HARVESTING SWEET POTATOES- Did We Improve From Last Year?

[@annabodhi38]

Those long skinny ones are like those fingerling potatoes in the grocery store that cost twice as much as regular potatoes. Overall, that was an excellent haul. Thanks for the video, I'm looking forward to the next one.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

That’s what I thought of them too..fingerlings!! I won’t waste any of them. Big or small they all taste good 😋 Thanks Anna 💜

[@vickiwicker5765]

I’ll make some suggestions for you as a southern US gardener. First, we don’t harvest until just before frost, you can even go a little past as long as they don’t freeze. The longer they grow the bigger they get. If you have heavy rain in the forecast, get them out so they don’t rot. There’s a really easy fast way to get your own slips. Take something like a sheet cake pan, fill about half way with a nice seed starter or potting mix, buy and organic sweet potato or two from the grocery. Set that on a seed mat if you have one but don’t have to. Keep the soil moist, you’ll get bunches of slips. They’ll keep coming. As I said below, don’t fertilize. Your soil looks too rich. Maybe you could add some sand. In your cool climate, as I said below, you might try putting a plastic tunnel over the row to try to get the heat and humidity up. Hang in there. It’s hard for us to grow stuff like broccoli because it gets hot so fast, but if you keep experimenting, you can get some success..

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I did pretty well growing the slips this past year but I agree…I think I harvested them much too early. Thank you so much for all your help and advice 💜

[@bobbethillhomestead]

I am also in upstate NY, though further south from you (southeast Madison County, zone 5b). The ruby red of your potato makes me think you might have Carolina ruby sweets (I could be wrong). For us northern gardeners, we need a 90-day (or less) sweet potato variety to get decent sized tubers. If you haven't tried them, beauregard and/or Georgia jet are good short season varieties. Most other varieties need 100-120 days to produce sizeable tubers; if harvested early, you will get the long thin tubers. Also, if you have less than 2 months of daytime temps in the 80's and nighttime lows above 60 degrees, that will also produce long thin tubers. We have had the warmth this summer in my area--unfortunately, we have also had a severe rodent infestation eating our sweet potatoes, so I'm not anticipating a large harvest either. Good luck with your gardening in the future!

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Hello and thank you so much for all the helpful info! I had no idea about the different potatoes/number of growing days. I will definitely look into the varieties you mentioned. Sorry to hear about your rodent problem. I had a little creature eating other things in my garden most of August. I really appreciate you taking the time to share this information!

[@carmens5541]

I love your excitement over the bigger potatoes 😃 I've never grown sweet potatoes, I love them though! You got quit a few to enjoy and your garden is still so beautiful!

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Cause there was so few to get excited about 🤣 But we will eat and enjoy each one! Thanks Carmen 💜

[@lynfischer460]

Don’t give up it looks like you’re on the right track,! 👧🏻

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thanks Lyn 💜

[@christasmicroflowerfarm2695]

Always something to learn in the garden, not too bad a harvest. 👒🧤🧢

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Exactly Christa! We will enjoy what we have 😋

[@dollyperry3020]

Im in washington state and am planning on growing sweet potatoes next year. I'm going to pot up the slips as soon as they arrive and hopefully give them a headstart. I'm also going to be using black plastic to warm the growing area.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Sounds like a good plan Dolly! Wishing you good luck 🤞 Hopefully you have better results in your area 😉

[@janicebattle6456]

I feel for you. Every so often we also plant sweet potatoes, which are in the ground for so long that we have never had any success. Either we leave them too long and they go mouldy or if we pull them too early they are skinny and misshapen, I now buy sweet potatoes as they are always a regular vegetable for our table and are cheaper than pumpkin. We live in Newcastle, NSW, Australia on the coast just a couple of hundred kilometres north of Sydney we have beautiful weather and just entering Spring. My favourite time of year. Good luck with your future sweet potato crops, I have given up. Love your videos, look forward to every one of them. We are a couple with a suburban backyard (large by most standards) and in our early 70's, love gardening but have to be realistic about what our bodies will allow us to achieve. Grateful for the produce we get.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

We love to eat them and I’ll continue to try growing them the only down side to a less than impressive harvest is the real estate that’s dedicated to it! I’m always thinking I could’ve grown something else productive It’s almost become a compulsion to win this battle of growing sweet potatoes 😂 Enjoy the approaching spring and beautiful weather and happy gardening 👩🏻‍🌾 Thanks Janice 💜

[@Stinson.Homestead]

Good morning Colleen! I'm sorry your sweet potatoes didn't do as well as you hoped. I'm glad you got some decent ones to enjoy. Don;t give up! Maybe the next time things will be different and your harvest wil be huge and amazing! We are finally getting some good rain here, alnog with some severe storms. The severe part has not happened yet and I hope they ware wrong about it. Our power shut down a little while ago but they got it back on pretty quickly this time. The winds are strong today so it may happen multiple times. Enjoy your day! Blessings! 💙💙💙

