growth
Sweet potatoes are annual and not hardy because they come from tropical regions in Central and South America. Unlike the well-known potato, Ipomoea batatas is not a nightshade plant, but one Morning glory.
also read
- Facts worth knowing about sprouting sweet potatoes
- The ideal location for the sweet potato
- The sweet potato - a vegetable rich in species
Soil and location requirements
As heavy consumers, tuberous binders prefer a soil rich in humus and nutrients, which has a high nitrogen content. Uniform soil moisture encourages the plants to develop daughter tubers and contributes to a lush harvest. A sheltered location in the sun creates optimal conditions for growth, because the plants cannot tolerate the cold.
Prefer potatoes
From January you can pre-germinate the sweet potato on the windowsill. Pierce three toothpicks in the center of the tuber. It's the same method as with Growing an Avocado Seed. The sticks serve as a support when you put the potato in a glass filled with water. After a few weeks, the shoots are 20 to 30 centimeters long, so that you can plant the young plants in the bed.
Cultivation in the garden
Under Central European climatic conditions, cultivation is in a raised bed and a greenhouse or in one Flower box(€ 149.00 at Amazon *) recommendable. Mild regions allow outdoor cultivation. Growing from seeds is associated with low success rates due to the low germination rate. Instead, plant tubers in loose soil and make sure that the substrate is evenly moist and has sufficient light.
Notes on planting out:
- plant in the bed after the ice saints
- ideal growth temperatures are between 20 and 24 degrees
- Growth problems arise at ten degrees
Start of the season
the Sweet potato harvest time starts in October at the earliest. From September the plants draw their energy from the leaves and store the substances in the underground tubers. If there is an excess of nutrients, the potatoes develop many daughter tubers. These serve as survival organs, which will sprout again next spring. It is a form of vegetative reproduction that humans make use of.
How to recognize the harvest date
When the foliage is yellow and appears wilted, the tubers are ready to be harvested. However, you should also keep an eye on the weather, as premature night frosts can also lead to discoloration of the leaves. An earlier harvest is possible, but yields less Income with smaller sweet potatoes. Be careful when harvesting so that the thin skin is not damaged. This will reduce the risk of rot.
Tips
White potatoes from the garden are less sweet than supermarket vegetables. Wrap the harvest in black foil and place the root vegetables in the blazing sun during the day and in a warm room at night. This is how the starch turns into sugar.
