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Post by sandbar on Oct 3, 2009 22:02:55 GMT -5
For a number of years, now, I have grown Georgia Jet sweet potates in our garden. I grew them because they are a short season (we're in z5a in Ohio) and have enjoyed the taste.
I do not like the fact that they are prone to growth cracks. Fully half of our crop was cracked this year. That's discouraging.
So, what other varieties have other folks successfully grown in the northern climes?
I am looking for recommendations for sweet potatoes and NOT yams. I don't like the stringy flesh of yams.
TIA,
Steve.
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Post by orflo on Oct 3, 2009 23:15:20 GMT -5
I hopeyou don't mind I moved this, sweet potatoes aren't a member of the solanceae family, so I placed it over here.. I live to far north to be able to have a decent sweet potato grow-out...That's what I was thinking until this year: in the past years I tried several varieties (most of the early varieties are hard to get in Europe though) but all needed lots of warmth, too much in fact.... But this year I received some 'tainung 65' potatoes, and grew these, outside...And it was a very good surprise (the warm summer did cooperate a bit ...) , I harvested some tubers that were over 3 pounds (1,5 kgs).. So I'm really happy with these, no cracking but summer was not only warm but very very dry over here....  |
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Post by biorag on Oct 4, 2009 0:58:16 GMT -5
Wow ! very impressive to harvest so big sweet potatoes in your country. Please, Frank, I'll be interested in getting some vines at spring, if possible. ;D It's the second year I grow sweet potatoes. Last year I harvest 2 or 3 tubers big as a finger but it was planted in june.... and the mice ate them. This year I got two varieties from a friend who lives in the west of France (you know her  : 1 orange, 1 pink. The white I grew last year was saved and also planted. I'll harvest as late as possible and take a pic at this moment. Sandbar : if we can trade some vines later. I'm interested in "georgia jet", please. |
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Post by orflo on Oct 4, 2009 12:40:02 GMT -5
Gérard, no problem for sending cuttings, but please remind me again in spring, I get so many requests for all sorts of things, and some are forgotten.
I'll certainly note it, but that's no guarantee, as I noticed last year....
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Post by ottawagardener on Oct 4, 2009 20:42:49 GMT -5
Try Mapple Farms in NS, Canada for an idea of varieties that could do well in that climate. Mostly I have grown Georgia Jet but every once and a while another variety has been tossed in. I don't have any cuttings though.
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Post by sandbar on Oct 4, 2009 21:43:01 GMT -5
Orflo: NP on the move ... didn't realize sweet taters weren't in the Solanceae family ... learn something new every day.
Biorag: Don't know if slips would survive a trip from Ohio (USA) to France. I've always purchased my slips because I don't have the time to fuss with starting them and I only grow enough for us to eat. Only costs me about $15 USD for 50 slips.
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Post by sandbar on Oct 4, 2009 21:46:22 GMT -5
Telsing, will check out Mapple Farms. Thanks.
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Post by sandbar on Oct 4, 2009 21:47:21 GMT -5
Orflo, how do you like the taste of your taters?
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Post by orflo on Oct 4, 2009 22:25:51 GMT -5
I only tasted a broken part from one tuber, without curing...and it didn't taste very sweet, only acceptable. But curing seems to be the magic trick for improving the taste of the sweet potatoes. Over here sweet potatoes aren't really commonly found in shops, production in Europe is nothing compared to the US or New Zealand. Sometimes organic food shops sell a sweet potato variety, grown in Italy mainly. I do think this crop can be very useful, Polynesian people took it everywhere and these potatoes became the main crop for them, it's quite full of nutritients. The problem is finding the really good variety for northern climates, I do hope this one keeps up. Michel did send me a Georgia Jets tuber last year, but due to a big delay (seven weeks! Canadian post??  ) I received the tuber by the end of June, and nothing grew out of it. I would dearly love to try this one as well... |
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Post by paquebot on Oct 4, 2009 22:48:30 GMT -5
Beauregard is the variety of choice around here along with Georgia Jet. Vardaman is supposed to need about the same length of growing season but failed two years in a row. O'Henry also supposed to be for us but didn't impress me this year.
Martin
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Post by stevil on Oct 5, 2009 9:20:57 GMT -5
Impressive sweet potatoes, Frank.
I have a number of pictures of sweet potatoes being cultivated, including one from the National Botanical Garden in Belgium (unknown cultivar). In the UK I have pictures of Beauregard, T65 (Tainong 65) (from The Eden Project and Chelsea Physic Garden) and Chin Mi being cultivated in vegetable gardens.
From what I've read T65 is heavier yielding in the UK, but less sweet than Beauregard (which is the opposite of what you report). There's also a Beauregard Improved (not sure what has been improved though).
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Post by biorag on Oct 5, 2009 11:51:02 GMT -5
Thank you Sandbar and Orflo for your answer.
The white one is "toka toka gold" and I hope to taste it this year.
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Post by sandbar on Oct 5, 2009 19:31:21 GMT -5
Orflo, I cure mine for six weeks before eating. Big difference in taste.
How long do you cure yours?
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Post by mnjrutherford on Oct 5, 2009 21:09:22 GMT -5
Sweet potatoes are on my "to plant" list, hopefully for next year. However, I am really hoping that I can lay hands on some purples and at least one other Asian variety.
Also, just what is involved in the "curing" process?
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Post by flowerpower on Oct 6, 2009 5:59:18 GMT -5
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: 1 orange, 1 pink.
) I received the tuber by the end of June, and nothing grew out of it. I would dearly love to try this one as well...
