Fresh Sweet Potatoes from the Garden

Sweet Potatoes, Sept. 2014

Although sweet potatoes grow until frost kills the vines, I decided that it was time to see what I had growing in the garden.

Since this is my first attempt to grow these nutritious tubers, I am happily surprised to find these. Just to make sure I had at least a few, I planted about 30 slips (sweet potato vines).

So, there are about 29 more waiting to be harvested! I think I’ll let them grow until frost, then surely I’ll have a year’s worth! (The plate in the photo is 10.25 inches in diameter. )

These are truly a vegetable well-adapted for southern gardens! Sweet potatoes are planted in May and harvested at frost, after the vines die back and growth stops. This means the vines must endure the summer heat in Texas (and other southern states) as well as temperatures below ground that would normally cause white potatoes to rot.

These are the Beauregard variety. Now, to clean them up and prepare for supper!