Can't imagine using that many potatoes. I used one potato last year and had 25 slips from it. Grew 40 lbs of sweet potatoes from using 16 of the slips in the garden.
Where do you live?? Just curious bc I'm literally in GA on the FL line. Suwannee River Basin , north FL and acidic soil i think. I had so many slips from one half of a Georgia jet!
I just poke 3 toothpicks in my sweet potato in the middle and then place them vertically in a cup of filtered water. After a week or so slips start growing out of the potato. I break them off and place those slips in filtered water. They then grow roots. When the soil is warm enough i place them in the ground and then have my new plants.
I grew sweet potatoes the last year from organic slips that I bought from Johnny’s 50 slips for around $50 plus shipping, I harvested around 100 lbs. I saved 7 of the biggest tubers to propagate this year your video landed in the perfect time, I just followed your method. Thank you Luke!!
Man, I love growing sweet potatoes. I bought some slips a few years ago and have grown sweet potatoes for “free” off my own harvest since then❤ Just a note, I let mine grow a little longer on the potato and the roots actually develop on the slips while they are still attached to the potato. So no need for water rooting. That took me by surprise the first year I grew my own so I just potted them into little containers until it was time to plant them out.🍠
My sweet potatoes started growing slips after 3 weeks, and they are now in jars, rooting! A lot sooner than expected. I can't place them outside for another 2 1/2 months! How long can the slips be kept in water before placing in pots for a few more weeks, and then transplanted outdoors?
@@robertavillella6485 I don’t even put mine in water so I can’t say from my own experience. But in general, roots grown in water are a little weaker than those grown in soil so I’d get them into pots sooner rather than later. They don’t have to have their own individual pots, I usually shoved 4 or 5 into a 3-4” size pot.
@@robertavillella6485 that I couldn’t tell you. Mine are usually in little pots for a few weeks. I keep them outside during the day so they have plenty of sun and am sure to bring them in if it dips down too low at night so as not to stunt their growth.
I grow sweet potatoes in large containers on my south facing patio, starting them much the same way you described here. They produce bigger potatoes on the patio than in the raised beds, I believe because it's much warmer on the patio. Two years ago when we had a very hot, humid and rainy summer I got the biggest yield ever with one potato weighing nearly 9 pounds. They make a very attractive privacy wall if you trellis the vines too!
How is the soil? I grew some for a little bit and they looked like fingers. They were long and skinny. I read that I should have added sand. I'm not sure if that's true or not.
My mom always grew her own sweet potato slips and had enough to give away to others. She grew a ton of sweet potatoes! She sometimes started them by partially submerging them in a quart of water and pulling the shoots off and rooting them. I wish I'd have asked her more questions about how she did it!
Glad you suggested a heat mat for sprouting sweet potatoes. It seems to speed things up for me here in the Southeastern US. I am seeing roots on my slips on a heat mat in a matter of days.
I planted organic sweet potatoes for the first time last year and ended up harvesting about 25 potatoes. I was so excited, hoping for the same success this year!
@@patcracker6383 I'm confused. From what I can gather, you cut the sweet potatoes into six pieces and planted that? You didn't sprout the slips in water? The part of the cut sweet potato didn't rot?
I'm going to try growing sweets in grow bags because I don't have space in my garden. I didn't realize I needed to start them this early so glad you put this video out.
Hey Luke, i didnt see if you let folks know that sweet potatoes tend to regrow in the same area from the year before if all the roots arent removed. So plant them where you want to keep planting them. Advice from my 73 year old garden savey mother.
@@iowaviking Nope. Growing season is too short, which is why Luke is making slips for 6-8 weeks, then rooting those slips for another couple of weeks. They take forever to begin growing in spring in cold temps, so they cannot mature in time.
I learned from my Mom (thanks Mommie❤) how to grow the slips. I put the sweet potatoes suspended in a jar of water with toothpicks. Then sit it in a window sill. I have only bought slips online because of the different varieties I wanted to try. And since I save a tuber from the other varieties, those are now in water and waiting for the growth to begin.
It actually doesn't matter. :) I did this last year as well but you are limited to 1 sweet potato per mason jar of course but still get 3-4 slips off each to be able to start rooting!
@@harleybarley6041 True, either end works and one year I had more than a few slips to plant for the intended space, but I did pop slips into a planter because I couldn’t just throw it away. And the deer managed to find the unprotected vines. 😅
Love your T-Shirt! Last year I bought a 6 pack of sweet potato slips at Lowe's for $4. Planted them and had a decent harvest. Followed the instructions for storing, etc and those were the best I've ever eaten. I saved 3 of them to use to start slips this year. I put them in regular potting soil in front of a window and all 3 sprouted in less than a month.
@Tennessee Mama, was that on clearance? Last year I paid $26.99 for a flat of 18. How did you plant the sweet potato? In a pot covering the potato? I'm so eager to try different methods.
Thank you. I live on Vancouver Island, BC. I grew sweet potatoes for the first time last year, from slips I got off of marketplace. I am trying to sprout my own this year. I did buy organic sweet potatoes and it has been a couple of weeks and has done nothing. So your video w as very helpful. I had it in light so I have now moved to darkness and know it can take 6-8 weeks has given me hope ☺️
this is my first real year doing a garden. I've done random plants here and there but never a full garden. And of course, I dived in head first and am starting everything from seed. Here's to hoping i have my garden set up and completed by the time the plants are ready. HA! What I have loved about starting everything so far is.... everything WANTS to grow if you let it. it's not going to be perfect every time, but it's a very fun journey! Thank you for this video, it's reminded me that I haven't started mine yet. Here's to the 2023 season!