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thanks Carolyn 💜 I will keep trying and maybe one year I’ll be a successful sweet potato grower 😉 I’m sure you’re grateful for the rains! Are you still having hot temperatures? Today we are in the low 80’s again but the nights get cool Blessings to you too 💜

[@Stinson.Homestead]

@@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead Our highs have been in the mid to high 80s becasue of the rain, but have had a couple of days in the high 70s. We are so happy and thankful to get rain. It's has been storming off & on since yesterday and raining buckets this morning. We are under flood watches, but praying everything will be okay for everyone to get to work and back home. Hope you have a wonderful Friday and weekend! 💙💜💙💜💙

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

@Stinson.Homestead I pray everything and everyone is ok 🙏

[@Stinson.Homestead]

@@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead We are all just fine. Thank you for caring! Answered your email also, precious friend! 💜

[@Mbusowabalondo]

Keep trying don't give up here is my subscription support +like soldier on💪😂

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thank you 💜 I won’t, I keep learning more every year! Welcome to our homestead 😀

[@franhasbrouck7661]

Success at last!!!!!

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Making progress every year! 😃

[@marieparks5674]

Those ones will still be good

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I think so too Marie 😃

[@LyThiHangDailyLife]

Love the way you’re picking the fruit

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thank you 💜

[@TJtheHAWK]

I think thats a pretty good harvest for where you're growing them, especially considering half of them didn't produce. I get about 2 pounds per slip here in southern new Hampshire. Like others said, make sure you get some Beauregard or covington variety slips...they are pretty reliable for us northern gardeners.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thank you! I improve a wee bit every year 😉 I’ll definitely look into those varieties for next year. Thanks

[@toniatalley1977]

From what u have learned when the tops die back is the time to dig them up. I fetilize mine and raised beds work a whole lot better than the ground. I grew mine in pure mushroom compost. Dont give up. You can do this. Also do some research to see what kind grows the best in your growing zone. Good luck!!! Great video. Keep up the good work.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

We are hoping to convert to raised beds soon! That would make it soooo much easier 😅 Thanks for the tips Tonia 💜

[@teresawebster3498]

Those long skinny ones do add up. I peel them and blanch them for the freezer and they are really good for roasting.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I never heard about freezing them. Thanks for the tip Teresa 💜

[@teresawebster3498]

@@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead You’re welcome! Thank you for your videos.

[@leticiasanchez9347]

Hey they are edible😮 & add up!

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Exactly Leticia! Thanks 💜

[@justmenicole4842]

Not sure show you do the 10 day curing of those, but I leave them in the same type bin you have them in, I put them lid on it and sit the whole thing on one of my heat seedling pads at the lowest setting for ten days , works really well! It reaches the 85f in a couple of days

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

We think the same way Nicole! I put them on the big black seed trays on the heat mats and use the clear plastic domes to cover them. I did it last year and it worked perfectly 😀 Thanks 💜

[@AnneHeyns]

Great harvest i'd say!☺♪

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I agree! thanks Anne 💜

[@janeschultz9951]

Lucky you! I’ve never grown them. Not enough room.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

They do take up a lot of room Jane! Maybe try containers or grow bags?

[@mariapacheco2749]

If you let on the ground more time the potatoes grow bigger because you had a lot of big forming roots

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I would have left them longer Maria but our overnight temps are getting colder. We will be having frost soon. Hopefully next year will be better 😀

[@lakesidehomesteadwithdavea5757]

I planted sweet potatoes last year and they did about the same as yours . I slipped them out my self from an organic sweet potato. Maybe it's our climate here in Canada?? I don't know....I may try again, we will see.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I agree our climate doesn’t help! I’m still going to try every year but I’ll keep my expectations low and maybe not dedicate so much real estate to them from now on. Good luck to you 🤞

[@hollyu48]

Be sure to make the slips from your own growth they will climatize more each yer

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Great tip! Thanks Holly 💜

[@monalisajohnson7248]

For me, those are the perfect size i try not to get any more than 2in diameter, i dont like buying the thick ones they are too hard to cut up for cooking, so perfect harfest in my eyes

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I guess that’s a positive way to look at it 😉 and I have to agree!! Some of the large store ones I have to get Frank to help cut through 😂 Thanks 💜

[@kerrie8486]

My husband and I grow our sweet potatoes in raised beds. We find it much easier to harvest. We have tried other ways did not work very well

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I can see how that would be so much easier!! We would like to convert the whole garden to raise beds soon, so hopefully the sweet potatoes can be grown there 😃 Thanks Kerrie 💜

[@kerrie8486]

@@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead the soil is softer so it’s not hard to dig. We get so much more sweet potatoes than other ways we have tried. We still get some small and skinny ones. We also wait till October to harvest but I’m in zone 7. I don’t know if you can wait another month

[@jodygrant1255]

Some potatoes grow deeper in the ground than others. Sometimes you have to dig deep

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Sorry for the late reply Jody. We went back a second time and couldn’t find any ☹️ I also think part of that garden wasn’t properly prepped. The ground was hard at one section. Lessons learned for next year. Thank you 💜

[@CJ-do3sm]

Did u fertilize?

