Harvest And Cure Sweet Potatoes Easy With This Simple Trick

Sweet potatoes are an easy to grow, low maintenance crop, but some gardeners avoid growing sweet potatoes because the curing sweet potatoes process sounds difficult. Fear not! This video teaches you how to harvest sweet potatoes and how to cure sweet potatoes the easy way in your home with a simple trick.
After harvesting sweet potatoes, the sweet potatoes must be cured in warm, humid conditions for 5-14 days to properly develop their internal sugars and toughen up the outer skin so they can be stored well. After curing, storing sweet potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place for several months is possible.
My simple method of sweet potato curing doesn't require a greenhouse, erecting a tent, setting up heaters or humidifiers in a room of your house or anything complicated or costly. All you need is your home oven and a strand of Christmas lights!
The big sweet potato harvest in this video was grown in a single 6'x4' bed with 12 sweet potato slips.
If you have any questions about how to grow sweet potatoes, how to harvest sweet potatoes, the things I am growing in my garden, are looking for any garden tips and tricks, or have questions about gardening and organic gardening in general, please ask in the Comments below!
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8A
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© The Millennial Gardener

[@prissysmith5898]

Thank you for your time and the video! I'm learning something new, all of the time. Plus, any fellow who smooches his poochie-doodle (just a nickname) has GOT TO BE a nice person!

[@followmyride6970]

I'm ready to harvest my sweet potatoes. I'm in WA and was trying to figure a way to get the humidity for curing. Great method.

[@tatkinsful]

Wow ! I most always lose my sweet potatoes because I had no place to cure them & didn't want to build a "tater" house to cure them because I only raise about what you had. Never thought about the stove ! GREAT IDEA !! I suppose it could work in an old non working stove outside as well ? I have also grown them in large tubs !

[@lucianaford2447]

I wish I could have watched the harvest, that’s my most favorite part of the harvest videos I look for.

[@arkansasgemcutter]

Sweet I always wonder about curing sweet potatoes . Long ago like 52 years ago lol my grandfather grew sweet potatoes one year it was 2 acres 😳 guess who had to collect them out of the soil … yeaaa my brother and I . Grandad raised pigs along with other livestock . In that 2 acre plot we had a man that collected slop from restaurants and dumped truck loads all over that plot . Pigs came in during the fall winter months and ate what they wanted . By spring after turning the soil several times allll that waste food was completely dissolved into the most rich soil I’ve ever used . Full of egg shells as well as thousands of pieces of kitchen silverware , coffin cups it was a resale treasure of sorts 😂 . The sweet potatoes were the largest I’ve ever seen the size of footballs was common . He also grew turnips / greens in about 1/2 acre of that deeeeep soil . Same thing turnips we’re as big as pumpkins . So off to his big 100’ by 40’ wide hothouse where tables were stacked being each table was 3 layer . He kept a cow watering container at one end and a heater hung from above at either end of the hothouse . Kept the temp right at your suggestions around 85 to 90° . It stayed that way through the entire winter months and I would grab a smaller sweet potato peal it with a pocket knife and eat it raw . They were super sweet nutty flavor . Of course grandad made sure everyone had big tow sacks full of sweet potatoes . He also stored other veggies in that special hothouse . I was very lucky to have grown up on grandads ranch as today I’m shocked the vast majority of todays kids don’t know simple gardening to feed themself . We were blessed to have a big mountain feed spring creek so durning summer growing season everything was fresh spring water fed . Even the livestock has cool spring water year round . I can’t tell you how many times I had to prime the pump because the creek was a good 40’ below the garden area . Thank you for posting your video . It’s very informative

[@metalrabbit09]

Now that I know that sweet potatoes aren't that complicated to cure, I'm more likely to start growing them. Thanks.

[@whiteeagle8140]

Even easier. A heat mat with thermostat. Then you don't even have to keep the oven open, or add a thermometer, etc. I think many gardeners already have these materials lying around. And in the fall you don't need them to germinate seeds anyway.