Thanks for the video, Luke! Right now I'm trying to grow sweet potato slips 3 different ways to see what works for me: 2 in soil like you showed under a heat mat, 1 in water, and 1 wrapped in cloth in a dark location. Hoping for the best. I didn't realize sweet potato slips were so expensive!
Thanks for the video. I’m looking forward to. The follow up content on rooting those slips, up-potting and transplanting out to the garden! Cheers, Ryan
I bought organic sweet potatoes from the store and put my coconut coir starter mix (I used the recipe from migardener, but instead of trifecta I used Dr. Earth organic tomato fertilizer) in a clear plastic salad container, put the sweet potatoes in there about 2/3 into the mix. I made sure the starter mix was damp. Put it on a heated grow mat under grow lights and partially covered it with plastic wrap for about a week. I started it on 3/1 and it is 3/18 and I have at least 6 sprouts! I moisten the soil every few days or so to keep it from drying out. This is my first time doing it and I'm so excited it worked!
Very cool. I just bought sweet potatoes this past weekend and planned on doing exactly this. Last season I found out that I could get my own slips by accidently forgetting that I had a few in my potato basket. The slips were so pretty too. God bless!
Well I've wanted to grow sweet potatoes for a long time but buying the slips was a little to expensive for me. THIS is the way to go for me. Thanks so much Luke. I'm going out to buy some sweet potatoes and starting medium. Thanks again. 😁
I've been cutting the sprouting ends off my sweet potatoes and sticking them in the window in dirt for months. I have lots of growth (at the wrong time to plant in WV) but never had the know how of what to do. Thank you so much for this video Luke! I truly appreciate you! I also just saw an email that some seeds in my wish list are in stock so it's time to shop your store. Many Blessings from Deborah in West Virginia!
Growing slips from white sweet potatoes from the store right now, it is going great! They are in a clear tote in my bedroom, (south facing window for light) my favorite kind! I'm in Minnesota.
After two seasons of successfully growing our regular potatoes (russet, purple, and yukon), I was looking to expand and DANG if the price of slips didn't stop my hopes about a month back. This was perfectly timed! (And Vermont might still have time if I get some this week!!!)
I've always kept some small sweet potatoes in either a brown paper bag or a cloth bag, in a dark, room-temp environment. I get a lot of sprouts. I snip them in mid/late March and place them in water to root. My last frost average is mid-May.
Hey Luke, great video! I use perlite to start my slips. Since I start them inside it helps keep down gnats. I’ve never done a heat mat, but I’m going to try it this year.
I trick I learned to prevent gnats is pour boiling water over your soils mix, just enough to get it moist not sopping wet, then let cool completely before using. Hope that helps!💕
I buy my sweet potatoes at the grocery store I've had success with it. I buy regular sweet potatoes the grocery store near me don't sell organic stuff. 🤷♀️ I've had success buying the sweet potato that's loose (not in a bag). The ones in the bag don't work so well for me. I've been growing sweet potatoes for the last 3 years.
That's good to know! The store near me doesn't sell organic either so I was wondering if it would work with loose ones. I have some loose ones in my cupboard at home so definitely going to see if I can sprout any slips. Thanks for sharing 😊
Last year, I had a couple sweet potatoes in a basket, that I had gotten from the grocery store. I forgot about them and they sprouted LIKE CRAZY. I just pulled the sprouts, stuck them in water, and after a few months out in the garden, we harvested quite the sweet potato crop!
Ah, yes. The “inhibitor” trope. I feel like TH-camrs just repeat this over and over again with no proof. I’ve had no problems sprouting conventionally grown sweet potatoes either. Nature finds a way!
Hey, Luke! Can you do a video on curing sweet potatoes? I grew some purple sweet potatoes last year that were beautiful but then when I tried to cure them they molded 😭
I'm currently trying to grow my own sweet potato slips this year because I'm going to give it a try growing them this season in the center of my 12ft x 5 ft wide raised beds.
after seeing this video I started 5 types of sweet potatoes on March 4th. Whole Foods in my area had a nice selection of organic sweet potatoes and I bought a couple of each variety. I placed them in some potting soil and set the container on a heat mat set at 80 degrees. Less than two weeks later I saw sprouts!!!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to post this video. Thank you
I love growing sweet potatoes. I remember my first year, i started them way to late. But it was a learning lesson. I have about 160 grow days, so i learned to start them early then just let em go after i plant them out. Plenty of time for them to mature. So tasty and delicious! Great video btw!
I grew from store bought and let me tell you I had so many sweet potatoes also if you miss a couple or even just a thick underground vine will sprout in the spring they actually became invasive sweet potatoes the plant that kept on giving 😂😂😂😂 im glad I love sweet potatoes
When it comes to store bought organic sweet potatoes, I've found they have about a 50% viability rate. Each time I've done this, half of the tubers sprouted, while the other half just rotted from the inside out. This is why it's important to check them regularly, because you don't want to leave the dead tubers in there while the rest are trying to grow. The ones that did grow took off at an exponential rate, so that's how much of a difference it can be within the same batch.
I had some organic sweet potatoes that I just couldn't get to sprout using the window sill method suspending them in a glass of water. They eventually even started rotting a bit. I buried them part way into a big pile of wood chips I had out back, and they ended up sprouting and producing. I realize I'm at an advantage growing sweet potatoes, living in Texas, but I just wanted to give that testimony of some that just ended up being late bloomers.
I tried growing sweet potatoes from the store last year and just couldn't get very far. Now I know how to go about it better. Thanks for the great tips 😀
I'm watching this for a 2nd time.... I missed your suggestion of SAND!! This could be a game changer for us that struggle with indoor FUNGUS GNATS!! I sterilized my soil, spaced the potatoes on the wet soil, then added about 1/4 inch of sand & sprinkled Cinnamon over the tray. Lastly I placed yellow stickys along the edges. (I have a horrible time with these gnats!) I plan to bottom water too. I'm super excited to plant potatoes from last year's garden!! Thanks so much!!
Awesome! Heading to the grocery store tomorrow for some potatoes! I love what I call, BOGO from produce bought at the store. Like growing celery, onions, peppers etc from left-over food we've eaten and then regrow in our atrium. Thank you Luke for another informative videos!! I point folks to your channel all the time when they ask me about my gardening knowledge!!
We just got nearly another foot of snow here... ya, I'm ready for spring and my garden! I'm finding I'm having a hard time getting my seeds started this year, I just don't have the motivation I usually do. I know once I'm out in the dirt that will all change.
A few months ago, I had a sweet potato in my kitchen that sprouted. I just let it go and watched to see how thet grew.Finally I threw it out. But it had 8 long slips on it and I was wishing it was time to plant them. I'd love to try it sometime.
I love your videos, so full of information and inspiration! I currently have 2 sweet potatoes that I grew last year, growing slips. I grew those last year from organic sweet potatoes from our local store. I might go get a couple more from the store, they grew so well. I grow ours in water on the window sill, snap off the slips and put them in water also. I do add a pinch of trifecta once a week when I change the water.
Great video. This is interesting and fun for children too. Thanks for such a thorough explanation that children can follow and understand. We are looking forward to future videos to watch the whole process. May even give it a go at our home.
Great video. I'm going to try starting them in sand and vermiculite because I already have both of those and because I have a fungus gnat problem indoors. Thanks for that idea! It's worth mentioning sweet potatoes keep producing new slips after you harvest what you want. I've taken slips at different times for a first and second planting to allow 2 harvests in my growing season. It also allows me a risky first planting earlier. If I lose the first planting to an unexpected frost I still have more slips. One question though I've lost too many slips when I transfer them to water to produce roots. I don't know if it's the quality of my water or if it's something I'm not doing right but now I just put them into soil and let them grow and I don't lose any. Finally, when I transplant into the garden I put them in my deepest containers. They grow from the surface down and the depth allows more production. Another question. I've read that any part of the sweet potato left in the soil can regenerate in a subsequent season, since they're not actually in the potato family but are in the Morning Glory family and that can be somewhat invasive. Any thoughts on that? One of the things that knocked me out was that in your area can buy a bag of organic sweet potatoes for $5. Right now that's 2 or 3 large sweet potatoes at Whole Foods! (Also known as Whole Paycheck.) Luckily, I have enough sweet potatoes left from my last harvest that I can start those.
Thank you Luke! Hopefully I’m not too late in NH! My husband and I built 10 raised MIGardner beds last season and they did awesome using your growing techniques. I can’t wait to go again this year and finally do sweet potatoes. I noticed on your videos now that you don’t say “grow big or go home.” Why the change?
I have just planted a few slips in my poly tunnel, I started them of in May/June time, it feels like it’s been I long process, but we will what happens, this is my first time growing, I only had my allotment at the end of April. Thank you for your sharing and educating 💋
Very informative thank you. I actually had sweet potatoes and other tubers bloom just sitting in a bowl on my counter.. I want to know how to separate the slips, I'm sure you have something. I just ordered some heirloom seeds from you, the ones I received from you several months ago are growing very well. Good quality seeds. Thank you 👍
Thank you for this video! I started my sweet potato in February (already have 2 sprouts!) and had a few questions that you answered!!! I use a lot during the year for the dogs...I make them treats instead of buying the over priced and questionable treats they sell. I hope you have follow up videos because I'm still not sure about the harvest and curing the sweet potatoes. Thank you for all you do!
I was looking for a sweet potato video and this popped up in my recommendations... I tried putting the sweet potato in water and it failed. The sweet potato peels I put in my worm bin grew sprouts though 🤣 I'll try this method. Thanks Luke! Been watching your videos for years.
So, being a Michigander, as well - when is the suggested time frame to begin this process? My inclination is to go find some organic sweet potatoes, some containers and some soil and get stared asap!
I keep trying to grow big, or go home :) We'll see how this season goes. Maybe the soil will be rich enough this year. Likely so. AND sweet potatoes are on the list. Thank you for the help. It builds confidence that I'm doing right, just keep oomposting and hugeling and growing. Ya make me feel good, young one!
Great video 😊 thanks for sharing this info. I will get some this week and follow your advice. I'll make a video when I get started. Have a great day and happy gardening 🌿🌱🍠🍠🍠
We sure have had winter in California this year😞 Lots of rain😊 & actually snow in abundance & in places where there is rarely if ever snow. Like coastal areas & even San Francisco! I am in the central valley & have had weeks of nights in the low 30’s & days in the low 50’s. I know not like your winters but winter we & our plants are not used to.
