Sweet potatoes are known by a variety of names. They are eaten up in restaurants as white potatoes, sweet potatoes or bulbs and can increasingly be found in supermarkets. More and more hobby gardeners are venturing into cultivation.
Sweet potatoes are harvested late in the year
growth
Sweet potatoes are annuals and not hardy because they come from tropical areas in Central and South America. Unlike the well-known potato, Ipomoea batatas is not a nightshade plant, but a morning glory.
Soil and site requirements
As a heavy feeder, the bulbous bindweed prefers a humus- and nutrient-rich soil that provides a high nitrogen content. Even soil moisture encourages the plants to form daughter tubers and contributes to a lush harvest. A sheltered location in the sun creates optimal growth conditions, because the plants do not tolerate cold.
prefer potatoes
From January you can let the sweet potatoes germinate on the windowsill. Poke three toothpicks in the center of the tuber. It is the same method as growing an avocado seed. The sticks serve as a support when you place the potato in a glass filled with water. After a few weeks, the shoots are 20 to 30 centimeters long, so you can put the young plants in the bed.
Cultivation in the garden
Cultivation in a raised bed and greenhouse or in a flower box (€16.99) is recommended under Central European climate conditions. Mild regions allow outdoor cultivation. Cultivation from seeds is associated with low success rates due to the low germination rate. Instead, plant tubers in loose soil and make sure the substrate is evenly moist and there is sufficient light.
Instructions for planting:
- 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 harvest time for sweet potatoes begins 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 sweet potatoes will develop many daughter tubers. These serve as outlasting organs that will sprout again in the coming spring. It is a form of vegetative propagation that humans use.
How to know when to harvest
When the foliage has turned yellow and appears wilted, the tubers are ready to harvest. However, you should also keep an eye on the weather, because early night frosts can also lead to discoloration of the leaves. Earlier harvest is possible but yields lower yields with smaller sweet potatoes. When harvesting, be careful not to damage the thin skin. This reduces the risk of rotting.
tips
White potatoes from the garden are less sweet than supermarket vegetables. Wrap the harvest in black foil and place the root vegetables in full sun during the day and in a warm room at night. This is how the starch turns into sugar.