[@msharpsichord]

thank you so much for this! I was hesitant to grow sweet potatoes even though they are my fave veggie, because the curing process was so intimidating! This makes it seem so much easier! thank you!

[@annekendziora9114]

Going to try this!

[@louisputallaz7556]

Add some rough mulch and put bags of green leaves in your freezer and refrigerator for stir fries and a couple weeks of great salads.

[@juliette432hz]

You are amazing!! Thank you so much! I’m so glad I found your Channel!

[@bettydanico2959]

You are so knowledgeable! Never new about the curing process!

[@phillipbridge5009]

Wow! Amazing how much there is to know and how you not only know it but deliver the information to us newbies! Sweet Potato As!!!

[@desiderata219]

Very helpful for this sweet potato newbie, and cute pupper!

[@RelentlessHomesteading]

Some really wonderful tips - thankyou. Just getting into the Sweet Potatoes this year. We are near Portland OR, but up at 650' elevation. It was an article about Oregon State University trials on sweet potatoes, that woke me up to the fact that we could grow them up here (with certain 'provisos' regarding using plastic mulch etc.). Glad you mentioned about isolating these in their own bed !!!! No one else mentioned that, and I have enough issues with rogue strawberry plants growing up everywhere. And the curing in the over - very clever. Using them for mulch is also great - and I may feed some to our deer. On another sites I found out they should not be grown adjacent/near my tomatoes, potatoes, or squash (lots of winter squash going in this year). 😎🥳

[@mapgrrl]

I know that this is not a new video but I really appreciate you posting this information. Some music I did a master gardening course but they never really explained how to grow food that would actually make a difference. It’s like they don’t want to teach this. I have started some sweet potatoes in a couple of little bins and I’m excited to get some slips and get this whole thing going. Living on the West Coast the hardest part is finding a cool place to cure these puppies but I’m sure I’ll manage

[@susiedempster1330]

Thank you. This was the best sweet potato video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad you liked it! Thanks so much!

[@LL-oc1xw]

Brilliant curing idea! Thank you. Would a "cooler" work instead of the oven though? (Cooler - as in - the insulated boxes we use to go camping and keep things cold with ice.)

[@Mark4WorldPeace]

That was very educational..Appreciate it.Easy Cure in the oven looks eeeeeeeasy You and Dale looking Handsome as ever there.Fun ending for sure with Dale cutting around the Garden.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m glad you found it informative.

[@yvonnegreenthumbbeachbum1455]

Pure perfection! Thanks soo much for sharing! 🤗🥔

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@len10ten]

Wow! The heat mat curing is awesome!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It saved me a ton of time and space. It's so much easier.

[@YoooItsRex]

I’ve got a digital thermometer and humidity sensor all in one. Highly recommend!! Love the oven idea!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm glad you found it helpful! Thank you for watching.

[@outoftheherd]

This was absolutely fascinating. I learned so much from this video both about growing sweet potatoes, preparing the bed for the next year, and curing sweet potatoes indoors. Thank you so much for providing a very detailed explanation on all fronts. One question: Could you just use a 40-watt bulb instead of the string of lights? And have you tried just turning on the oven light to see whether that gets warm enough? P.S. The bloopers are great!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

OutoftheHerd thanks! Yes, a 40 Watt bulb would do the same thing, but I didn’t have a way to get a bulb in there. The string lights made it simple. Because I don’t shut my door, the oven light is on the entire time so that’s contributing to the heat.

[@karenandriancontainergardening]

I started watching your videos because I love figs and wanted to learn how to grow them successfully. This video was interesting, especially using the oven for potatoes. Ty

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That’s great to hear. I hope you consider growing sweet potatoes if you don’t already. They grow well in containers, too. Thank you for watching!

[@NewMindGarden]

I had very little idea about sweet potatoes.... thanks for sharing this video..🌿🌿🌼🌼👍👍👏👏

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They're so easy to grow that I recommend anyone give them a shot. No pests, no diseases. Plant them and just don't let them dry out. Sweet potatoes: just add water! Thanks for watching.