I bought 2 organic SP that were wrapped in plastic and one rotted and the other barely produced a slip. I tossed both. My daughter had a regular SP that was already starting to sprout. I used this and I’ve already got 6 slips from it. I’m going to leave the potato in the dirt to see if it keeps giving more! 😊
I tried to sprout a regular sweet potato and had a moldy mess. The next year I sprouted an organic sweet tater and got so many sprouts I couldnt plant them all. (I forgot about pots for ornamentals) I aiways go organic to avoid plant growth in hibitors, same goes for reg potatoes too.
Last year was the first time I tried growing sweet potatoes. I was so excited to finally try to harvest them but when I pulled the plants there were grubs!! Had no clue this could happen! Will use this method & treat, I guess, with beneficial nematodes when they go into the soil.
Started mine today. I already had small sprouts on mine in the panty. Only nubs but they needed more light. So the grow lights are now on and I also have onions sprouting. Nature was calling lol.
You can also root them inside fairly large seedlings' pots too. Instead of water, as it is a mix you'll have the benefit of easier transplanting of them from mixture to mixture. Instead of water to mixture.
I bought 25 slips for $30. They grew well and this will be the third year I've used sweet potatoes I grew the year before to make slips. Find one you really like and keep it going.
Thanks Luke! Are there any companions good with Sweet Potatoes? I'm thinking the Okra grove could use a good "ground cover"? Curious if anyone is aware of any good companions.
I haven't found a good companion for sweet potatoes but I haven't re a looked since they take over their growing area so well. Mine have their own bed and trellis arch. Remember to plant where you want them because if you miss a single root it can and probably will come back next year.
One of my sweet potatoes went nuts and I went ahead and cut off the three largest slips and put them in water. Not sure I did it correctly and I'm looking forward to your follow up.
I take a store bought organic sweet potato, 3 toothpicks, and a solo cup full of water. I stick the potato in there, held up by the toothpicks and put it in a sunny window. I get endless slips from just that one.
I just used a sweet potato from a normal bag of sweet potatos that was in the bag too long and started growing eyes, and planted it in slightly damp seedling mix.
I’ve grown sweet potato slips in coconut coir and it worked out very well! I have lots of sand on my property so I may try that too or combine the two. Hmmm 🤔
You could sprout Sweet potatoes using the Ruth Stout Method using just mulch so grass clippings should do well depending on how long the clippings are. If too fine you’ll create an anaerobic environment so keep the clipping long.
![Turn ONE Sweet Potato Into 100 LBS Of Sweet Potatoes By Growing SWEET POTATO SLIPS! [Complete Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0igp5IzO21g/mqdefault.jpg)
Can't imagine using that many potatoes. I used one potato last year and had 25 slips from it. Grew 40 lbs of sweet potatoes from using 16 of the slips in the garden.
Where do you live?? Just curious bc I'm literally in GA on the FL line. Suwannee River Basin , north FL and acidic soil i think. I had so many slips from one half of a Georgia jet!
I just poke 3 toothpicks in my sweet potato in the middle and then place them vertically in a cup of filtered water. After a week or so slips start growing out of the potato. I break them off and place those slips in filtered water. They then grow roots. When the soil is warm enough i place them in the ground and then have my new plants.
I grew sweet potatoes the last year from organic slips that I bought from Johnny’s 50 slips for around $50 plus shipping, I harvested around 100 lbs. I saved 7 of the biggest tubers to propagate this year your video landed in the perfect time, I just followed your method. Thank you Luke!!
Man, I love growing sweet potatoes. I bought some slips a few years ago and have grown sweet potatoes for “free” off my own harvest since then❤ Just a note, I let mine grow a little longer on the potato and the roots actually develop on the slips while they are still attached to the potato. So no need for water rooting. That took me by surprise the first year I grew my own so I just potted them into little containers until it was time to plant them out.🍠
My sweet potatoes started growing slips after 3 weeks, and they are now in jars, rooting! A lot sooner than expected. I can't place them outside for another 2 1/2 months! How long can the slips be kept in water before placing in pots for a few more weeks, and then transplanted outdoors?
Thanks for this tip
@@robertavillella6485 I don’t even put mine in water so I can’t say from my own experience. But in general, roots grown in water are a little weaker than those grown in soil so I’d get them into pots sooner rather than later. They don’t have to have their own individual pots, I usually shoved 4 or 5 into a 3-4” size pot.
@@petpawteek8776 I see. I didn't know that. Thank you. How long do you think they can stay in pots before transplanting them outside?
@@robertavillella6485 that I couldn’t tell you. Mine are usually in little pots for a few weeks. I keep them outside during the day so they have plenty of sun and am sure to bring them in if it dips down too low at night so as not to stunt their growth.
I grow sweet potatoes in large containers on my south facing patio, starting them much the same way you described here. They produce bigger potatoes on the patio than in the raised beds, I believe because it's much warmer on the patio. Two years ago when we had a very hot, humid and rainy summer I got the biggest yield ever with one potato weighing nearly 9 pounds. They make a very attractive privacy wall if you trellis the vines too!
I love this idea with the trellis, thank you. I hadn't thought of that
How is the soil? I grew some for a little bit and they looked like fingers. They were long and skinny. I read that I should have added sand. I'm not sure if that's true or not.
