How to Grow Old Fashioned Sweet Potatoes

Old-fashioned varieties of sweet potatoes have a taste and texture that's much heartier than their store-bought counterparts. For this reason, heirloom vegetables have been gaining popularity. Artisanal farmers make it their mission to bring back older varieties of sweet potatoes that are more tender, colorful and pleasing to the taste buds. Growing these old-timers does not require extra effort. In fact, some of the older varieties naturally thrive in harsh environments. By cultivating your own heirloom sweet potatoes, you create a bountiful gift that is enjoyed year-round—not just at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Things You'll Need

• Heirloom sweet potato slips
• Raised planting beds, 1-foot deep
• Direct sunlight
• Rake
• Small shovel
• Garden hose
• Sprinkler
• Soil conditioner (optional)
• Trellis
• String

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Till the beds with your rake. Apply soil conditioner, if needed. Potatoes like a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5.

   • 2

     Dig small holes with your shovel. Holes should be 1 to 2 feet apart.

   • 3

     Place a potato slip (shoot) in each hole. They can be planted in singles or doubles. Bury at least three of the slip's nodes below the surface.

   • 4

     Shovel dirt around your nodes.

   • 5

     Soak the soil with your garden hose and sprinkler.

   • 6

     Apply organic fertilizer around the base of each plant, after a month of growing.

   • 7

     Water regularly.

   • 8

     Tie or trellis vines, if needed.

   • 9

     Harvest your potatoes when the nights turn cool and the leaves start to yellow.