My 7.5 and 5 pound Purple Sweet Potatoes

13 years ago

Well, this was my first year growing sweet potatoes. I crowded in as many slips as i could fit into my 10 x 14' raised bed filled with nothing but pure leaf compost. I planted the slips at the end of April, so they have been in ground for quite a while now. I decided to head out and see what was growing, as I said this is my first time, so perhaps i should have checked sooner........

The 5.1 pounder is a beauty..

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And here is the 7.5 and 5 pounder side by side.

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The 7.5 lber got a crack on its side, but thats ok. I sauteed it with some coconut oil and onions and everyone agreed, it was the best potato they had ever eaten in their lives. Next year, I will be planting much more than 6 slips of these. So far I've pulled about 8 potatoes from the 6 slips, and the smallest one was 2.2 pounds. There are still a dozen more left to dig up.

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Comments (13)

pnbrown
13 years ago
Ridiculous! Those are really whopping. That variety is famous for throwing lunkers but I have never seen any that huge. I think I had some 3-4 pounders last year.

This year is much less good growing conditions for some reason, so I don't know how the harvest is going to be.
Edymnion
13 years ago
Holy crap, those are awesome. I wanted to grow purple sweet potatoes this year but didn't get around to trying to buy them until too late in the season.

Oh well, always next year.

Unless the Mayan thing is right, then who cares about some silly old sweet potaters?
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jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
13 years ago
Are they the purple fleshed ones? I got 100 of them planted, but the order got lost and I didn't get them until late. The hot summer really pushed them back. I am hoping for a long fall so they can size up.

Where did you get the slips?

Jay
AiliDeSpain
13 years ago
WOW! Great job!
edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
13 years ago
OK OK OK...now I'm jealous. We still have to dig our sweet potatoes, and there are some nice one down there, but nothing like that.
pitcom
Original Author
13 years ago
Jrick, yes they are purple fleshed. When they were cooked and mashed the flesh was as dark as grape soda. I got my slips from abundant acres and was very pleased. I ended up picking several more last night, all in the 2+ pound range.
sunnibel7 Md 7
13 years ago
Ha, those are huge! You cooked them right up without letting them cure for a while first? I thought sweet potatoes didn't taste good unless cured? Cheers!
wertach zone 7-B SC
13 years ago
I agree Sunnibel. I have never had a good one that wasn't cured first.
gardenlen
13 years ago
great going they are one of the better sweeties, the white skinned is another, hope you enjoy the eating of them, we have had them up 10 and 14 kilograms in weight huge.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens growing sweet spuds and pines
pitcom
Original Author
13 years ago
Sunnibel, no we did not cook them all up, just the cracked one. The rest are curing, some have already been there for 10 days and will soon be ready for the long term storage. The purple was indeed delicious and extremely flavorful cooking it fresh without curing.
sunnibel7 Md 7
13 years ago
Interesting, maybe I will try one of mine fresh, just to see. It was years ago with an orange type that I tried one fresh and was not impressed. Enjoy your harvest!
pnbrown
13 years ago
Really big ones taste better fresh, IME, because they have been in the ground a long time and somewhat cured already.
Jetherina
13 years ago
Wow!!!! And yes I am jealous