[@rositaalonzo6909]

Thank you for how to cure sweet potatoes, I was totally ignorant that they needed to be cured, now I can start planting them, a small patch at first as learning project, this year started squash: butternut, spaguetty, kabocha and acorn, so far so well, I have empty bottles of juice next each patch full of stinkbugs, leaves with eggs, all bugs I see are bottled a nd so far so good, even slugs and snails are bottled, everyday thats my mission when I water them if I see too much dryness and not rain for over a week, perfect to get those bugs, but put on long slip shirt and gloves, the leaves of squashes give me rashes and itching. I also cut all old yellow leaves and try to keep them well airated to fight fungus, slugs and snails...and some hiding snakes under the leaves. If I see a fruit in a humid wet spot i get a piece of cardboard big to cover the area so my fruit stay over dry cardboard, now and then where I see roots in the vine I cover with a little soil with compost to help the main root

[@dhoyt1967]

I love sweet potatoes!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They're one of the best for sure. In 24 hours, my curing will be complete 😀

[@julienaturegrowerstv1958]

Love the volunteer sweet potatoes. First time here and enjoying the harvest. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully we can connect.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The volunteers were a nice bonus. They're really easy to grow. Thanks for watching.

[@billisherenc]

Another great video, love the dog!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Dale is the best. Thank you for watching!

[@davidhunt8685]

Thanks for all the tips. Great channel

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching.

[@bobbiejofouts1708]

Thanks for your tips. I will try them: planting in the same area and curing them the way you do.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching! Good luck!

[@GalaxyJ-vm2rn]

You taught me I can grow my sweet potatoes in the same tub every year!! Ofcourse I will mulch and ad my wormcompost, but Wgat a relief !!! Very happy I encountered yr channel! 🌿🌹

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sweet potatoes are invasive. I recommend only growing them in the same spot and simply amending the soil annually. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@truehearttrue]

Excellent video presentation! Thanks!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.

[@yy9618]

Sweet potatoes and leaves are very good healthy food / vegetables, 👍i loved it

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching! I appreciate it.

[@Iloveorganicgardening]

Great Harvest! I didn't realize you had to cure sweet potatoes like that

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They are still edible if you don't cure them, but they won't be as sweet or store as long. You could dig them all up and eat them that night if you wanted to, but for best results, cure them. They will be much sweeter and they'll keep for months in a root cellar, basement or cool garage.

[@karenandriancontainergardening]

Me neither!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Karen Andrian's Container Gardening thanks for watching!

[@kentuckycowboy7660]

❤ amazing

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@ourgardeningadventure]

Love Dale in the videos. Also a question…. Do you shred the vines or did you just lay them back on top? Do you add any other compost to them?

[@steveo_o6707]

I'm looking forward to your vid showing you harvesting your asian market sweet potatoes.... I have one growing a ton of slips and I have planted like 8 already. I have a ton others ready to plant so it's getting there with the frost... did you know you can eat the leaves and green stems?? We will be harvesting those as they grow more.

[@dneeceann]

Excellent video! I use my oven alot so this year I thought about adding them into a large tote with a couple of seed starter heating mats.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You may be very interested in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8 This was even easier than the oven method, and I'll be doing this from now on.

[@dneeceann]

@@TheMillennialGardener This is exactly what I was thinking. Thanks so much for your help! 😊

[@mindfulmaximalist9962]

You and Dale make a great couple.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Mindful Maximalist he’s the best. Thanks for watching!

[@cfbx-lx7216]

Very great harvest ! second year that I try to grow sweet potatoes here...not yet popular in Europe (Belgium), quite impossible to find plants than we've had to produce ours. But they are a little small in comparison with yours...Despite this, we'll try to grow it again next year. Thanks for information about preserving and congratulation for your channel

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You can grow your own slips from sweet potatoes from the grocery store. They root pretty easily. They are hard to find slips here, too. It is worth it because they are so easy to grow. Thanks for watching!

