When to grow sweet potatoes

In Sydney, sweet potatoes are best grown from small cuttings, known as slips, planted directly into moist soil in October. Choose a time when a few days of rain are forecast to allow the slips to quickly develop roots. Each slip will turn into a plant, that over the next 4-6 months will produce tubers under the soil. 

How to care for sweet potato plants

Sweet potato plants need to grow during warm weather, and prefer humid conditions with plenty of water. However, once the tubers have formed it is important to harvest them rather than leave them in wet soil as they can rot. They need at least 6 hours of sun per day during the growing season and plenty of compost or well-rotted manure. 

Harvesting sweet potatoes

You can harvest sweet potato leaves anytime once the plant is established and cook them like spinach or other leafy greens. The tubers can be dug up with a garden fork once they are ready and must then be stored in a cool dry place for at least a week to cure before eating. If cured correctly they will store for many months. 

Still to come

Next time I will talk about growing leafy salad greens.  

This week's recipe links

Rocket Salad from Modern Food Stories. 

Leek & Celery Pie from Honest Cooking. 

Creamy Pumpkin Greens and Beans from Delish. 

Easy Japanese Chicken Stir-Fry with Broccoli from Flavour & Savour. 

More info

To read more about what's happening on our local organic farm this week as we grow and care for veggies for our box delivery, check out this week's newsletter here.