Thanks Lady of Gardening skills

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's too bad- but I understand... for some reason my kids aren't big fans of them either. But I LOVE sweet potatoes!

[@JoyoftheGardenandHome]

Me, me!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hooray!

[@jmanuo87]

ok so that is not a sweet potato, that is a baby! lol

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

😂

[@marygeorge9688]

Alabama university extension?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yes- www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/harvesting-and-curing-sweet-potatoes/

[@NivesUljan]

Mine are just sooo long and 1inch thick.... why is that?

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

There are a variety of factors that could be causing this, but two of the most common are over watering and the fact that overly fertile soil and/or too much fertilizer can lead to lush foliar growth at the expense of tuber size.

[@NivesUljan]

@@GrowfullywithJenna thank you for yr answer - much apreciated 🙏🍀 But we had drought, so I wateted them deeply once a week, the soil is not as rich, also the vines were not even that long and lush... Next try next year, ha? 😊😁

[@jef8528]

I had no idea sweet potatoes got that big…..

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That really big one isn't the norm for me! I'd say on average they're about the size of those I'm digging at 00:35.

[@jef8528]

@@GrowfullywithJenna this Saturday is our potato harvest, planted 6-24-22…..

[@davidaleshire4292]

Now that’s a big tater. 😋

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It is! We might be sick of sweet potatoes before we've eaten through all of this year's harvest!

[@davidaleshire4292]

I’m in the same boat with jalapeños.

[@indianaratman]

oojenna you dirty tuber poker lol

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

🤣