Growing sweet potatoes in a cold climate!

After the less challenging eggplanta, peppers, tomatoes, we then took care of cantaloupes and watermelons...so now it's time to grow some sweet potatoes in zone 4!

[@sza2bom]

if you want to avoid that strange cluster of potatoes intertwine, you should try planting the slips without rooting them in water. When you plant rooted slips the roots can tangle.

[@chezgiardino]

Yes thanks Also they stayed too long in a small pot before I transplanted them

[@leahwehunt9955]

Be of good cheer ! I moved from Arizona zone 9 gardening 50 years to north Washington zone 5/4 as close up in elevation to Mt St Helens and too much tall fir and Alders..... we went to inner tire towers and first year topsoil in the forest with chicken manure in the bottom of dugout under the tires encouraging the roots to seek that compost and fill the hollow of tires that were nice and warm. We had extreme drought the critical 90-100 days with no rain the last month before early snow end of October...... not my usual easy crop. But of good hope is that now the purple sweets that native many generations from my stock is now 1 generation hardened stock. Of four whole potatoes that I made slips from, we got many of the in-betweens fingerlings and many slips. We ate sliver cut leaves stir fry all summer as a very good add to garden greens. i have four boxes of about six inch slips that are fat.... We are in 20-30s as of 1 st November. I dry brushed the fat babes and wrapped in paper individually and placed into little cereal boxes then i to rolled scrap paper lined regular ship boxes. They are aover wintering inside a crumple shipping cardboard lined pull wagon. When the soik temp is 40 then I will bring out the slips and fat boys and put into a sunny window. Our home is set at 55' and when soil gets to 45-55 then I will put outside to harden a week and we will go much latger on the free discarded tires and place straw compost in between tires in September and frost frame over end of September to lengthen the grow days. Regular potatoes did fine but still too short a grow season . Turnips rhutabagas and cabbages family of course did great. Now in December 5 snows in and many days of 20's and turnips carrots and rhuts are still green leaves and growing, grew feed type turnips and the leeks crazy still growing in December. I am happy with the lessons learned and not hopeless as many friends say" You will run back to Arizona..... its just a brain extension to new things....love the seasons , water abundance and fresh air. Next year a deep well, and then more certain water and not shallow spring fed well.Good blessing to have both. SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR CHANNEL

[@chezgiardino]

I'm happy to hear that! Thank you! Your attitude towards gardening is certainly a winning one! Gardening in cold areas is challenging on so many levels. For me my main issue is not about the temperature in the growing season, but the actual length of it. I get plenty of heat to ripe melons and such, but with frosts in June and September, I really have to push everything to the limit, and have only one chance per year of growing heat loving plants...if I don't start the seeds, harden, transplant in that exact week , I lose the opportunity for that year

[@homegardens7682]

Riccardo, you are an excellent gardener. Hats off to you.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you Dan, very appreciated!

[@karenandriancontainergardening]

You had a beautiful harvest! It gives me hope for mine next year, since this year, mine was a total bust. Lesson learned: tomato and basil do not go well with potatoes. Wow! A beautiful harvest. Well done. Take care. A new friend here.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

Bravo Riccardo!

[@chezgiardino]

Merci T-Hang

[@trevorchang2973]

For cooler climates try growing in stacks of used car or truck tyres (say) 3 high. I stack tyres on polythene and fill the area which held the tube with newspaper. The black tyres hold more heat but require more regular watering.

[@chezgiardino]

That's a good idea! Thank you

[@trinityiam934]

Amazing harvest! I would of never thought it would be possible in zone 4/Quebec/Canada since these grow in very warm climate! Thanks for sharing your experiments! Ciao

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

[@trishsmith2811]

I love growing sweet potatoes! I’m in Western Washington by the water and it’s chilly here so until a couple years ago I didn’t think I could. Normal summer days are 70’s sometimes warmer but certainly not HOT. Harvesting is like a treasure hunt! So fun and then you get to eat them! Win win! You got a wonderful harvest in 2022!

