Thread: sweet potatoes
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Old 27-12-2009, 09:36 AM posted to rec.gardens
David Hare-Scott[_2_] David Hare-Scott[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2008
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Default sweet potatoes

George wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
HL B123 wrote:
I am going to plant a row of yams in the spring.Forgot the procedure
about sprouting the roots (called something else) and when to plant.
any tips appreciated


Are you growing sweet potatos (ipomoea) or yams (diascorea)? I
don't know much about the latter but sweet potato need warm
conditions and full sun. In cooler areas plant after the last frost.
Given plenty of manure they will grow quickly and you will need to
water them in dry weather as the extensive leaf system will wilt
easily. If the soil is likely to get waterlogged plant them in
hills to improve drainage. I don't do anything special to sprout
the roots, if the soil is warm and damp they will grow.


plant sweet potatos in a box of moist sand and keep in a warm area
until shoots sprout from the potato. When the shoots are about 15 cm
long pull them off the potato and keep them bedded in a bucket of
moist sand and they will put down roots until you are ready to plant
out.

rob


Why?

David