My mom always grew her own sweet potato slips and had enough to give away to others. She grew a ton of sweet potatoes! She sometimes started them by partially submerging them in a quart of water and pulling the shoots off and rooting them. I wish I'd have asked her more questions about how she did it!
Glad you suggested a heat mat for sprouting sweet potatoes. It seems to speed things up for me here in the Southeastern US. I am seeing roots on my slips on a heat mat in a matter of days.
I planted organic sweet potatoes for the first time last year and ended up harvesting about 25 potatoes. I was so excited, hoping for the same success this year!
@@danskdna8550 I only planted 2 potatoes with about 3 eyes each which I cut into separate pieces, so 6 eyes total.
@@patcracker6383 I'm confused. From what I can gather, you cut the sweet potatoes into six pieces and planted that? You didn't sprout the slips in water? The part of the cut sweet potato didn't rot?
I bought two different types of potting soil this year and there was a definite difference. Experimentation is important!
I'm going to try growing sweets in grow bags because I don't have space in my garden. I didn't realize I needed to start them this early so glad you put this video out.
I bought organic sweet potatoes last year started slips this way and it worked great saved the majority of them for starting slips this year.
Hey Luke, i didnt see if you let folks know that sweet potatoes tend to regrow in the same area from the year before if all the roots arent removed. So plant them where you want to keep planting them. Advice from my 73 year old garden savey mother.
Does that work with a below freezing temperature like lower than 0 for weeks to months?
It doesn't work in colder climates. I bet GardenKatt is zone 8 or so!
@@iowaviking Nope. Growing season is too short, which is why Luke is making slips for 6-8 weeks, then rooting those slips for another couple of weeks. They take forever to begin growing in spring in cold temps, so they cannot mature in time.
I learned from my Mom (thanks Mommie❤) how to grow the slips. I put the sweet potatoes suspended in a jar of water with toothpicks. Then sit it in a window sill. I have only bought slips online because of the different varieties I wanted to try. And since I save a tuber from the other varieties, those are now in water and waiting for the growth to begin.
Which end into water?
It actually doesn't matter. :) I did this last year as well but you are limited to 1 sweet potato per mason jar of course but still get 3-4 slips off each to be able to start rooting!
@@harleybarley6041 True, either end works and one year I had more than a few slips to plant for the intended space, but I did pop slips into a planter because I couldn’t just throw it away. And the deer managed to find the unprotected vines. 😅
Love your T-Shirt! Last year I bought a 6 pack of sweet potato slips at Lowe's for $4. Planted them and had a decent harvest. Followed the instructions for storing, etc and those were the best I've ever eaten. I saved 3 of them to use to start slips this year. I put them in regular potting soil in front of a window and all 3 sprouted in less than a month.
you can eat the leaves for greens too
@Tennessee Mama, was that on clearance? Last year I paid $26.99 for a flat of 18.
How did you plant the sweet potato? In a pot covering the potato? I'm so eager to try different methods.
Thank you. I live on Vancouver Island, BC. I grew sweet potatoes for the first time last year, from slips I got off of marketplace. I am trying to sprout my own this year. I did buy organic sweet potatoes and it has been a couple of weeks and has done nothing. So your video w as very helpful. I had it in light so I have now moved to darkness and know it can take 6-8 weeks has given me hope ☺️
this is my first real year doing a garden. I've done random plants here and there but never a full garden. And of course, I dived in head first and am starting everything from seed. Here's to hoping i have my garden set up and completed by the time the plants are ready. HA! What I have loved about starting everything so far is.... everything WANTS to grow if you let it. it's not going to be perfect every time, but it's a very fun journey! Thank you for this video, it's reminded me that I haven't started mine yet. Here's to the 2023 season!
So excited for you! Happy gardening!
I'm starting this year too! Good luck!🤞🏾 🌱
Thanks for the video, Luke! Right now I'm trying to grow sweet potato slips 3 different ways to see what works for me: 2 in soil like you showed under a heat mat, 1 in water, and 1 wrapped in cloth in a dark location. Hoping for the best. I didn't realize sweet potato slips were so expensive!
1 wrapped in cloth? I've only done the sweet potato in water method. I'd love to hear about that cloth method.
Thanks for the video. I’m looking forward to. The follow up content on rooting those slips, up-potting and transplanting out to the garden! Cheers, Ryan
Need part two and part three for this and potatoes. What they look like after and how to plant.
I bought organic sweet potatoes from the store and put my coconut coir starter mix (I used the recipe from migardener, but instead of trifecta I used Dr. Earth organic tomato fertilizer) in a clear plastic salad container, put the sweet potatoes in there about 2/3 into the mix. I made sure the starter mix was damp. Put it on a heated grow mat under grow lights and partially covered it with plastic wrap for about a week. I started it on 3/1 and it is 3/18 and I have at least 6 sprouts! I moisten the soil every few days or so to keep it from drying out. This is my first time doing it and I'm so excited it worked!
Very cool. I just bought sweet potatoes this past weekend and planned on doing exactly this.
Last season I found out that I could get my own slips by accidently forgetting that I had a few in my potato basket.
The slips were so pretty too.
God bless!