[@davidhalldurham]

Another fun ending!!! Just FYI, unlike starchy potato leaves, SWEET potato leaves are edible. You can eat them raw in salads, but the flavor tends to be a bit bitter. I think they're better blanched very quickly, though, kinda like you'd blanch spinach or any other delicate green leafy vegetable. Excellent in soups and stir fries.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I do know they are edible, but to me, they are not something I want to eat. Plus, my leaves took a lot of caterpillar damage from the year, and because I let my sweet potatoes grow so long, the leaves were turning bronze and they weren't green and tender anymore. For me, they're just mulch.

[@MrMakeitcount]

First year trying sweet potatoes. Got a good many tho probably could’ve left them another month. After curing tho, then what do you do w/them to store for longer use?

[@lauramartins5953]

You can cut the vines into slips, put them in water so they will root, and then put them in vases and keep them somewhere where it doesn't freeze to plant next year.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It would be almost impossible to overwinter them that long, unfortunately. What you can do is, if your sweet potatoes are cured properly, they will survive the winter in proper storage. You can save a few smaller potatoes and start exposing them to some indirect sun and humidity around February or March (depending on climate), which will help them sprout. You can then harvest the slips.

[@hozoraelahy6102]

Hai, how r u? Also your oven is very good! I like that!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sometimes I forget that the kitchen appliances in the US are much larger than most countries. Ovens here in the US are very inexpensive, so we all have very large ovens. If your oven is large enough to do this, I recommend it.

[@mapgrrl]

I’m curious: are your garden beds lined on the bottom with weed block, stones or chicken wire? Or are they just right on the ground? In my neck of the woods I don’t have a lot of space so I was thinking of setting up garden beds on my roof where there is plenty of sunshine but they won’t be connected to the ground so to speak

[@tinab7791]

When I was playing around with sourdough starter I discovered that my oven is 85° when the light is on but that was with one bulb burned out so I think it'll be a bit warmer with both going. Sounds like it's just about perfect temp.

[@justdi3347]

Hi, I am in I think zone 7a (Moore County NC), I was wondering if you can answer a question for me. We are possibly getting a frost Wednesday morning, maybe one or two than going back up to the 70's with lows in the 40s. My husband is out of town doing hurricane storm cleanup and I have the task of cutting the vines to protect the sweets. We have never grown them before so can I leave them in the ground for a few extra weeks or so until he comes home or do they need to be harvested right away after cutting the vines? Thank you,

[@RootandElevate]

Great video. I noticed that when I let the volunteers grow, the potatoes are not that big. I get the best yields when I intentionally plant them. Do you find that as well ?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, but I still did get a few full-sized tubers. I think that’s because the volunteers had to regenerate from severely injured roots instead of starting from healthy slips. I bet if you let them go for another season, they’d be full-sized. Just a guess.

[@rosewood513]

Well done I have a greenhouse but this is easier since the greenhouse does not have a thermostat. I subbed and liked I want to know more about your videos Thanks

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for subbing! I really appreciate it.

[@Pamsmith59]

Fantastic idea which I'm utilizing right now. However, I had some concerns about the plastic bin leeching chemicals next to my food so I'm using two very large roasting pans instead. Just wanted to thank you for your ingenuity.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I don't think there is much to the "leaching" stuff. It's fear-mongering. If you were storing tomato puree in plastic, which is acidic and can literally eat plastics, that's one thing. You're not going to have any problems storing sweet potatoes in the garage over the winter. That being said, I now cure my sweet potatoes this way, because it's even easier! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@beba2638]

Fantastic video. Being that you're in NC, how are you Storing your sweet potatoes?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I store them in the garage. I have since updated this video and created an even better way to cure sweet potatoes here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@lauras773]

can i leave my oven light on instead of the strand of lights? I proof bread in my oven leaving the light on so maybe this will work?

[@MaLiArtworks186]

Hey Dale 👋

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Dale says hi!🐕

[@barbaracarbone4658]

Very interesting. Did u say you plant a new crop of sweet potatoes in the same bed where the sweet potato vines are decomposing? Thanks.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes. Because they're pretty invasive with their roots, I'll be growing the sweet potatoes in the same spot every season. The vines are STILL composing, believe it or not. They're black and crispy at this point, so I'll probably remove them soon.

