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Garden Gate:  Harvesting Sweet Potatoes  |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 01 2009 : 8:09:30 PM
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I know that in our neck of the woods harvesting is a ways off. Everything is off to a late start. The tomatoes, green beans and zucchini are just now ready.
This is our first year trying Sweet Potatoes. We have had a couple of blossoms. I was wondering if anyone has any tips on when it's time to harvest? What should we be looking for? Thanks ladies :)
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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chaddsgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
843 Posts
Sarah
Farmgirl Sisterhood #639
MO
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2009 : 07:36:57 AM
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Sharon, I am looking for the same info. My vines are crazy everywhere and I planted the sweet potatoes in May. It's cooling off really fast here so I'm wondering if I should harvest mine early?? I have no idea, i've never grown sweet potatoes before.
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
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chaddsgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
843 Posts
Sarah
Farmgirl Sisterhood #639
MO
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2009 : 2:31:25 PM
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O.K. Sharon, I looked up some information on-line to figure out when our sweet potatoes should be harvested. It looks like they should be dug up before the first hard (killing) frost. I did read in one of my gardening books that the vines would start to get yellow when it is time to harvest them. But it looks like as long as we have them up before the first hard frost we should be o.k.
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2009 : 3:18:35 PM
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Thanks for looking that up Sarah :) That is good to know :) I'm sending you a sweet potato recipe 
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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Jennifer Mulkey
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Jennifer
Arkansas City
KS
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2009 : 5:01:38 PM
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If you pinch off your vines when they get over about two feet, the plant will send all it's energy into the tubers instead of growing vines. And you can let them go now until right before frost, but make sure you get them up before frost as they will not be any good after a frost. Also, be careful digging them, the skins right after they come out of the ground are very tender and can tear and bruise, causing a bad place on the potato after it's cured. You need to dig them, and leave them out for at least 24 hours ( we put ours up on top of the dirt they came out of and just leave them, but if you have any critters around, you might want to gently put them up on something where they cant be reached, but can still get airflow. Also, cut the vine at ground level before you start digging, never pull up by the vine, you can break the tubers in half and they won't cure out properly. Make sure when you start digging, that you dig way out from the vine, because they can grow out a good ways.
Hope this helps out...by the way, if you just can't wait, you can go to the vine, and just dig down a little ways with your hands, being careful not to scratch up any tubers you find to get an idea of how big they are at this point, then gently cover everything back up. |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
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Jennifer Mulkey
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Jennifer
Arkansas City
KS
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2009 : 09:27:34 AM
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yw. One lastl thing that didn't come through yesterday. Most sweet potatoes need some time after digging to develop the sugars that make them sweet. So give them about six weeks before you eat any. They won't taste much like regular sweet potatoes you are probably used to before that. While they are sitting for those six weeks, make sure they are in a dry cool place. If your vines start dying off way before you know you are getting the first frost, you can go ahead and dig a hill or two and see how they look.
Hope all of that helps you out. |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2009 : 10:03:25 AM
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That's good to know Jennifer because I would have probably started eating them right away! :) It's already hard waiting to see :)
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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chaddsgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
843 Posts
Sarah
Farmgirl Sisterhood #639
MO
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2009 : 1:24:03 PM
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Awesome! Thanks Jennifer!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
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Jennifer Mulkey
True Blue Farmgirl
59 Posts
Jennifer
Arkansas City
KS
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2009 : 7:58:06 PM
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You are so welcome :) I wouldn't have had all of that information either if not for the help of an old friend who used to write for an organic growing magazine :)
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Garden Gate: Harvesting Sweet Potatoes |
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Harvesting Sweet Potatoes