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Yes a bit. I mixed some trifecta in the soil before planting and I did 2 rounds of fish emulsion when the plants were young

[@gabimurray7224]

Sorry that you have problems with sweet potatoes! But thankyou for showing that not everything is a huge success.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

It’s all part of gardening adventures! I will always show the wins and the not do much wins…it’s real life 😉 Thanks Gabi 💜

[@miguelllewellyn4492]

Sweet potatoes love warm humid weather. It’s not you, you did great! They grow great here in Miami where we have sandy soil literally no nutrients.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

We do get warm humid weather for at least two months 😉 I can grow most things well, I guess sweet potatoes just aren’t my thing. I appreciate your support! Thank you 💜

[@YAYA-bv7po]

You are pulling them too soon. Let the leaves die off and don't touch them for two weeks then dig and you will have bigger potatoes! Fertilizer will help too mid way in growing them.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I gave them fish emulsion a few times! I’ll try and wait a bit longer next year. I don’t think I can wait for the vines to die off as winter would be here before that but I’m sure I could’ve waited a few more weeks. Thanks 💜

[@YAYA-bv7po]

I live in MO you have until the ground freezes where you can't dig! I then put them in the garage to cure before putting them up! Don't be afraid to use wood ash, bone meal and coffee grounds too!

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

@YAYA-bv7po Thank you!

[@miephoex]

Saves you from cutting them into fries 😅

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

That’s a positive spin on it 😀

[@suzsgear]

Someone already commented on what I was going to say that the long skinny ones are fingerling potatoes and supposedly taste great.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Now I’m excited to try them!! When they finish curing I’ll cook them first 😋 Thanks 💜

[@gwencobb1452]

I have given up on sweet potatoes

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

I’m making slow, slow progress every year. The down side is they take up a lot of real estate. I’ll try one more time 🤞

[@gailtaylor9136]

We leave in the ground until plats die back.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

We will be having a frost soon so waiting a week or two wouldn’t make much of a difference. Unfortunately my growing season is just about over 😔

[@sprigssprouts6786]

@@JustTheTwoOfUsHomesteadenjoy your channel. I definitely suggest waiting longer to harvest, you had lots of tubers those last few weeks make a huge difference. I tried a few times before I got it right.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

@sprigssprouts6786 Thank you 💜 Noted! Next year I’ll give them more time 🍠

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

@sprigssprouts6786 I’ll try and wait longer next year! Thanks 💜

[@murlthomas2243]

You can apply nitrogen when you first start them, but they are like potatoes. They need more potassium than nitrogen.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thank you 💜 I did give them nitrogen when I planted them and once again a few weeks later. I didn’t know about the potassium so thank you very much!

[@sandymelton2759]

I thought you are to leave them in the ground until the vines die off.?.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

In some zones you can leave them until the vines change colour or die back but not in mine. We’ll be having frost soon!

[@marilynrobertson6265]

Maybe it’s fingerlings, not a true large potato ❤😊

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Maybe 🤷🏻‍♀️ I used last years sweet potatoes for the slips! Maybe I used too many skinny ones 😂

[@belindaalderson9341]

That is so to bad. Can you use the skinny ones

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Yup! I’ll just roast them up in the oven like French fries 😋

[@BeckyHollandFuller]

Sweet potatoes like poor soil and to be basically ignored. If you tend to them a lot, you will grow beautiful vines, but not a lot of tubers. If you want more tubers, don't worry so much about the condition of the vines. Sweet potatoes are not potatoes, they are tubers from a type of morning glory, so they don't need the same care as a potato.

[@vickiwicker5765]

It looks to me like your soil is too rich. Don’t fertilize. The plants will put too much into leaf and vine growth. I wouldn’t think you’d have a long enough growing season in Quebec. Sweet potatoes like hot weather. Maybe it just doesn’t get hot enough where you are to get real big tubers.

[@vickiwicker5765]

Also lots of water. You might try putting a tunnel over them to get the heat and humidity up.

[@JustTheTwoOfUsHomestead]

Thanks Vicki 💜 July and August are very hot but maybe they need longer than that. I will cut back on the fertilizer!