[@flowergirl3438]

I have a radiant heater that I use for my chickens, I wonder if I could use that in a tiny closet to cure my sweet potatoes.

[@curiouschild116]

So how would I do this if I have to use my oven everyday or every other day to cook?

[@be6715]

Hummm, I may have to try that oven technique. Grew sweet potatoes here in IL in open ground. Didn't get larges ones as you did - ground is more clay than sand up here. Also, they are such a pain to dig, as they go all over. And you never know where the roots are. That and the danged vermin were harvesting before I could. Hummmmm... Thanks for the content!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm lucky to be growing in sand, which makes them a lot easier to harvest. Have you considered growing them in a raised bed? If you don't already, you can build a raised bed that's about 12 inches deep, but line the base with chicken wire. You can dedicate that bed for sweet potatoes since they tend not to get diseases and don't need to be rotated. The chicken wire lining will also prevent you from digging more than a foot deep. Just a thought.

[@be6715]

@@TheMillennialGardener thanks for the reply. Yes, I am considering a raised bed for next year. BTW, this years crop is currently in my oven, enjoying two strings of 50-light strands. Put them in last Sunday. I've never wanted to bake so bad, as when I can't be bothered to take the crop out of the oven. :) This year, I grew two different varieties of S. potatoes, and two different varieties of okra. Next year, I'll cut it down (pardon the pun) to just one variety each. :)

[@kathychatty7017]

How do you store them

[@donnav7678]

Hi love your videos so very helpful! Question on curing sweet potatoes my oven has a 40 watt incandescent bulb will that work instead of xmas lights? Thanks and early Happy Thanksgiving wishes. Donna

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You would have to put a thermometer in your oven to verify. If the bulb is keeping the temp at 85-95 degrees or so, you’re fine. If you need more heat, you can throw the strand lights in there.

[@donnav7678]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks for quick reply gonna try this today

[@ClanEATCastingCrew]

Great video. I'm also from eastern nc,good to see some familiar landscape on KZbin. Question. Have you seen gardener Scott and simplify gardening's video on crop rotation and why it's not necessary in a garden? If so what are your thoughts? Mine are mixed

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching, neighbor! No, I haven’t seen that. I will be honest: nobody is going to talk me out of crop rotation. Gardeners have been doing it for centuries for a reason. It is true that crop rotation is a lot less important in backyard gardens than in commercial farming operations, where it is absolutely mandatory. However, even if my plot is too small for it to matter in terms of pests and disease, it is true that some crops demand more micronutrients than others. Since my garden is segregated into beds, there is no doubt heavy feeders like tomatoes and other night shades should at the very least be rotated with nitrogen fixers to help restore the soil annually. There is a difference between “not necessary” and “still better to do it.”

[@ClanEATCastingCrew]

@@TheMillennialGardener farmers have done it for centuries. Gardeners haven't. Used to be mandated by law and you went to jail if y pi u didn't. That's why people swear by it but in a garden setting - and free soil tests in NC prove this - it isn't necessary. Seriously, NC soil tests are free. There's no risk. Take a sample of rotated soil and compare. Farmers would kill for the advantages gardeners have, yet we forsake our advantages to be more like them. They deplete their soil using monocrops. They pack in too many plants in one area, their fertilizer runs off, etc. I assume you don't monocrop. I assume you mulch. I assume you use organic fertilizer like compost and worm tea, castings and the like. Farmers don't have these options bit they wish they did. Scott and Simplify are both master gardeners who speak on a subject most of us have known for a long time. We have better options available to us than crop rotation. What I do with potatoes and sweet potatoes is bag gardening. I fill up the bag with my mix and plant directly in. Come harvest time, I dump the soil on a tarp and pick through one bag at a time. All the soil stays on the tarp. Once that is done i add more compost, a helping of tea, fluff it up and back it goes. I mulch the bottom of the container as well as the top. This method would lmk d be far easier than searching through a bed and trying to replenish the bed. We both recognize the need to replenish nutrients but I hope to show you, using free science, there are better ways than crop rotation. Leave that to the large scale monocroppers

[@CapeFearDragon]

@@ClanEATCastingCrew How big are your grow bags for sweet potatoes? Do you use just compost-amended garden soil or do you use anything like peat or coir, etc? I have very rich, black soil that is sadly heavily infested with root knot nematodes, and after years of fighting, I'm ready to just try container gardening.