Well I've wanted to grow sweet potatoes for a long time but buying the slips was a little to expensive for me. THIS is the way to go for me. Thanks so much Luke. I'm going out to buy some sweet potatoes and starting medium. Thanks again. 😁
I've been cutting the sprouting ends off my sweet potatoes and sticking them in the window in dirt for months. I have lots of growth (at the wrong time to plant in WV) but never had the know how of what to do. Thank you so much for this video Luke! I truly appreciate you! I also just saw an email that some seeds in my wish list are in stock so it's time to shop your store. Many Blessings from Deborah in West Virginia!
Growing slips from white sweet potatoes from the store right now, it is going great! They are in a clear tote in my bedroom, (south facing window for light) my favorite kind! I'm in Minnesota.
After two seasons of successfully growing our regular potatoes (russet, purple, and yukon), I was looking to expand and DANG if the price of slips didn't stop my hopes about a month back. This was perfectly timed! (And Vermont might still have time if I get some this week!!!)
Get them going! The price of slips is insanity.
I've always kept some small sweet potatoes in either a brown paper bag or a cloth bag, in a dark, room-temp environment. I get a lot of sprouts. I snip them in mid/late March and place them in water to root. My last frost average is mid-May.
Thanks for the reminder -on the grocery list. Successfully worked for me. I love growing them in soil instead of water, less maintenance.
Hey Luke, great video! I use perlite to start my slips. Since I start them inside it helps keep down gnats. I’ve never done a heat mat, but I’m going to try it this year.
Oooj I’ll try this thanks
I trick I learned to prevent gnats is pour boiling water over your soils mix, just enough to get it moist not sopping wet, then let cool completely before using. Hope that helps!💕
A 1/4” layer of vermiculite on the surface of the soil will prevent the fungus gnats from being able to reproduce.
I buy my sweet potatoes at the grocery store I've had success with it. I buy regular sweet potatoes the grocery store near me don't sell organic stuff. 🤷♀️ I've had success buying the sweet potato that's loose (not in a bag). The ones in the bag don't work so well for me. I've been growing sweet potatoes for the last 3 years.
Same here
That's good to know! The store near me doesn't sell organic either so I was wondering if it would work with loose ones. I have some loose ones in my cupboard at home so definitely going to see if I can sprout any slips. Thanks for sharing 😊
Last year, I had a couple sweet potatoes in a basket, that I had gotten from the grocery store. I forgot about them and they sprouted LIKE CRAZY. I just pulled the sprouts, stuck them in water, and after a few months out in the garden, we harvested quite the sweet potato crop!
Ah, yes. The “inhibitor” trope. I feel like TH-camrs just repeat this over and over again with no proof. I’ve had no problems sprouting conventionally grown sweet potatoes either. Nature finds a way!
Go to an Asian market and do the Japanese sweet purple ones. Best ever.
Thank you Luke for such a thorough video. Those slips are getting so expensive. Now I can start my own. Thank you, Thank you!
Hey, Luke! Can you do a video on curing sweet potatoes? I grew some purple sweet potatoes last year that were beautiful but then when I tried to cure them they molded 😭
That would be helpful! I know what is needed 8 days 80 degrees and 80 % humidity, but how exactly do you do that?
I don't cure mine and they're just fine. Your mileage may vary, of course. Just know that curing isn't essential.
Maybe not enough airflow. Put a small fan near them to increase air circulation and drying and reduce the humidity a bit
@@jamie4492 in your car perhaps?
Ya That sounds like there too much moisture where you're trying to store them..
I'm currently trying to grow my own sweet potato slips this year because I'm going to give it a try growing them this season in the center of my 12ft x 5 ft wide raised beds.
That’s awesome!
after seeing this video I started 5 types of sweet potatoes on March 4th. Whole Foods in my area had a nice selection of organic sweet potatoes and I bought a couple of each variety. I placed them in some potting soil and set the container on a heat mat set at 80 degrees. Less than two weeks later I saw sprouts!!!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to post this video. Thank you
Thank you for the great video!! I’m giving this a try this season for the first time!
Great timing! I was just thinking about growing sweet potatoes at some point. Love eating them, but also the foliage is lush and beautiful!
The foliage is so pretty 🤩
The greens are edible too.
Thank you thank you thank you! I've been wanting to know how to do this so I can grow my own sweet potatoes. I can't wait!
Excellent information, Luke! I’ll be starting my slips this week.
Thanks for watching! Good luck :)
This is great! We have 2 in water right now growing slips :)
This is my method too. Learned that from Mom.
I love growing sweet potatoes. I remember my first year, i started them way to late. But it was a learning lesson. I have about 160 grow days, so i learned to start them early then just let em go after i plant them out. Plenty of time for them to mature. So tasty and delicious! Great video btw!
I grew from store bought and let me tell you I had so many sweet potatoes also if you miss a couple or even just a thick underground vine will sprout in the spring they actually became invasive sweet potatoes the plant that kept on giving 😂😂😂😂 im glad I love sweet potatoes
Where are you growing?
When it comes to store bought organic sweet potatoes, I've found they have about a 50% viability rate. Each time I've done this, half of the tubers sprouted, while the other half just rotted from the inside out. This is why it's important to check them regularly, because you don't want to leave the dead tubers in there while the rest are trying to grow. The ones that did grow took off at an exponential rate, so that's how much of a difference it can be within the same batch.