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you Trish! It is like a treasure hunt, one of the top highlights of the growing season for me

[@barringtonsmith9147]

Great, gives me hope

[@chezgiardino]

Happy to hear that! Thank you 😊

[@jackicomber8534]

Well done! Here we have the opposite problems it gets very hot and not enough rain.... New sub from Australia!

[@chezgiardino]

Hi Jacki! Thank you for subscribing...hot and dry or cold and wet? Problems problems problems either way, but it's fun to try to figure out a way :)

[@mamamia2534]

I'm excited to plant sweet potato..thank you very much for sharing your video..food nowadays are expensive..

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you for your comment Yes it is getting very expensive, and also very difficult to find tasty produce. I mainly do it for the taste, cannot stand store bought fruits and vegetables

[@lucianaford2447]

Wow wow wow! Great harvest for being in zone 4.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you! Yes, can't complain :)

[@pearlblackburn1224]

Where is zone 4? I live in Mississauga Ontario. I never get any anything when I harvest

[@chezgiardino]

In Quebec, north of Montreal

[@lianmanaloto3959]

Wow ..Great harvest.....

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you! :)

[@supertranquillo]

cio ma che belle batate ! grande riccardo

[@chezgiardino]

Grazie Alessandro! :)

[@virtuousgardeningmore3551]

This is beautiful harvest! I just harvested mines but got a small amount. I realized that I took them out too soon. Be blessed. 💕

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

[@yahushaismyshepherd1179]

You sure inspire me my friend. Was pondering on trying them here in zone 3.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you! I'm very happy to hear that. I would surely try, and if you need any tips or suggestions please ask me 😊

[@apost099]

I’d love to here more about your process of growing from start to finish. We also live in zone 4 but need some tips on how to grow better sweet potatoes.

[@chezgiardino]

Hello Adam, I'll try to make some more videos about growing them. In the meantime if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me

[@nunyabisnass1141]

Start them inside a month early before it's safe to put them outside, or even two months of you have the space. The longer the growing season the better.

[@chezgiardino]

Yes, that's right

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

That is a very nice harvest. I have never succeeded to get slips started. I’ll have to start again. That’s great use of those pots.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you...yes, to order them it's way too expensive, and also they arrive way to late ( since they don't ship them before the last frost )

[@cutthecord1]

start your slips in a tray filled with 2" of soil/seed starting mix on top of a heat mat. Keep it moist and you will have slips growing in 2 weeks time.

[@Pinkpumpkingardener]

It took me ordering slips in the mail that all failed Then threw a sweet potato in soil and harvested from that while they were young & I got better rooting results Only lost two from popping them straight off ❤❤

[@valoriegriego5212]

Nice!👍

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you :)

[@DaleCalderCampobello]

Beautiful sweet potato harvest. I tried them once years ago and just got very thin ones.

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you...they are a pain to grow , to start the slips ( way too expensive to buy ) and then give them heat heat heat, and finally even having to cure them...but it is one of those vegetables that I see a big difference with the store bought ones, so I keep growing them

[@jodygrant1255]

Blessings

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

[@pamstout]

I think you had a great harvest.

[@chezgiardino]

Yes thank you :)

[@cordeliankembo5790]

That's a great harvest ❤

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

[@feffe4036]

Looks nice. What country is this?

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you I'm in Canada

[@julie99nl]

I don't know if you are reading this still. What size bags are these?

[@chezgiardino]

Hi, those bags are 20 gallons, but I use from 15 to 25, whichever I find at a better price

[@korinnemcchesney4545]

This is awesome! How many slips per 5 gallon container did you put in?

[@korinnemcchesney4545]

Also, how many slips per 20 gallon container for best results. I have a sweet potato with slips and want to experiment, thanks!!

