Thank you… this is my first year gardening. I live in central FL. So, I m hoping that I will have the kind of successful harvest you’re talking about! Thanks for taking the stress out of sweet potato gardening! I’ll let you know how it when in the fall of 2024.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

3 ай бұрын

You will definitely get those kind of harvests! Can’t wait to hear how the sweet potatoes do.

This was super helpful. I’m in Ocala and will plant some based on your instructions. Thank you!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

5 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for the information. I started a little late in zone 10a. Planted sweet potato for slips on July 17 and I have 2 inch slips now. I think I will be okay according to your explanation. Thanks. Enjoyed your video. 💚

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

3 күн бұрын

Congrats. Depending on how quickly our winter cools things down, may slow your plants down a bit but you should still get a good crop

MONSTER thanks for your Florida growing videos.. We're trying our first year of sweets,, So far so good, Lots of successful slips

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Ай бұрын

That’s awesome! Congrats

Your husband is one lucky guy. You’re outdoorsy, super cute and love gardening! Thanks for the video.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. That’s sweet but I’m definitely the lucky one. He’s amazing 💚

Wow! Pretty amazing how this stuff works. Most sweet potato lore is hard to understand, but your presentation is very thoughtful and accessible. Thank you.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

5 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

100lbs ❤ Great Video as Always! 🫶🏽

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 🤗

Very Very Good God bless you all Thank you ✝️🙏🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much ☺️

Love your videos!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 💚

Going to try growing for the first time … in the North East of England weather wet and cold summers 😂😂 not very good … great video 🇬🇧

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

5 ай бұрын

Some varieties are more cold tolerant than others. Maybe try those?

I grew white potatoes last year in zone 9b and they grew great! Love this type.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

The white sweet potatoes? Are they sweet?

Perfect timing. You had suggested, in a comment, that I try doing this. I just bought some organic sweet potatoes about a week ago. I had guests so my planting was delayed. Tomorrow I'm putting them in a grow bag to start my slips. Fingers crossed, I've never grown potatoes before. You make it look easy, but you make everything look easy, lol ( & after taking your advice most of it is easy). Thanks again for sharing with us. My guess is about 75lbs.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Yay! How exciting. You have plenty of time so it should go really well. 🤞

@lindapedersen-hylka7170

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a Thanks for inspiring me.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

@@lindapedersen-hylka7170 💚👩‍🌾💚

@DRC91319

Жыл бұрын

It is quite easy. I'm no green thumb. I have taken green pepper seeds from ones I had sliced and stuck them in the ground to have several bunches and produced enough that I sliced some up to freeze because lo so many. I've now done this with cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, and cucumbers. I'm terrible with other plants so it's been a blessing. Good luck to you. 😊

Brilliantly done, thanks looking forward to your channel

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

💚 I can’t wait to harvest them in the fall 🍠

@criddyla696

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a good luck, you live in a beautiful free state, I am in Uk which is very sunny recently but is often dull, love your style of video making, very positive and uplifting… just off to make some compost in the sun 🌞 cheers for the reply… 🌱

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

@@criddyla696 Thank you so much for those kind words 💚👩‍🌾💚

I've never tried sweet potatoes but I have been fighting cancer and need a nutrition boost. I love eating out of the garden and it's good. hey say s/p's are very good for you. may be next on the list.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

The cool thing about them is that they grow super easy, improve the soil, taste sweet, and are good for you. Win win win win!

Have you tried growing Rutabaga? It t is so easy to grow here in Florida during winter and it tastes like a mix of potatoes and carrots they are not as bitter as turnips. Especially when cooked. I use it in place of white potatoes. Thanks for the very informative video.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

4 ай бұрын

I haven’t yet. In fact, I’ve never eaten them ever. I’ll have to grab one from the store and try it.

@user-yz5rh1if1m

3 ай бұрын

I love rutabaga I'm growing some myself

❤❤❤

I have my store potatoes in soil now waiting for them to form some slips. Last year I had a huge bed of sweet potatoes with gorgeous full leaves. I even had it covered with a mesh enclosure so nothing could get in, and one morning I woke up and EVERYTHING was gone. All that was left was stick stumps and no leaves left. I have no idea what devoured an entire bed overnight, but hoping that doesn't happen again.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

2 ай бұрын

The only thing I know of that could devour an entire sweet potato bed in one night would be rabbits or deer. Was the bed still covered when you went out there?