[@ClanEATCastingCrew]

​@@CapeFearDragon I mentioned Simplify Gardening earlier, and honestly I use a similar method as he does with potatoes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKPcpYinjapshNU&ab_channel=SimplifyGardening Gary Pilarchik from Rusted Garden also came out with a video talking about this method today, like 5 hours ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/amG5Xn9po66Depo&ab_channel=GaryPilarchik%28TheRustedGarden%29 In that video, he recommends 50% compost, 50% peat moss, but TBH I consider peat moss and coco coir interchangeable. Whatever's cheaper and more sustainable in your area. Best of luck with your taters!

[@ClanEATCastingCrew]

@@CapeFearDragon Oh, you asked about size. I mised that part. 30 liters will do the trick or thereabouts. Bigger gives less potato per cost, smaller cuts costs but significantly cuts potato production. Fabric bags are my preference but you can use any type of container as long as it's that approximate size. Here's a video on what to do with the leftover compost at the end of the season. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXiclahnd82fl9U&ab_channel=SimplifyGardening And if you want to hear more about why @The Millennial Gardener was right about not rotating the gardening beds (but not just as an exception, but rather the rule) I recommend this video as well kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJumdHqbo5qBfJI

[@petershu1049]

👍👍👍

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@lydiahubbell6278]

What about doing this inside a cooler instead of oven?

[@monicasmith9215]

Thanks 2023 20 September

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@shorty8256]

Incredible and again great video I will definitely plant sweet potatoes next Spring...love them! You and Dale are like the dynamic duo! thanks again for sharing the surprise sweet potato bed!! all the best from NY! Enjoy those sweet potatoes!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you for watching! I appreciate it. Dale's more like my Hamburglar 😂

[@latauarobison6521]

I’m growing in grow bags !

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You can. Just make sure they are large and deep. You'll want #20-25 or larger, in my opinion.

[@donnav7678]

Hey if I may 2 more questions pleeez! Is it possible to create new sweet potatoe slips from the vines? Can these vines b a house plant? Thanks! Donna

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, sweet potato vines root along the nodes. Everywhere they touch the ground at the nodes, they will grow roots and new sweet potatoes. You can, in theory, cut the vines at the nodes and root them, so the cuttings themselves can be propagated. Yes, these slips will root in water in front of a sunny window. However, they won't do much in the winter. Sweet potatoes are one of the few plants that love very high heat, humidity and brutal sun. They do well in the Deep South. They *may* overwinter in front of a sunny window. I've never tried.

[@donnav7678]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks! I'm gonna give this a try and will let you know how it goes

[@smashyou6276]

There were alot of leaves in volunteer bed. Looks like volunteer sweet potatoes bed didn't produce that much?

[@mandiegarrett1706]

Thanks for the video. Can I use a 40W non LED light bulb instead of Cmas light string...would that work the same? Also, after curing, can I store my sweet potatoes in a burlap sack? Thank you.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sure. That should put out about the same amount of heat. Results should be similar. Just keep an eye on the situation.

[@mandiegarrett1706]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you for quick response. What about storing in a burlap bag after curing, will that work too? Thanks again🙏

[@sepandsa8115]

Rotating crops is very important ! When I was child in southern Iran didn’t regard this thing and they had a lot of damage and pests in farms .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, I believe that to be true in almost all cases. Sweet potatoes, though, are one crop you don't have to rotate. Nothing really bothers them. They have very few insect pests (none in my climate), and they don't really get diseases. The sweet potatoes WILL take over any area you plant them in, though, so that's why for this one crop I do think it's best to pick a plot and stick with it. This is a rare exception.