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 🙂 I would put just one slip in the 5 gallons container while 2 or 3 in the 20 gallons

[@pearlblackburn1224]

Is the Containers better than the Grow Bags, did you used regular Soil and Compose?

[@chezgiardino]

With containers you probably will have to keep up more with the watering. You can make your soil mix ( soil, compost and maybe add some peat moss or coco coir ..a third of each ) or use store bought potting mix

[@heatherharris-demelo4458]

So to clarify: did you start the slips in the house and then plant them in potting soil in grow bags and then just place the grow bags in the cold frame? Thanks

[@chezgiardino]

Yes: First I put the potato in water to make slips Then the slips go in small pots At this point I start to get them used to outdoor conditions And finally when the weather is nice I transplant them in grow bags and place the bags in the warmest parts of my garden ( cold frame, roof, against South wall, etc )

[@blessisrael6455]

@@chezgiardinoI’m confused; what do you do with sweet potato slips when it starts to get cold outside … ? Move them inside until spring ?

[@chezgiardino]

The slips are planted in summer . After they produce the potatoes and when I harvest them, usually in September before the first frost, I make sure I save and store a few of the potatoes in the basement to then restart some slips the following spring

[@Pinkpumpkingardener]

So you plant the sweet potato and grow slips threw the winter so that they’re ready early as possible to plant before frost

[@chezgiardino]

Yes...I keep a couple of sweet potatoes tubers at the end of summer and store them in a cool dark place until almost the end of winter...then from those tubers I start the slip by placing them in water/ or soil... eventually when the slips are long enough I remove them from the tuber and put them in water to make Roots. When they have some good roots they go in small pots with soil until it's time to plant them outside ( usually beginning of summer ) Untill the get planted outside, the slips need to be kept or under grow lights or facing a sunny window

[@jabohabo3821]

So any food youbget from america if you plant to grow it again. You should scrub with eater and soap. They spray them with chemical so they dont grow in the store.

[@chezgiardino]

Thanks for the tip! The original potato was bought years ago at an organic store, but now every year I plant my own from previous seasons

[@pearlblackburn1224]

Bountiful Harvest why do you used a Grow Bag?

[@chezgiardino]

I need to increase the temperature of my soil so a black container help with that...I prefer to use the least amount of plastic so I went with fabric bags

[@sofiamiliaressis5403]

So you say one slip per container? Did you plant in poor soil or potting mix with nutrients?

[@chezgiardino]

Always some nutrients in it in the form of compost or some organic fertilizer. Yes one or maximum two slips per container

[@Ms19741979]

Superb

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you 😊

[@suamanando5989]

Beautiful, how long did you have them in the ground?

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you! I put them in between the first and second week of June and got them out now, so four months more or less

[@suamanando5989]

@@chezgiardino awesome!

[@pearlblackburn1224]

@@chezgiardino yes that's awesome 👌

[@cutthecord1]

this is great! congrats on the harvest. How many plants did you plant in the bag and how did you fertilize them.

[@chezgiardino]

Thanks I put one plant per bag if there were other things ( like tomatoes or basil ), or 2 per bag if just sweet potato When I prepared the potting mix for the bag I used fresh compost and a handful of granular organic fertilizer. No other fertilization during growing season

[@cutthecord1]

@@chezgiardino thanks! wish you the best harvest for this growing season!

[@chezgiardino]

You too, thank you 😊

[@chaya9205]

great! but how did you START them?