I’ve had slips growing in grow bags since last year and have been rooting them as needed to plant in each greenstalk pocket as I clear them. First year doing it so we shall see. Ive had great luck with white taters in grow bags. Got about 4.5lbs 2 weeks ago and have one last bag to harvest in about a week. Super easy to dump out in the garden cart. I’ll guess 80lbs.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

That’s a cool idea with the greenstalk. Let me know how that does. Growing them in containers is easier come harvest time.

@anthonygilbert6878

6 ай бұрын

Iam considering using my greenstalk this coming spring for sweet potatoes as well please tell us how yours turned out would love any feedback or tips ! Thanks

75lbs! ❤

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

🤞

I’m in Jacksonville FL, when should I start them here?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

5 ай бұрын

You can start slips now if you want. Just make sure to protect them if you get cold weather. If you already have slips, wait to plant them until after your last projected frost date

I'd say about 30 to 40 lb

You have really good videos! Maybe I missed it but how far apart do you put the sweet potato plants in the row and how far apart are the rows? So you have a total of eight beds that are 4x8? Thanks!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I plant the slips 1 square foot apart. I like doing the square foot gardening versus the rows in raised beds. I feel like It uses the space more efficiently. I now have 9 beds that are 8x4. I can’t stop adding 🤣

Hi I will be growing the orange, white and purple sweet potatoes this year. I also had a bad year for regular potatoes so hopefully I will have better luck with the sweet potatoes. My biggest problem with growing root vegetables is the bugs, I have my beds infested with grubs and they eat my potatoes. I am not sure how to get rid of them. Good luck with your harvest!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Grubs are tough. I love no till gardening but you may want to consider tilling to help kill them and then sift them out. You could also use things like DE, neem and kaolin clay. Another thing you can do is completely dry out the soil for a couple months to help them die out since they require moisture. It really depends on how aggressive you want to get. If you have just a few, hand pick them when you see them. If you have hundreds, you may want to consider the tilling and drying and dust with DE.

@CristalMermaid

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a thanks for the suggestion, I have been using DT but it is difficult to keep up when it rains or I water the plants.

Hi Petrina! I have slips that I’ll be planting soon as well. This is my first year planting them and I’ll be using a 15 gallon grow bag. I live just south of you in Clearwater/Pinellas Park. Would you have a recommendation on the number of slips for this size of container? Oh and I’ll take a wild guess that you’ll get 150 pounds of sweet potatoes from your raised beds this year. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Have a blessed day!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I would say between 2-3 slips. Maybe start with 3 and if they all take off, pull the middle one. That will allow the other 2 to produce bigger tubbers. If you are okay with smaller potatoes, leave all 3. Since it’s your first year, I just wanna make sure you know that the vines are going to get ridiculous. So make sure you have them in a spot where they can grow very far outside of the pot. It would be awesome to grow 150lbs. I’d be sharing with everyone I know 😂

@kathyjohnson1704

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Petrina. I do have a 7’ trellis for the vines to grow on. Maybe next year I can devote more space for my favorite tuber!

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

@@kathyjohnson1704 they are my favorite too 🍠

@tvideo1189

Жыл бұрын

@@kathyjohnson1704 Just be advised that sweet potato vines are not "natural climbers". A trellis over the bed will be ignored and the vines will just sprawl on the ground. To trellis them you will have to constantly drape them over any supporting structure by hand and as fast as they grow, this quickly becomes a PITA. Just sayin'. :)

Hi im the desert do they grow well here thanks

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

4 ай бұрын

Yes, as long as you have a long enough warm season and can keep them mulched and watered

What are your thoughts on using Spanish moss from the trees as a mulch? I'm using them and so far no issues.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

28 күн бұрын

It’s an excellent mulch to use! Great pick

@Christopher-xd5in

28 күн бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a thank you. I use intuition for most everything but always nice to get confirmation

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

28 күн бұрын

@@Christopher-xd5inintuition is the perfect trait for a gardener.

How do you know when they are ready to harvest? I'd hate to pull them up too early

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

3 ай бұрын

I wait until I can see them poking out. If you can’t see them after 3-4 months, start digging around until you find one to see how big it is.

Looks like three fifty pound burlap sacks of sweet potatoes. If you talk nicely to them, maybe more.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Sweet talk’en sweet potatoes 🍠. Love that!

@user-yz5rh1if1m

3 ай бұрын

Yep you have to talk to them

@user-yz5rh1if1m

3 ай бұрын

The way you treat your wife that's how you treat your garden if not you need to get another wife

40 lbs. My sweet potatoes last years got attacked by the white flies. Do you know how to control them? I live in zone 10. About 20 minutes alway from Key Largo.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Some white flies are not anything to be worried about but if they are defoliating the plants, try daily water sprays to blast them off, yellow sticky traps, and then insecticidal soap and neem mixture. That should knock them back enough until the predatory bugs show up.

Dumb question…I’m new here. How do you store the potatoes after harvest?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

5 ай бұрын

Usually I lay them in my garage to cure for 2-3 weeks and then I put them in a paper bag and move them into my pantry. That usually keeps them fresh for a year.

Should you grow them in the shade or direct sun? If they are in a sunny spot, would it be aise to cover them with a umbrella or tent or something?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Sweet potatoes absolutely love full sun even during the summer. They are one of the few that thrive in super high heat. No need to cover them.

@buttergurls6401

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a oh wow ok thanks

I love sweet potatoes but when i planted them, they were a whitefly magnet as I knew they probably would be. I assume they were the sweet potato whiteflies. I know they can be sprayed, but their numbers increased so fast and many of the plants around them were were getting the whitefly too. I finally pulled it up. I don't usu spray and whitefly are not usually a problem, but not this time - sigh....

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

8 ай бұрын

I’ve had that problem in the past too. Usually the sweet potatoes can handle it and the predators eventually show up and take care of them but if they moved over to more sensitive plants, I can definitely see why you want to pull them

@BeachBumBiker

8 ай бұрын

Yeah, if it was just the sweet potatoes, I would have waited, but my lettuce and others had them taking up residence there also, so it was not worth it. Thanks for the reply.

I have some potato starts from walmart that I put in a container, half in the soil as you showed. They've been there for weeks and no slips... BUT I picked one up and there are roots growing down in the soil! now im not sure if they were sweet potatoes or white potatoes 😅

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

That’s funny. Well sweet potatoes will put down roots too but they usually come from the slips. When you bought them were they actually potatoes or small green plants with heart shaped leaves? I’m assuming you got them from the plant area? If they were actual potatoes, those are definitely white potatoes cause they don’t sell them that way for sweet potatoes when you’re getting them from the nursery side. But if you actually got them from the produce section, it could go either way 😂 Wait and see what the plant looks like because the leaves look really different between regular potatoes and sweet potatoes

@angelicapacheco7176

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a I did get them from the garden section and they looked like small whole potatoes with no leaves or anything on them. I don't know why I thought they were sweet potatoes lol you must be right! thanks for replying

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

@@angelicapacheco7176 yeah those are definitely white potatoes. Go ahead and bury it nice and deep and you could have some potatoes in about 3 months!

@angelicapacheco7176

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a yay!

I guess my soil was too good last summer. I had tons of vines and no sweet potatoes. I left them in the soil for 130 days. So disappointing, From the looks of the vines I had visions of lots of beautiful large potatoes.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

4 ай бұрын

Yeah. Sounds like you have good nitrogen in your soil.

I'm in Chicago, and we're still not able to put anything outside. I've had a couple of sweet potatoes (from the store) half-buried in containers for well over a month at this point and there is zero sign of any slips. Very frustrating.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

4 ай бұрын

They do take a long time. Be patient. They will come. Try putting them by a sunny window. That might help spur them on

@milliewilkins2823

4 ай бұрын

Don't give up. They must not be organic...which take longer..keep moist plus put on a growing heat pad if you can. Non organic may take 2 plus months.

Hello! What if you don't have an airconditioned garage to put them in to cure? The coolest place I could put them is in the crawl space under my manufactured house. I'd be worried something going for them? My house stays at around 78 (freeze puppy), how long will they last before they go bad?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

3 ай бұрын

Sweet potatoes actually like it hot to cure so you’re not looking for an air-conditioned garage you’re looking for a hot garage.

@MicknKids

3 ай бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a What about moisture? The garage gets really humid.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

3 ай бұрын

that’s exactly what they want. Hot and humid. They are a tropical crop so that’s the weather they prefer. White potatoes are different. I’m not sure if you are thinking of those.

I have a water well and a septic. Should I put my sweet potato in a container potato growing bag thing? Would it be dangerous for my water well??? Would it invade my ground and cause problems with my septic and water tank??

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I have well water and septic too. They don’t grow super deep and the roots are not invasive like tree roots. I probably wouldn’t grow them right on top of my septic or right where my well comes out of the ground. I few feet away from the well should be fine. You can also do bags if you are concerned.

75 lbs

I planted a sweet potato about two weeks ago as shown in the video. No sprouts yet, and it looks like the potato is rotting. Is this normal? Or should I try again again with another fresh potato?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

It can take 4-6 weeks before you get any sprouts. It will start to look rough but it should be fine. You can always plant a second one because sometimes a potato may just not produce slips. This has happened to me before but it’s pretty rare and I’m not sure why it happens. Make sure to water it every once and awhile. That should help it along.

Do you know where to get slips for white sweet potatoes. I have the orange ones but would like to try the white ones

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I just ordered some from southern exposure seed exchange. It’s my first time ordering from them so I don’t know the quality yet but I hear they are a good supplier.

@marilynearl6887

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a thanks

When do you plant sweet potatoes in zone 9b? What month please

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

8 ай бұрын

I usually start them between April and July. The early in that span, the better

Can the vines be cut and root them in water. Then plant them?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

Yep! That works if you already have vines available

I just put my slips in the ground and don't wait for roots.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I’ve done that before too. They are such a no nonsense plant. Love them

How long does it take before harvesting sweet potatoes? Three months ?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

11 ай бұрын

3 months are the earliest and they will probably be smaller. If you wait till 4-5 months they will probably be bigger.

I’ve heard you shouldn’t let the vines root in the ground as they grow because it won’t focus its tuber growth on the “main roots” rather its spreading its energy to grow thinner roots down the vine. So should we be growing individual “plants” of sweet potato rather than letting it spread wildly?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I’ve done it both ways. From my experience the difference in size wasn’t very big but the maintenance to keep the vines cut or trellised up was a big effort. It’s a personal preference really.

@Happy2Run4Me

10 ай бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9aVery helpful! I grow mine in grow bags but try to keep the vines tucked into the bag which is difficult but I often have to move the bags around and want to be able to continue to do that so I’m hoping it still gives me a good sweet potato harvest. I grew my slips from grocery store sweet potatoes and they weren’t organic so it took 8 weeks for them to produce slips big enough to root and plant. On top of that, I’d planted them in-ground and critters ate every single one down to the ground before they could get established! So sad! I had to wait for more slips to grow and replanted them in July in grow bags. I have to keep them protected from those nasty greedy critters until I can get my deer/rabbit fencing up! 😮 Either way, we don’t get frost here until Dec 1st so it should still be ok I hope! Wish me luck. ☺️I think maybe you can get 64 lbs from 2 8x4 beds if you avg 1lb/sq ft. Sounds good to me from a mathematical standpoint haha.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

10 ай бұрын

@@Happy2Run4Me maybe try using a tomato cage next year to let the vines climb that for the containers. I haven’t done it before but in theory, it should work. I love the math! Seems pretty reasonable.

That looked like quite a few sweet potatoes for slip starting, and given your propensity to grow giant vegetables....going to guess #80-90 lbs per bed for total of #160-180, especially if you keep some of the vines going to winter. And here's hoping that we don't keep having crazy for weather....so dry and hot on the Gulf Coast, and Southeast getting all that flooding. I got my slips from the runty little fingers of tubers from last year's crop, and this one nutty vine in my front yard....keeps popping up year after year, even though I would swear I pulled it. First year trying to grow them inground.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

IKR, the weather has been so weird. I need rain 🌧️. Just a little trick I use sometimes, if I have a longer vine, I’ll clip it and put it in water and create slips from that single vine. If your willing to be patient and wait for that vine to keep regrowing, you don’t even need a potato for the slips.

Let me know how you like the white sweet tater. I've heard they aren't as sweet and can replace regular potatoes.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I definitely will 👍. It’s my main reason for planting them since I’ve had such a bad potato season 🥔

@sonnyamoran7383

Жыл бұрын

@@HomegrownFloridaZ9a And I don't care for sweet potatoes. I only eat them when I absolutely have to.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

@@sonnyamoran7383 Haha. Hopefully the white ones will be more like regular potatoes. I’ll report back

I heard that you can eat the leaves of the sweet potato, is that true?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

11 ай бұрын

Yes! And they are really good. I love them as a cooked green but you can also eat them raw.

100 lbs

Can I buy sweet potato slips from you?

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

I’m sorry but I don’t sell them. I get mine from southern exposure seed exchange or I grow them from store bought sweet potatoes.

48# wouldn't that be nice.

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

That would be amazing. I’ll have to start feeding the whole neighborhood 💚

101 pounds

@HomegrownFloridaZ9a

Жыл бұрын

That would be amazing!