Sweet Potatoes (6223)

Sweet potatoes can be grown in your home garden. They do not grow well when temperatures are below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so delay planting until the last week of May. Varieties to grow include 'Georgia Jet,' 'Jewel,' and 'Centennial.'

Sweet potato transplants should be set in a ridge and placed one foot apart with rows three feet apart. Eventually the vine growth will meet between the rows.

Harvest sweet potatoes after a light frost kills the vines. Do not delay harvest after the vines die back. The tubers will not increase in size and may begin to rot. Do not wash the sweet potatoes after you dig them; place them in a basket or slatted crate where there is good air movement.

Store sweet potatoes in a warm, dark place to cure them. Ideally the temperature should be 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit with 85 to 90 percent humidity. Sweet potatoes will take about 5 to 7 days to cure. After they are cured, store the potatoes in a place where the temperature will be maintained at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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