Growing your own sweet potato slips for planting in the garden is something that all backyard gardeners should do - because it's just really easy, and kinda fun too...Although there are probably tons of tutorials on the internet on how to do it, this post is my contribution, and hopefully it will be easy to understand.
In the picture below, you can see my little sweet potato that was kept from last year's fall harvest just for this purpose, and is almost ready at this point.
Photo below - roots are the first thing to emerge after suspending in a glass of water, and this one certainly has lots of healthy looking roots in it.
Photo below - here's a closeup of the top growth....Each little "branch" can be stuck into some moistened soil, and after about a week will have it's own roots form from it.
And if that doesn't make sense, here's a video I made about the whole process. Sorry for the shaking of the camera while shooting it - it was made with my phone, and difficult to hold steady with my left hand the whole time. Anyway, you'll see me plant clusters of growth into a cellpack - although normally each individual shoot would be rooted...I hope you enjoy it!
After shooting that little video, I went inside and made a batch of blackberry jam from the ones put into the freezer last year. Man, that stuff's good - and really easy to make, too....This year's harvest will begin hopefully this weekend, and at least 2 gallons will go into the freezer, I figure....
Take care, and happy gardening
EG
11 comments:
Very informative, yes indeed, I did learn something from your video. Definitely something new for me to try next year.
And thanks for joining us over at mediaOrganic EG!
Nice video! I've never grown any sort of potato, about how many potatoes do you get with each slip?
I've never grown my own. To be honest they are so cheap, I've been lazy and just buy them.
Thanks for that informative video on sweet potatoes. My mom used to grow them as flower plants,in the City. I never realized how to get them to make more sweet potatoes thanks :o) I'll be busy doing that this year ..
MediaOrganic - good, I'm glad you liked it...
Megan - I'd say on average about 8 potatoes per slip...
Japanese redneck - true, they are pretty cheap - but aren't available in stores as early as I'd like....
Gingerbreadshouse7 - you're quite welcome....
I've yet to try for sweet potatoes here as we have such a short season. But I keep thinking. Maybe in pots it would work.
Daphne - you probably could cheat mother nature a bit by growing in large containers, I bet....
Nice! I think I will try this next year. I was hoping to get some slips from my local Ag extension office, but they had problems getting them out due to the weather the last few weeks. Very disappointing. I was really looking forward to growing my own this year.
Great Video.
-Kristina K.
www.urbanfarmwife.blogspot.com
Eleanor - that's a shame, and just one more reason to grow your own...
Kristina - thanks, I'm glad you liked it....
That is just great. I am going to have to try this. Good work, EG!
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