When to harvest sweet potatoes?

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darlindeb Claremore, OK Aug 09, 2008

I put an old sweet potato I had in the kitchen out in my garden this spring and it just keeps growing and growing. I've never grown these before and I'm wondering about when I should harvest this plant.
Do you have to wait till the vine dies? What do I look for?

Thanks for your help,

Deborah

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Moonglow Corte Madera, CA Aug 09, 2008

HI, Deb. I'd like to find out, too. So, I'll hang out with you =). I'm growing sweet potatoes as well, though for the leaves mostly. Let's make salad in the meantime.

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Aug 09, 2008

Sweet potatoes are tender perennials that grow right up to frost. In an area that frosts, they are usaully harvested just before an expected frost. In a frost free zone, you can just feel around under the plant and harvest whenever the root is large enough for your usage.

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Aug 09, 2008

How long does it take from planting to producing? If I start one now, I have about 80 days till our average first frost date.

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Aug 09, 2008

90-140 days depending on cultivar

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Aug 10, 2008

Guess I'd better either wait or plan on keeping it covered-I think I can protect it from our version of 'winter' here.

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darlindeb Claremore, OK Aug 11, 2008

Thanks for the info farmer dill. So excited that I might have my own sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving.

Can you eat the leaves of a sweet potato?

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Aug 11, 2008

They are edible. Leaves and vines are used in several Asian cultures. I don't use them my self. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20050504/ai_n15827002

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darlindeb Claremore, OK Aug 12, 2008

Thank you farmerdill.

I plan to try the sweet potato mushroom stir- fry.

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glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL(Zone 7b) Aug 12, 2008

darlindeb,

Thank you for asking that question. It had not occurred to me that the vines were edible. I have a space about 25'x25' full of sweet potato vines. The stir fry sounds delicious. I'm going to try it, too. I love spinach, but the stores don't carry it here and I've had no luck in growing my own.

Farmerdill,

Thank you for the link. You always have the answer!

Karen

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