[@chezgiardino]

It was kind of a joke..I really just put a potato in water and wait for it to sprout...when it does ( I'll make another video ) I'll simply take the slips off of the potatoes, root them again in water and then plant them

[@TokaSni]

Hi Riccardo :-) I'm Italian and unfortunately I don't understand the Canadian language. Then I ask you... it's possible for you, get help from your Italian's heart, to facilitate Italians's ignorant how me, because I don't understand one "cappero" :-D ... any way, I'm happy to follow you :-) Thanks! ... Hic ;-)

[@chezgiardino]

Sai cosa? Forse in inverno dovrei mettermi e "doppiare" i video migliori cosi' da poter avere qualcosa anche in Italiano... cerchero' di trovare un buon programma e fare qualcosa :) Grazie di followarmi Hic hic

[@elenaruggiero919]

@@chezgiardino lo spero davvero molto, grazie mille 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@TokaSni]

@@chezgiardino ... ricorderai che ne parlammo in chat e dicesti che avevi disabilitato l'opzione dei sottotitoli con la traduzione automatica perché il risultato era ben oltre il ridicolo. Premetto che non sono certo, ma forse c'è un modo per inserire una versione in formato testo e quindi in italiano di ciò che nei video descrivi in inglese e potresti quindi, senza spendere tempo in una versione doppiata, preparare la stessa narrazione sottotitolata in italiano da allegare ai video. Con i miei medesti mezzi, cerco di trovare qualche info e, se trovo qualcosa di fattibile, ti faccio sapere :-) Hic ;-) p.s.: ti invio un link su Telegram.

[@elenaruggiero919]

@@TokaSni grande grappa 🙏

[@sampulwit2661]

In east java i call "telo" the taste it's sweet and very yummy. You must try to fry with weath

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you :) I will definitely try different recipes!

[@pearlblackburn1224]

Thanks for your kind information, I will be planting sweet potato again and will keep you posted. How can I find out my zone 🤔 Thanks

[@chezgiardino]

You're very welcome 🙂 Mississauga is zone 6 ,you have longer growing season than me, so I'm sure you will be able to get some results. Grow them in containers ( black for heat ) large enough, keep them watered, and put them in the sunniest spot in your yard. Are you planning on purchasing the slips or will you be starting from a store bought potato?

[@pearlblackburn1224]

I was hoping to buy the Organic slips or Potato but I don't know where, so I will buy the potato from the Asian store and set the slips. I known the Variety I like but not the name 😄 I will keep you inform Thanks

[@pearlblackburn1224]

Hi there it's Pearl again we spoke about 3 months ago about me planting Sweet Potatoes. I set my slips early March and it's taking over my window 😂😂 Was wondering when is the right time to plant them I live in Toronto, not sure what my Zone is so I don't know when to plant because I am not Zone 6 Vancouver is. How can I find my Zone? and when are you planning your potatoes? 🤔

[@chezgiardino]

Hello Pearl! Go to planthardiness.gc.ca and by looking for your municipality you'll find your zone. Usually I would say for sweet potato to wait a couple of weeks after your average last frost date ( which you can find on that site too ). In the mean time you can snap off the slips from the potatoes and plant them in small pots. If I would take a guess, for Toronto, end of May should be safe to plant outside

[@pearlblackburn1224]

@@chezgiardino Wow thanks 😂 for the info so quickly. Will keep you informed 👌

[@pearlblackburn1224]

When are you going to harvest your 2022, and when did you plant them?😆 Also what size is your Grow Bags 🎒

[@chezgiardino]

I guess it depends on the first frost date.. usually late September.... October if I'm lucky. The grow bags are 15 gallons I think, but this year I have them in black plastic container ( same size more or less ) because I used all the bags for my melons on the roof

[@bobbun9630]

Growing zone isn't as indicative as to whether you can grow sweet potatoes as it might seem. Growing zone tells us about minimum winter temperatures, but sweet potatoes grown in temperate climates aren't being grown in the winter. What matters is summer temperature. I'm in 6b, and sweet potatoes grow like weeds here. They do that because it's quite hot in the summer. In fact, the lack of a long cool season without freezes in my location means that sweet potatoes significantly outperform white potatoes.