I had some organic sweet potatoes that I just couldn't get to sprout using the window sill method suspending them in a glass of water. They eventually even started rotting a bit. I buried them part way into a big pile of wood chips I had out back, and they ended up sprouting and producing. I realize I'm at an advantage growing sweet potatoes, living in Texas, but I just wanted to give that testimony of some that just ended up being late bloomers.
I tried growing sweet potatoes from the store last year and just couldn't get very far. Now I know how to go about it better. Thanks for the great tips 😀
I'm watching this for a 2nd time.... I missed your suggestion of SAND!! This could be a game changer for us that struggle with indoor FUNGUS GNATS!!
I sterilized my soil, spaced the potatoes on the wet soil, then added about 1/4 inch of sand & sprinkled Cinnamon over the tray. Lastly I placed yellow stickys along the edges. (I have a horrible time with these gnats!)
I plan to bottom water too.
I'm super excited to plant potatoes from last year's garden!!
Thanks so much!!
I did this for the first time this year, after watching this video of yours. I have several sprouts! So exciting!
Awesome! Heading to the grocery store tomorrow for some potatoes!
I love what I call, BOGO from produce bought at the store. Like growing celery, onions, peppers etc from left-over food we've eaten and then regrow in our atrium.
Thank you Luke for another informative videos!! I point folks to your channel all the time when they ask me about my gardening knowledge!!
We just got nearly another foot of snow here... ya, I'm ready for spring and my garden! I'm finding I'm having a hard time getting my seeds started this year, I just don't have the motivation I usually do. I know once I'm out in the dirt that will all change.
Oh my goodness what a wealth of info! Thanks Luke! Im on my third seed order! Love your seeds! Thanks so much!! Cannot wait for the washi tape!!!!
Thanks for your support!!!
A few months ago, I had a sweet potato in my kitchen that sprouted. I just let it go and watched to see how thet grew.Finally I threw it out. But it had 8 long slips on it and I was wishing it was time to plant them. I'd love to try it sometime.
I love your videos, so full of information and inspiration! I currently have 2 sweet potatoes that I grew last year, growing slips. I grew those last year from organic sweet potatoes from our local store. I might go get a couple more from the store, they grew so well. I grow ours in water on the window sill, snap off the slips and put them in water also. I do add a pinch of trifecta once a week when I change the water.
I do it the same way.
So do u just drop a s. potato in water? How often do u change the water? Thank u.
@@annieanderson6112 Every couple of days. You can see it gets dirty/mushy and then I change it.
Great video. This is interesting and fun for children too. Thanks for such a thorough explanation that children can follow and understand. We are looking forward to future videos to watch the whole process. May even give it a go at our home.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed. :)
Great video. I'm going to try starting them in sand and vermiculite because I already have both of those and because I have a fungus gnat problem indoors. Thanks for that idea! It's worth mentioning sweet potatoes keep producing new slips after you harvest what you want. I've taken slips at different times for a first and second planting to allow 2 harvests in my growing season. It also allows me a risky first planting earlier. If I lose the first planting to an unexpected frost I still have more slips. One question though I've lost too many slips when I transfer them to water to produce roots. I don't know if it's the quality of my water or if it's something I'm not doing right but now I just put them into soil and let them grow and I don't lose any. Finally, when I transplant into the garden I put them in my deepest containers. They grow from the surface down and the depth allows more production. Another question. I've read that any part of the sweet potato left in the soil can regenerate in a subsequent season, since they're not actually in the potato family but are in the Morning Glory family and that can be somewhat invasive. Any thoughts on that? One of the things that knocked me out was that in your area can buy a bag of organic sweet potatoes for $5. Right now that's 2 or 3 large sweet potatoes at Whole Foods! (Also known as Whole Paycheck.) Luckily, I have enough sweet potatoes left from my last harvest that I can start those.
I followed you video to do this last year! Worked great!
Thank you Luke! Hopefully I’m not too late in NH! My husband and I built 10 raised MIGardner beds last season and they did awesome using your growing techniques. I can’t wait to go again this year and finally do sweet potatoes. I noticed on your videos now that you don’t say “grow big or go home.” Why the change?
I'm ready for your next video. I'm not sure how to cut the slips from the sweet potatoes. And I'd like to see what yours look like in the water.
I wondered why my sweet potatoes wouldn’t grow slips. Never thought about sprout inhibitors. I’ll have to get organic ones and give it a try again.
Thank you! Going to start my sweet potato starts this weekend so they will be ready for my March planting
I have just planted a few slips in my poly tunnel, I started them of in May/June time, it feels like it’s been I long process, but we will what happens, this is my first time growing, I only had my allotment at the end of April. Thank you for your sharing and educating 💋
Thanks for all you share with us, Luke!
Great info; thanks for sharing! I’m kind of short on space but can try a couple of sweet potatoes for slips. Blessings to all🤗💜🇨🇦
Very informative thank you. I actually had sweet potatoes and other tubers bloom just sitting in a bowl on my counter.. I want to know how to separate the slips, I'm sure you have something. I just ordered some heirloom seeds from you, the ones I received from you several months ago are growing very well. Good quality seeds. Thank you 👍
Thank you for this video! I started my sweet potato in February (already have 2 sprouts!) and had a few questions that you answered!!! I use a lot during the year for the dogs...I make them treats instead of buying the over priced and questionable treats they sell. I hope you have follow up videos because I'm still not sure about the harvest and curing the sweet potatoes. Thank you for all you do!
