Sweet Potato Question

This is my first year planting sweet potatoes. I just put in 50 plants, planted in a furrow. My neighbor tells me that I should have made raised beds (or rows) and planted in the top of the mound.

My question; can I or should I hill up the plants as they grow as you would with regular Irish potatoes, or should I just leave them as they are?

Red, this is some pretty good information on growing 'taters.
Hope this is helpful.
Gary/Louisville

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/sweetpotato1.html

Hmmm....that's a tough call, Red.

I've grown them in hilled beds only. Guess you could try hilling them up and see what happens though...or maybe pull 25 of em back up, make hills and replant? Just to compare the two systems for future knowledge?

Red
The traditional method for growing sweet potatoes is on a list. The reasons for this are:
1. In heavier soils it provides a non-compacted area for the roots to develop. (The sweet potato is a root unlike the tubers of an Irish potato)
2. It reduces competition from things like crab grass.
3. It helps to kee p the potatoes forming under the main stem.

In light soils sweet potatoes will grow fine on the flat. Some folks do have problems with the vines rooting and forming potatoes other than in the intended "hill"

In the good old days we made the list by throwing two fuurows together with a two horse plow. Today I use a one row lister.

Red : my senile dementia is acting up again. To answer your major question, YES you can pull dirt to them as they grow. They only drawback is that the potaoes will be deep in the ground when you dig them. Not a problem if you have a good fork.

Thanks for the link sent. I have read it and saved it to favorites. I am hoping to be able to grow some sweet potatoes this year. If possible, i will get some pictures to share asap. Robbie

Thanks guys for all your help. Great web site, Gary. I bookmarked it too to use as a reference for all my veggies.

Folks I have some knowledge about gardening but;
[sweet taters isn't one of them.]
Thought you might find this interesting though.

I have hauled them for years to sell.
For the last 15 or 20 its been the Beauregard. I buy from an area either side of I-20 in E- Texas. Generally refered as tha Canton area.
The Grand Saline area is more accurate, where I buy!

Before the Beauregard they grew the Jewell. Both good!
I will send a pic or so, most can be found here:
http://ivella.com/produce.html with other info about them taters ie grow a sweet potato vine. Difference between taters and yams, cooking etc and nutritional facts.

I have known some of these growers since 1980.
Most grow the same way. They invented double scoop diggers pulled by tractors. The scoops do two rows at a time pulled up on a conveyor that runs about 30' long. There are 3 20 bushel bins per side. The help sorts into those bins.

I buy from the field when I can time it right. Notice the dirt. they hold up much better for us.

Like I said, I can pass on what little I know. They don't fertilize much, some not at all.
They use a bleach solution on tha ground ahead as they plant..?
Don't ask me!

After tha first load which might be 60 bushel in Sept usuallyI average 80 per week till tha end of Dec. (makes my little business viable)

I have put my SP to bed with electric blankets over cardboard when it gets to freezing. (only to show they don't like to freeze lol.

Not meaning to hijack here. Sharing things that might not be mentioned.
Market etc might be a good place for this but this old man feels his age sometime.

Hope ya get something out of tha post.

Notice ya couldn't weed if ya wanted. Not miles, but lots!

This was out of tha field 8 miles from Grand Saline Tx.
Love that dirt!

One considerate forklift guy and DW.
200 miles & I'll be home!

Home again.
I drive near about 400 miles a week in season because the SP are weevil free.
More info for you to question........!

Thank ya fer this opportunity to expound.
Haha, didn't say that. My 15 month grandson made me do it!

His mother is sick so we are captured, again lol!
Don't these people ever go to sleep?

heycharlie,

Thanks for the pictures, man thats a lot of sweet 'taters, makes my 65 foot row look real small. As for that grandson, nope, they don't sleep until they get at least 5. Hehehe. :o)