potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are believed to have originated in South America. They
are in the same plant family as morning glories. Notice the
the flower and leaf structure in the photo to the right.
Although some orange
varieties are marketed in the U.S. as "yams",
sweet potatoes are not
related to true
yams, which are of West African or Asian origins, and
rarely found in the United States except as imports.
sweet potatoes in North America occurred as early as 1648 in
Virginia, and reportedly taken into New England in 1764. They were
grown by the Indians in the Southern U.S. in the 18th century as well.
Several months of warm
weather are required to produce the
potatoes biggest tubers. Northern growers can
benefit from using black plastic to warm the soil for about 3 weeks
prior to planting. Sweet
potatoes should be planted in a ridge (raised
row) to provide drainage and allow for root expansion. Space ridge
about 3 1/2 feet apart with plants set 1 foot apart.
receipt of your
slips, placing them in a jar of water until you are
ready to plant will perk them up, allow you to wait until weather
conditions are perfect for your area, and give you time to prepare
note: Your plants may appear severely wilted which is normal, there
maybe leaves that appear rotten or slimy and this is also a natural
occurrence, just remove the slick or slimy leaves and place your
plants in a jar of water as discussed earlier.
Sweet potatoes are extremely tough and resilient plants and once
livened back up will take off and grow well.
moist after being set in the field and water before the soil dries.
Weed control will be necessary until the vines meet between the rows.
What your package
may look like depending on the size of your order
Inside the box
Typical 'bunch' of
Plants placed in jar
the tubers as soon as they have reached eating size. They must
be harvested before the vines become frosted. If you do get an
unexpected frost, dig tubers immediately as the decay in the dead
vines will travel to the tubers and rotting will occur.
potatoes should not be stored at temperatures below 55ºF. The
optimal condition for storage is slightly above 55ºF and at high
humidity. Under these conditions they will store for six months.
Q. What is the difference between
sweet potato and a
A. Decades ago, orange flesh
potatoes were introduced in the southern United States and farmers and
shippers desired to distinguish them from the standard white flesh
types. The African word "nyami" referring to the starchy,
edible root of the Dioscorea genus of plants, was adopted in its
English form, "yam". Yams in the U.S. are actually
potatoes with relatively moist texture and orange flesh. Although the
terms are generally used interchangeably, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture requires that the label "yam" always be accompanied by
Adobe Acrobat Viewer needed to
view the following: