MY FIRST SWEET POTATO STARTS

Around Thanksgiving 2017, on our list of groceries were sweet potatoes, even though we really don't eat them very often. In the meal that we planned to prepare were other similar dishes we like better, such as pumpkin pie. We did use some of the sweet potatoes, but not many. We overbought. Usually they would sit in the bottom of the fridge where they would be for months and months, until finally they were shriveled unrecognizable tubers. They last just fine on the counter for a long time, too, but we extend the life by keeping them in the fridge. That's almost a wasted effort when we only cook them once or twice a year. Well, the last few years since we've been living the rural life, we compost as much as possible. Ending up with wasted sweet potatoes hasn't felt like too big of a deal because, honestly, it just gets tossed in the compost pile anyway.

I'm still what I consider a "novice homesteader/permaculturist". I do read a lot. I search out information to try to learn. Have not had a lot of implementation yet, but the intention is there. Considering I'm not a big sweet potato fan, I've never bothered to learn about them before. I also like to watch videos on Youtube, which is where I kept seeing how much sweet potatoes are a part of many people's permaculture designs. Isn't it amazing how learning about something can open your mind to things you really hadn't paid much thought to before? An uninteresting vegetable became a new fun learning experience for me!

THE 5 MAIN REASONS WHY I WILL BE GROWING THEM FROM NOW ON ARE:

1. Nutritional Value, of course. (Yes, I know I said I am not a fan, but I should find a way to like them!)

Quote and nutrition tables source, as well as more information, MAY BE FOUND HERE

2. The entire plant is edible which is PARTICULARLY what I am attracted to. The tubers are nutritional, yes, but sweet foods are not my favorite. I'd much rather eat the leaves and stems! They are a good crop to feed your animals, too.

3. They are perennial (Quote source)

Sweet potatoes are perennial in climates that remain warm year-round, but they can serve as a highly productive annual in cooler areas. Obviously, for those of us in the right environments, the perennial staying power is a real positive in garden design. But, beyond those lines, the basics of the sweet potato are that it doesn’t like to be in ground colder than ten degrees Celsius, will go dormant at about fifteen, and grows-to-thrives from twenty up, doing better the hotter it gets. To grow them in places like Canada or England, it may require a heat trapping cover (some suggest reused clear builder’s plastic), but appropriate mulching might just work.

Another great website for additional nutritional information, including how the nutritional content compares to other vegetables, VISIT THE CALIFORNIA SWEET POTATO COUNCIL'S WEBSITE HERE.

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4. They make for a great ground cover which will help suppress weeds. Who doesn't love that about a plant, huh? They are also within the Morning glory family so have gorgeous leaves and flowers which is why there are ornamental sweet potato varieties that are planted specifically for their beautifully colorful leaves.

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IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A DOWNLOADABLE PDF CONTAINING MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AND FACTS ABOUT SWEET POTATOES, (which I highly recommend if you are already a fan of them or are the curious type), THE CIP INTERNATIONAL POTATO CENTER PUBLISHED A BROCHURE IN 2010 WHICH YOU CAN DOWNLOAD HERE or you can visit their website here

WHICH BRINGS ME FULL CIRCLE TO THE POINT OF MY POST.

5. Lastly, it's very easy to grow, as you can see from the sweet potatoes we have that are beginning to sprout and form slips. After having the leftover sweet potatoes sitting on the counter since the end of November, in a steady warm climate, we noticed they are beginning to grow slips!!That means once they grow some more, we will be able to split the slips to grown several plants off each sweet potato. This will be great for ground cover below our apple trees, and other areas where we do not want to have to mow or weed.

They are beginning to grow without any help from us, but we decided to try to help them along. This is a really simple technique I have also successfully used with avocado pits, potatoes ginger, and turmeric

Find a container big enough for the diameter of your sweet potato to easily fit, without having too large of a gap between the sweet potato and the rim of the container.
Add toothpicks around the outside to create support to keep the sweet potato from being completely submerged in the water.
Add enough water so that the bottom 1/4th to 1/3rd inch is submerged in water.
Make sure to keep enough water in the container and change it out if it starts getting nasty.
Put it in a well lit area. They like heat so you can put them beside a south facing window and/or heater vent.

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