[@chezgiardino]

Great info! I have the same problem with cool seasons... can't grow peas spinach etc very well here cause we pass from snow to 25+c ...no middle

[@rygaudas]

What sweet potato varieties have you discovered work best in quebec climate? I have tried the southern varieties with completely no sucess, and an unknown northern variety with some success, in climate very similar to yours :)

[@chezgiardino]

I tried different varieties of the orange sweet potatoes and as you, with not much success...I think the best performer was a variety called "beurgerard" or something similar... But then I tried growing the Korean sweet potatoes ( the ones with the purple skin ) and even if they say ( online ) they are more difficult to grow, I actually had large harvests of them...and I like the drier texture they have . I just grow those now I don't know if they sell the slips of them...I just start my own from my previous year stock ( and started the first time with an organic potato bought from a grocery store)

[@angelomisterioso]

Hi! I was curious to know in which part of Quebec you are. I live in Quebec, too (The Gaspé) and tried growing sweet potatoes in buckets this year. I harvested last weelk after our first frost and managed to get a few. I'm curious to know how you cure them before storing. Cheers! :)

[@chezgiardino]

Hi, I'm in the Laurentians, north of Montreal. Curing is so important for sweet potatoes! It enhances the flavor/texture, and make them last longer in storage I start with two weeks at high temperature, high humidity. I achieve this by laying the sweet potatoes in the same black trays I use for seedlings, on top of heating mats and with the plastic domes on them. Morning and evening I give them a spray with water. After these two weeks I let them air dry another week or so and then, after wrapping them in newspaper, I store them in a cool basement.

[@angelomisterioso]

@@chezgiardino Hi! Thank you for answering. You guys have a lot ''warmer'' weather than we do here, close to Matane. We almost had frost again this morning. I'm going to try your suggestions on curing. Molto gentile da parte sua. La prossima volta proverò a scrivere in italiano. Molte grazie! :)

[@chezgiardino]

You're very welcome! Hai scritto benissimo in italiano!

[@elenaruggiero919]

Sarebbe meraviglioso capire ciò che dici e spieghi, grazie comunque per i tuoi video sempre molto curiosi interessanti

[@chezgiardino]

Grazie :) prima o poi trovero' come mettere o sottotitoli o un doppiaggio

[@elenaruggiero919]

@@chezgiardino meglio un tuo doppiaggio, grazie mille 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@chezgiardino]

Quest'inverno ricerco un programma :)

[@elenaruggiero919]

@@chezgiardino bravissimo. 😊😉

[@Daisy_b]

Quando ho realizzato che avevi un sito, l'ho cercato, e mi sto guardando poco alla volta i tuoi filmati, mi aggrego agli altri italiani che ti richiedono la traduzione, ho capito solo chayote. Mi sono iscritta 2 giorni fa, e ho già visto l'estrazione delle tue batate, ottimo raccolto. Secondo me quelle "GROW BAGS" non sono abbastanza fonde per la radicazione dei tuberi. Mi farebbe comodo un filmato post raccolta delle batate e delle 🎃 se non chiedo troppo. Due chayote lì ho raccolti perché si stavano già aprendo e non cosa fare, ho mandato una email al mio fornitore ma non ho ricevuto risposta. 🤔👋

[@chezgiardino]

Grazie :) In futuro cerchero' di mettere sottotitoli o magari doppiare certi video. Per le batate come vedi nel video i tuberi si formano a partire da 3-4 cm sotto la superficie quindi non hai bisogno di vasi/sacchi profondissimi, ma esperimenta e vedi che risultati ottieni. Alla fine del video faccio vedere la raccolta. Per le zucche ho un video intitolato " winter squash harvest" e si vede un po' la raccolta finale di quelle

[@smithpianoservicing3421]

What’s your soil made up of?

[@chezgiardino]

Anything I can get my hands on: lot of organic material, compost, often there's perlite from old potting mix and peat , sometimes some store bought bagged manure...if I have on hand some organic granular fertilizer I would add it, if not I'd make sure I had used plenty of compost for nutrition

[@bobbywitcher5042]

nice job

[@chezgiardino]

Thank you! :)