2011 Sweet Potato Harvest

Last year I started my sweet potatoes very early. I bought the potatoes from a local grocery store and had the slips growing in the ground between April and May. They slowly took off and grew all over. Although I did add some fertilizer to the plants over time and the fertilizer was low in nitrogen the vines took over. Pretty soon they took up more space then everything else. While selling some cucumbers at the farmer’s market I was approached by an individual who was interested in buying my sweet potato crop. About a week later I excitedly turned over my soil to discover only half a dozen very small tubers. In contrast, this year I bought one sweet potato that was grown locally. I began planting the slips later – between June and July. No fertilizer was added and very little was done to take care of them. However, this year’s harvest was much better – I still need to buy a scale but I estimate the weight at least 5 pounds if not more.

My 2010 Sweet Potatoes planted in late April -  Poor crop

2011 sweet potato patch hiding behind squash & beans

My 2011 crop from 1 potato planted very late.