I was looking for a sweet potato video and this popped up in my recommendations... I tried putting the sweet potato in water and it failed. The sweet potato peels I put in my worm bin grew sprouts though 🤣 I'll try this method. Thanks Luke! Been watching your videos for years.
So, being a Michigander, as well - when is the suggested time frame to begin this process?
My inclination is to go find some organic sweet potatoes, some containers and some soil and get stared asap!
Good question, I noticed you never got an answer unfortunately. Northern lower MI here.
Just started my organic sweet potato slips today...love growing SP.
Great info! I failed last year, but know better this year. Wish me luck!
Ok Luke going to have some fun with sweet potatoe slips...😊
Appreciate your input. Started mine later last year (but live in Texas) and had a later harvest
I keep trying to grow big, or go home :) We'll see how this season goes. Maybe the soil will be rich enough this year. Likely so. AND sweet potatoes are on the list. Thank you for the help. It builds confidence that I'm doing right, just keep oomposting and hugeling and growing. Ya make me feel good, young one!
Great video 😊 thanks for sharing this info. I will get some this week and follow your advice. I'll make a video when I get started. Have a great day and happy gardening 🌿🌱🍠🍠🍠
Love this video Luke! Thanks so much
We sure have had winter in California this year😞
Lots of rain😊 & actually snow in abundance & in places where there is rarely if ever snow. Like coastal areas & even San Francisco!
I am in the central valley & have had weeks of nights in the low 30’s & days in the low 50’s. I know not like your winters but winter we & our plants are not used to.
Thank you, I have already started and I have several leaves starting to pop up. 🙂
That is awesome!!! Way too go!!
I bought 2 organic SP that were wrapped in plastic and one rotted and the other barely produced a slip. I tossed both. My daughter had a regular SP that was already starting to sprout. I used this and I’ve already got 6 slips from it. I’m going to leave the potato in the dirt to see if it keeps giving more! 😊
I tried to sprout a regular sweet potato and had a moldy mess. The next year I sprouted an organic sweet tater and got so many sprouts I couldnt plant them all. (I forgot about pots for ornamentals) I aiways go organic to avoid plant growth in hibitors, same goes for reg potatoes too.
God, I really needed this video!!! thank you so much!
Last year was the first time I tried growing sweet potatoes. I was so excited to finally try to harvest them but when I pulled the plants there were grubs!! Had no clue this could happen! Will use this method & treat, I guess, with beneficial nematodes when they go into the soil.
I did this using two types. I checked them yesterday. My orange sweet potatoes are rotten and mush. But the purple are starting to sprout.
Thanks Luke!
Blessings! 💚 🌱🌻🌿
Time lapse would be awesome...or show what slips look like and what you do next with them. Thanks
Started mine today. I already had small sprouts on mine in the panty. Only nubs but they needed more light. So the grow lights are now on and I also have onions sprouting. Nature was calling lol.
Each sweet potato grows a dozen or more slips, it's awesome!
Luke…what about propagating sweet potato slips in straw bales?
You can also root them inside fairly large seedlings' pots too. Instead of water, as it is a mix you'll have the benefit of easier transplanting of them from mixture to mixture. Instead of water to mixture.
I bought 25 slips for $30. They grew well and this will be the third year I've used sweet potatoes I grew the year before to make slips. Find one you really like and keep it going.
I got my slips started !
excited to follow along 🙌🌱
This is great. Thank you. And tell me how you *really* feel about Winter 😆
Love this! We just got our seed order in and all that's missing now is our potatoes, can't wait to apply this to our own garden this summer!
Is it time in Michigan? I'm just north of Grand Rapids. I thought that I had a few more weeks! I saved some from last year ☺️
Sometimes they take way longer to sprout than you think. April was too late for me one year, March seems perfect to me.
Thanks Luke! Are there any companions good with Sweet Potatoes? I'm thinking the Okra grove could use a good "ground cover"? Curious if anyone is aware of any good companions.
I haven't found a good companion for sweet potatoes but I haven't re a looked since they take over their growing area so well. Mine have their own bed and trellis arch. Remember to plant where you want them because if you miss a single root it can and probably will come back next year.
I love that he said "trap all that darkness in there", he catches darkness for his sweet potatoes 😊👨🌾
Scrolled through the comments to make sure I wasn't the only one who caught that. "Tell me you're goth without telling me you're goth" LOL
One of my sweet potatoes went nuts and I went ahead and cut off the three largest slips and put them in water. Not sure I did it correctly and I'm looking forward to your follow up.
I love sweet potato greens in my salad. Thanks Sir 😊
I take a store bought organic sweet potato, 3 toothpicks, and a solo cup full of water. I stick the potato in there, held up by the toothpicks and put it in a sunny window. I get endless slips from just that one.
Wonderful lesson! Thank you!
Great video thanks, hoping here in MN with a short growing season I have success. I'll be trying this for sure
Excellent video. Thank you!
I just used a sweet potato from a normal bag of sweet potatos that was in the bag too long and started growing eyes, and planted it in slightly damp seedling mix.
I’ve grown sweet potato slips in coconut coir and it worked out very well! I have lots of sand on my property so I may try that too or combine the two. Hmmm 🤔
You could sprout Sweet potatoes using the Ruth Stout Method using just mulch so grass clippings should do well depending on how long the clippings are. If too fine you’ll create an anaerobic environment so keep the clipping long.
Thank you Luke!