Can I overwinter sweet potatoes?

[dandelionchick]

I pulled my plants today and got some tubers! Yay! I grew it mostly as a fodder crop for the goats, the first time I've ever grown it. It did great! I'm wondering if I can hill in some of these tubers and replant in the spring or how do I keep them? Some have already resprouted. I started with only 4 plants. Next year I'll plant more.
Thanks in advance!

 

[catjac1975]

What is your zone?

 

[dandelionchick]

Oops I meant put that in there! LOL
I'm in zone 7.

 

[baymule]

I have grown sweet potatoes for 2 years and as I understand it, if you leave them in the ground, they might rot. You might dig some and leave some. June bug grubs eat the crap out of mine.

 

[Ridgerunner]

In the tropics sweet potatoes are perennials. Can you imagine harvesting those things year around, plus I dont know of any farm animal that doesnt love the tops. They cant take frost at all though, so in zone 7 youve got a growing season. They do like it warm. They just wont grow in cold weather.

One of the easiest ways to get slips to plant is to put a sweet potato in water. Just put the tuber in a vase or container (I use the big yogurt cups) put water in it until maybe half the tuber is in covered with water and you are set. One big key though is that it needs to be warm. In most houses if you set that on top of the refrigerator or on top of a tall bookcase youll be OK. Its warmer up high. They really dont like cold.

In zone 7 Id probably start them in late February-early March. That should be soon enough. If the vines get too long just cut them off and stick the cuttings in the water. They should root so you have even more slips to set out. The ground needs to be warmed up before you set them out.

Sweet potatoes store best in dry conditions probably in the 60s or so. Dont let them freeze at all. With a little luck you should be able to store them well into spring.

I dont know how much of this you already know, Dandelionchick. Sweet potatoes take up a lot of room but I really like them. To me they are well worth it.

 

[dandelionchick]

Hmmm I didn't think of that....I was thinking are they hardy instead I should have been thinking are they safe??? LOL We have sow bugs (pill bugs) slugs and voles. They may not be safe in the ground. Drat! I'll plant some and see then I guess I will bury a tote or a trash can and make a "root cellar" to protect some. I'll be an interesting project. I haven't done one of those yet.

 

[dandelionchick]

Oh ok Ridgerunner thank you. Dry conditions in the 60s.
This was my first time growing them but they were fun and yes they do take up the room but I didn't mind that. I read somewhere they make a nice looking ground cover. They weren't kidding! That is true, they did!

 

[ducks4you]

Ridgerunner, I got my first sweet potato crop this year. After giving some away I have probably ~15 pounds left. I am storing them in my basement in a dry, cool (50's?) and dark place. Do you think that this is too cold for them? I WOULD like to start slips from them for next year.

 

[catjac1975]

Check out Retired's advice.
http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=34455&p=2

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks!