Sweet Potatoes

We harvested our potatoes at the beginning of the month and I was surprised by the amount we got out of our little 4 ft. plot. I had no plans to plant these but since one I had bought to eat had sprouted....it was another case of 'why not try something new'. The potato rested in a glass of water (half in half out) on my window sill for several weeks as the sprouts grew the requisite 6 inches (or so) before I planted them out.

After breaking off several 'slips' (as they are called) I just stuck them in the ground in our parkway bed (between beds of peanuts) and that was it. I planted 5 slips in July (around the 1st) ...

...and by mid-summer we were having to cut back some of the vine so people(or rather large cats) could use the sidewalk (our kitty is actually next to the peanut plants, sweet potatoes are in the background). Next year I'll give them a bigger area and plant more. No diseases, no pests, no worries.....my kind of plant.

Greens go to the chickens.

It was kind of like an archaeological dig....you have to be careful getting the potatoes up so as not to damage the skin in order for them to last in storage.

I kind of brushed them off as I went until they were exposed enough to pull out. Because our soil is still not as loose as we would like (ie....it's clay) if I pulled too soon the potatoes broke off in the dirt.

Ta Da!

We harvested 27lbs. in all....not bad for a spur-of-the-moment planting.

And several were close to 2 pounds each...eek!

I'm making a wonderful sweet potato in lime syrup for Thanksgiving (the citrus is so good with the sweetness of the potatoes). Plus, I use them in pumpkin recipes; mixed with Jack-O-lanterns, they really add flavor.....especially in Pies!