[@sepandsa8115]

@@TheMillennialGardener thanks 🙏🏻 for your interesting experience!🙏🏻🌴

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sepand Sa thanks for watching!

[@peterturner1582]

I practice a "no-dig" gardening experience which I learned from watching Charles Dowding videos on KZbin. I never till and I amend my beds with about 2 inches of compost laid on top. I never practice crop rotation and have never had any negative consequences. I cover my sweet potatoes with about 12 inches of sugar cane mulch and then all I have to do to harvest them is pull the mulch off and the tubers are lying on the surface. If I notice any tubers peeking through I just add another layer of mulch.

[@danculp4057]

Apparently not for sweet potatoes

[@joanhoughtaling9686]

Could you take the shelves out of a dehumidifier and put sweet potatoes in with pan of water

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm not sure. Sweet potatoes need humidity, so you certainly couldn't turn it on. This is the way I recommend curing sweet potatoes now, because it's a lot easier: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@rodlawrence5946]

Which plant produced the best? The volunteers or the originals?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Rod Lawrence the originals, by far. I consider anything I get from volunteer plants a bonus. I would never rely on a volunteer plant for a harvest, though. Every year, I get volunteer peppers, tomatoes and potatoes and none of them produce like a selected variety I start from seed. They’re always weak by comparison, so I just take them as an extra bonus.

[@D-nx1iu]

are we talking sweet potatoes and/or yams? growing up I was always told yams were sweet potatoes, but finding out later that there are yams (orange flesh) and then there are sweet potatoes(pale yellow flesh). should both be cured??

[@juneroberts5305]

Put your Christmas lights in the oven... Never thought such a sentence could exist and make sense. 😅😅

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We're setting world records on this channel 😂

[@rexmonarch2]

Darn. I washed my first batch of sweet potatoes after harvesting here in zone 10 florida. Is this going to rot them? I'm curing them in brown paper bags in the garage.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

With sweet potatoes, you should probably be okay. White potatoes are a little more susceptible to damage, because their skin is so thin at harvest. Sweet potatoes may do better, but for the future, I recommend not cleaning them abrasively, because the skin is more tender right after harvest. If you want a better way to clean the excess dirt, you can use a leaf blower to blow them off so you don't scuff and tear the skin.

[@rexmonarch2]

I'm letting the rest of sweet potato patch grow for two more weeks or until all the leaves tunn yellow. The section I harvested was about 1/2 and 1/2 yellow and green leaves. Anyway, what's a good sweet potato soil amending mix? Triple phosphate? Potash?

[@twinfin8571]

Would leaving the oven light on work just as well?.....I just found your new method video. 🤪

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, but I further improved the method this year and it was even EASIER! kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@twinfin8571]

@@TheMillennialGardener . Yes. This is the one I watched. If you have a another updated one, please let me know. Tks

[@peterturner1582]

I garden in sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia and sweet potatoes grow like weeds here. The only thing I need to do to cure them is leave them on top of the bed after harvest. I leave them for about a week, only dusting off the dirt at the end of the process. If it is really humid I turn them each day.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

By the time I harvest my sweet potatoes, it starts getting cool here. I imagine in your climate, you could even leave them inside an outdoor shed of some sort. The only problem that I see in your climate is storage. It's cool enough here that I can store them in my garage all winter, now. I imagine you'd have to store them indoors or in an underground storage area?

[@peterturner1582]

@@TheMillennialGardener I hang them inside in a mesh onion bag so air can circulate around them. They last up to six months. I really like the purple skin/ white flesh variety the best, especially roasted. they are so sweet. I do grow the orange kumera variety as well.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@peterturner1582 that's a good idea. I never thought of saving those onion bags.

[@peterturner1582]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you for taking the time to comment. So many web channels never respond.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@peterturner1582 I try to help where I can. The more people gardening, the better!

