Your comments and tips

24 May 17, Ken (Australia - temperate climate)

Sweet potatoes would normally be harvested when the leaves of the vine start to turn yellow or when frosts begin. You can carefully remove them as soon as they are big enough if you want to but try not to damage the rest of the plant.

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07 May 17, Carol (Australia - temperate climate)

It is may and we have harvested some sweet potatoes - what I want to know is can I plant any of these smaller potatoes (as one would with seed potatoes) and let them grow through Winter? we have no frosts, or do I have to begine the plant again in Nov from a sprouting? I am just thinking it would seem good to take the smaller potato and plant in a new bed thro winder for an earlier crop?

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07 May 17, Jonno (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

There is no reason why you couldn't save and plant the small tubers. They may not grow much in the cooler weather and you would need to ensure the soil is well drained so that they do not rot. Sweet potatoes are mostly grown from cuttings for ease and speed.

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18 May 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I live in Bundaberg (summer low 20's to low 30's C and winter low 10's to low 20's C - does get down to 4-6 a few nights)- now the sweet potato capital of Aussie. Sweet potatoes are planted all year round here. Quite often we see people in a sweet potato patch picking cuttings or runners to plant a new block of SP. I haven't seen the runners but I think if you plant it and keep it watered it will start making roots in a few days. Plenty of SP being planted now.

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05 May 17, Don Latham (Australia - temperate climate)

HI, I'm near Kingaroy in Qld and my sweet potatoes have started to flower. I first grew them in a soil pile in the paddock, but didn't tend to them much and the kangaroos ate the leaves and vines as they were the only green plant around. I harvested some great tasting tubers and moved them to a proper garden bed closer to the house. I have also grown Kent pumpkins in the same bed with them, the pumpkins are almost finished. The sweet potatoes have grown long vine runners and now are starting to flower, they did not flower in their original soil pile. What does the flowering part mean? Is it like my sebago potatoes, nearing harvest time when they flower? This is only my second attempt to grow sweet potatoes and your input is greatly appreciated.

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06 May 17, Jack (Australia - temperate climate)

Sweet potatoes and Potatoes are both tubers. They start forming while the plant is actively growing but don't ripen until after flowering. Potatoes that are harvested early are called 'new' potatoes and do not keep very long.

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30 Apr 17, Barb (Australia - temperate climate)

We grow sweet potato as a perennial it in a separate bed (South Coast NSW with no frosts). I trim the lengthy vines to keep them within their bed: this seems to enhance formation of tubers, and also increases the small leafy shoots that we use as a yummy leafy vegetable (eg: Asian Stir-fry greens). We add compost and mulch when growth slows in winter, so it has plenty to feed on the following summer. We don't store the roots - just harvest and eat the roots as required.

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01 May 17, Giovanni (Australia - temperate climate)

Good comment about the greens. I will try it. I am further south, well into Victoria and we can grow them.

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20 Apr 17, Vicki (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi I live west of Inverell NSW and have been growing Sweet potatoes for a few years now in wicking beds and have been getting a good harvest each year why is it that temperate areas for this veggie are not recommended to be grown here. You are right when you say the vines will travel one of mine was going up a palm tree. I find your sight very informative thank you.

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21 Apr 17, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)

They are often not recommended for temperate areas because of shorter seasons. If you strike them from cuttings and get them growing early you should be able to harvest a good crop. I Know of them growing in Toowoomba (cold winters) and they were bordering on being weeds. They are also grown by many people in southern Victoria.

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