South Florida late summer sweet potato cascades into early fall with full leaves and soft purple flowers.
Contrary to the conventional seasonal gardening calendar, I planted my sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) in the month of August -- a little late for a summer crop. However, I live in South Florida where warm, humid conditions last well into November. My husband and I both planted sweet potato this year choosing two different sowing methods. I planted sprouted potatoes directly into the soil along the inside of our backyard garden fence and my husband planted slips in a partly-shaded raised garden bed. While this wasn't a competition by any means, my vine growth quickly outpaced that of my husband's and produced more flowers from direct sun exposure on the south-facing side of our property. However, the results of our harvest will be the true test in a few months time.
I had two goals in mind when planting my sweet potatoes along the fence. The first goal was to maximize vertical space along one of the narrow entrances to our garden. By tying the vines up as they grew long enough and letting them trail over the opposite side of the fence, they would be well-positioned to bask in the direct sunlight each morning and afternoon. Also, we would avoid trampling the vines as we enter and exit through the door of the gate. My second goal, which will be one that I am working towards for years to come, is to cover much of the stark white PVC fence with vines and shrubbery. Although our fence provides us with amazing privacy, it adds very little to the natural aesthetic we would like to achieve in our garden.
Hallelujah! My plan worked quite beautifully. As the vines stretch long and flow over the fence with natural ease, large purple blooms gracefully open to meet the direct sunlight with brilliance. What a pleasure it has been for me to venture out of the garden to peek around the corner to see if the flower fairy came for a visit each day.
This edible beauty is relatively easy for a novice gardener to grow, especially here in the South. It requires very little oversight and will trail along the ground creating a lush ground cover or fill in a trellis rather quickly. Both its leaves and tubers are edible making it a staple crop for southern gardeners. I encourage each homeowner to take a chance on these sweet treats by planting them in a large planter or in the ground even if only to enjoy its popping purple blooms among a sea of green.
Successfully grow this sweetheart with these steps.
Step 1:
Obtain a sprouted potato or slips.
Step 2:
Select a sunny, warm site with enough room for vines to spread or to be trellised.
Step 3:
Prepare the planting site by removing grass and weeds, cover with mulch and water the area.
Step 4:
A) Plant the slip by creating a small hole in the mulch to reveal the soil underneath, cover the roots of the slip with soil, and then push the mulch back together over the small hole around the stem of the slip.
B) Plant the potato with the sprouts facing upward out of the ground by pulling back the mulch layer and digging a hole the depth of the potato. Once planted, recover the area with soil and then top with a thin layer of mulch around the stem of the sprout.
Step 5:
Water generously. Water as often as needed to keep the soil moist until established.
Step 6:
Harvest in about 90-100 days or when yellowing leaves start to appear. Make sure to cure the sweet potatoes in a warm moist location for approximately 10-14 days before eating.
Home Garden Photos
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