Experimenting with Growing Sweet Potatoes in Fabric Pots

Testing various tweaks to growing sweet potatoes versus how I have done it in the past.
The main, original idea I wanted to test was to determine what the ideal number of sweet potato slips would be per container for the best useable production.
Additionally, I wanted to test the effectiveness of using these fabric to grow what I've found is usually a productive and low maintenance crop when I've grown them in raised garden beds with and without square foot gardening methods as well as simply in ground.
In regards to the different materials making up the fabric containers used here, my intentions when I bought them was to test each type of material to see if it made a real difference. I decided to use the pot with the odd green fabric as a median, growing two slips believing the single and triple planted containers with similar material would be more reasonable to juxtapose directly.
My experiments were all imperfect and congested in trying so many variables with such a small sample. The results were definitely surprising and only make me want to further experiment with better constants and controls.
The grow bags I used were made to be potato grow bags or tuber grow bags. The little trap door seems pointless upon reflection, reminding me of something you might see in a KZbin, Instagram or TikTok short, Reelz or whatever touting garden hacks or tips and tricks that are just trying to sell the gimmicky container features. The bags themselves were great and I expect to get a few years use out of them. The harvesting window or whatever its called seems to serve no real benefit.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/moire/bees-in-th...
License code: 5SXAUMBWTSZHIJF2

[@ruthfurlow5468]

The fabric bag is what grows the best because it has air circulation. If you look at information on fabric bags that’s usually what you find, root and 02 circulation

[@the0prynce]

I've read similar information. I always assumed the negatives of evaporation would disadvantage any benefits. I was pleasantly surprised how well these worked

[@lornaf2365]

Inspired to try growing sweet potatoes now :)

[@the0prynce]

You should!

[@tashmartin8869]

Hey, I'd be interested to know what fertilizer you used?! But I love seeing these sorts of experiments! And how accurate you kept the three bags! I have both types of grow bags. Both kinds are black, and the "felt" (which here in New Zealand and I imagine most other places) is actually recycled plastic! The "trapdoor" is for what we call here, "bandicooting" so I roll the sides right down, plant my spuds and as they grow I roll the sides up. You can open the trapdoor and "bandicoot" a couple of the spuds without having to tip it all out! I actually only use them to check occasionally if they're getting enough water! But it's surprising how much water they do need, and I've recently trialed soaking the bag and some cardboard too, putting the cardboard in the VERY bottom before the soil and spuds, and it seems to work as a bit of a "bottom mulch!" (Made up gardening phrase!) I haven't been technically experimenting, but we definitely seem to get bigger spuds at the bottom of the bags, because until the cardboard breaks down it seems to help trap the water a bit better! I often also add worms to the bags and add finely shredded paper mixed into the soil and not only do they produce a decent amount in a small space, you're making compost as well!

[@GardeningWithCoffee]

I'm trying that next year

[@GardeningInTwoContinents]

Good experiment. What fertilizer did you add? Other sources say fertilizer slows down sweet potato growth.

[@the0prynce]

I used a synthesized water soluble fertilizer and a few feedings of fish fertilizer (maybe some worm tea early on). Fertilization was not done on a schedule other than no more than once every two weeks. I would be interested in seeing results of fed vs watered only harvests. I'm never consistent with fertilization but my expectation per slip tends to be reliably assumed.

[@magafam4847]

Trapdoor for regular potatoes

[@the0prynce]

I use a synthesized water soluble fertilizer, similar to Miracle Gro as well as worm tea and organic, slow release fertilizer. There's no particular brand I'm loyal to. Maybe I'll use these bags to grow og potatoes next year! That makes sense now that you've spelled it out for me. I also like your technique for cardboard on the bottom. I shred my paper towel tubes to use in the garden and it seems it could be a good use for them! Anything to retain water!

[@terri5282]

I love the experiment!! That's really fun to see, and you were so accurate in everything, which is also important in judging results accurately! :o) I appreciate your time and work. About the little trap doors, like @tashmartin8869 said, the original marketing was so that you could both check the size/growth of young spuds, and could harvest the larger ones, leave the smaller to continue growth, without bothering the top plant growth. I have some of those, and i also purchased some of the fabric, more felt ones. My thoughts on why they are a little more successful, is that they are designed to 'self/air-prune' the roots? and keep them from wrapping? and allowing more feeder roots to continue to grow, helping the plant stay healthier, longer..? I'm far from a gardening pro! LOL I'm 65 years old, and still learn more every single year. I've planted regular potatoes in the black bags with the doors for the first time this year.. like was said below, i rolled the bag down and planted at the bottom, and as the plants have grown, have filled in more soil til about 3" below the top. We just had really bad storms here and the hail beat everything down pretty badly, so we'll see, but i'm still hopeful! Again, thank you for the experiment and helping me learn about potatoes and sweet potatoes! I'm excited to see how this season continues! and thank you to @tashmartin8869 for your comments as well! I'll be trying the cardboard and paper.. that makes a lot of sense! and i'm glad you mentioned about how much water they need. I will be sure to watch! A friend had told me to be careful not to water too much, that they would rot..? Maybe a fine line??

[@the0prynce]

If your soil stays wet it can definitely be a problem. These pots and the Carolina heat didn't allow for the soil to be wet enough for long enough to create any issues.

[@RA-rf4nz]

Do you fertilize them when you over-winter them in a jar of water? And if so what type of fertilizer?

[@the0prynce]

I just use regular tap water. I like to replace it every few days so it doesn't get all slimy. They'll still root and grow until they're ready for soil in my experience

[@daninraleigh]

I've heard that sweet potatoes don't like fertilizer, just a little bone meal & wood ash. Fertilizer grows vines, which you certainly have, but not potatoes. Also, you don't need to water a lot after they get started. I'm ready to plant mine now, I just want to see exactly how to do it. Most videos I've seen show a whole bunch more sweet potatoes being dumped out of fabric grow bags. I think I can see now what not to do.

[@the0prynce]

In raised beds or in the ground they don't need a lot of water. In my area, most plants in containers need water at least once daily in the summer. These definitely spent a lot of time under watered. Good luck with your season!

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

What sized bags? are these 10 gallon? 15 gallon?

[@the0prynce]

These were 10 gallons

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

@@the0prynce very nice. For me, year 4 of i grow almost EVERYTHING in Grow Bags. 25 gal. for Potato, Onion, Garlic, Carrot 10 gallon for Butternut and Spaghetti Squash, Zucchini, Golden Zucchini. 7 gallon for all my bigger tomato. 5 gallon for cherry tomato, and peppers 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat, 1/3 last year's soil that is refresh w/ granular fertilizer This is my first time trying sweet potato. I am using the 25 gallon for them. two and three slips per bag. 3 bags.

[@devotedmomof7]

could you put a link to the felt bag please?

[@the0prynce]

I don't have a link for them unfortunately. I ordered them on Temu last year and the listing looks like it's been removed.

[@tashmartin8869]

Also, do you think planting a slip at the bottom and rolling it up as it grows like a normal potato would work?

[@the0prynce]

My understanding is that they don't work that way. But after seeing that clump form tubers after contacting the soil it does make me wonder if it could be beneficial. Hmm... I think I'll need to experiment more next season!

[@user-rw7zn1eg4k]

Hi I just want to know how long is the waiting time to grow

[@the0prynce]

It takes about 3 months. Sometimes I'll let them go longer, but 3 months is sort of my minimal threshold