[@JDHood]

Also, is there something to look for so we will know when they are "cured"?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

This newer, updated video addresses your concerns: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@mandiegarrett1706]

The last time I chopped up those vines and lay them on top of the bed like that, those vines that has nodes touching the soil stared to roots and not die...do you encounter that? That's why I am reluctant to throw them back on the bed. Thanks.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

There are two ways around that: wait until it's freezing at night, because the freezes will kill the vines. Or, alternatively, you can cover them with a tarp. I harvest my sweet potatoes around first frost, so shortly after I dig them up, the vines get killed by cold.

[@mandiegarrett1706]

@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you. I did the cover with tarp method.

[@tinykitchengarden5812]

We love sweet potatoes, and we eat the leaves too the only plant that has iodine.......

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@darrellwilliams2921]

Leave the gas / pilot light on ?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We don't have gas in the South.

[@rbbiefah]

Here is a great idea !!! Instead of chewing and spitting tobacco .Chew raw sweet potato .swallow the juice , spit the pulp There is actually a divise called a " jawzrcise jaw exerciser" you chew it and it makes your face very handsome liek a movie star. Chewing sweet potato would do the same One (low priority ) breeding trait would be to breed for the juiciest sweet potatoe becasue that is actually what I am doing (swallowing the juice and spitting out the puip) Try It when you have a long drive or are going on a long walk or hike Its not only another marketing angle it makes for a heathier USA

[@JDHood]

Hmmmm... I wonder if my seed germination heat mat can get up to 90deg.... I know it will do 80deg... And it's controlled by a thermostat.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I recommend watching this newer, updated video which addresses your concerns: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@phyllisgovia4253]

5-14 days? How do you know how many days that a broad range.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It depends on the conditions you can maintain. If your environment is very controlled and perfect, it takes less time. If you believe you have ok conditions but not great, you may want to go longer. Also, keep in mind your tuber size. If your sweet potatoes are large, you may want to go on the longer range.

[@rosemarywinderlich6373]

What happens if you don’t cure the sweet potatoes?

[@tamilyn718]

Wouldn't a bowl of water help with the humidity?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

This is explained at 11:15.

[@etnyklace]

:)

[@pn3940]

How humid? I put mine in an incubator and they germinate in one week. 90F 80% humid.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

For the warm-cure stage, you want about 80-90% relative humidity. This updated video should help even more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZmznWiDhcyBra8

[@bonbonlewis5140]

I planted slips and got nothing

[@miriammarquez3015]

What about the same concept in a bigger tote?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Do you mean curing a larger amount of sweet potatoes at once?

[@dianasnider786]

Okay so what's the best way to store sweet potatoes once cured?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Store them in a cool, dry place, such as a garage or basement. A pantry will work if you have the space.

[@veraracine9323]

I am still looking for any method of curing sweet potatoes that is reasonable… I have a family, and I can’t just not use our oven for a week or more!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Do you have a small guest bathroom you can place a space heater with a thermostat in for a couple days? If so, you can just place them in there and set the temp to 90F.

[@cinthyaraudales5033]

Won't they need to be in the dark?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Sweet potatoes (and really any tuber or potato) should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, because sun can encourage sprouting/vine growth. However, a 40W strand of Christmas lights has next to no light intensity. Sunlight has a very high intensity, but strand lights do not. Having that light string on for a week has no measurable effect.

[@ab_ab_c]

Why not just use a 40W incandescant light bulb? Or better yet, use a PID controller+thermometer+SSR+small heater element & you can keep it exactly the temp that you want. Similiar to this setup, but you can make it for less. Plus, you can use the same setup to sous vide food. :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3jGXoeOptetaas

[@elizabethwatson3193]

you don't eat the vine ?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I do not. It is edible if you want to eat the leaves.

[@ellenclayton5955]

Just put them in the garage and walk away.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They will not be as sweet. Warm curing adds to the sugar content.

[@STARFIRESOLAR]

You do know that sweet potato leaves are edible.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, you can eat them if you like them. I'm not a fan, personally.

[@STARFIRESOLAR]

@@TheMillennialGardener I pickle them in 3 part water 1 part sugar and 1 part vinegar mixture.

[@m7floyd]

"you need to rotate crops and not use same family every year! You heard that hillbillys? Incest is wrong genetically! lol