sounds like dinner in bed!

I don't know Arlene. Maybe in Yakima, Walla Walla, Ellensburg, etc. Have you checked the phone book in the government section, (county) for the Extension Office? May be listed as Cooperative Extension Office or Agricultural Extension Office. They could be helpful. You might look on-line too.

How about checking with your favorite garden store and asking their opinion. Of course, you won't know unless you try.

All the best. I love sweet potato pie. The farmers who own one of my favorite farm stands down here in Eugene, Oregon grow them quite successfully. Next year I am going to buy a bunch of them and put up the puree for pies.

Mary

Zone 8 implies the Rainy Side. On the surface too cool for sweet potatoes but ornamental cultivars with colored foliage are used in annual ornamental plantings here. These don't have to grow big and make roots to do their job, however. And Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK even has these zoned for way south of here only.

Arlene,
Territorial Seeds has them for sale on their site for PNW gardens. As is usual with them, there's also the cultural information as to how to deal with them. I grew some two years ago that the deer found more enticing than anything I grew and thus can't tell you how the might have turned out. They were eaten clear into the ground.
Fritz

Territorial is down near Roseburg, where it is markedly hotter in summer than up here.

No, not actually wet side. Near Port Townsend. But that doesn't mean WARMER, only dryer.

So - I take it that means that no one here has actually grown plants which produced any edible roots! That doesn't sound promising. On the other hand, I have extra garden beds this year and will probably take a chance.

I also have a greenhouse in which I usually attempt to grow tomatoes in large tubs. Perhaps the sweet potatoes would like that better although it seems a terrible waste of space. Maybe one tub!

Thanks for all the opinions.

a.m.

A quick note. Territorial Seed Company is not anywhere near Roseburg. It is in Cottage Grove, OR, an approximately 20 minute drive from Eugene. This area does not get as hot as Roseburg, although hotter than western Washington.

Mary

Actually, it turns out

"Territorial's research farm is located in London Springs, Oregon. London is located in the foothills of the Cascades at the headwaters of the Willamette Valley drainage. Elevation of the farm is 1000 feet. The last frost is May 12 and first frost is September 15. The soil started with pH levels from 4.9-5.6 and phosphorous content of 8 ppm. The soil fertility and nutritive elements have been increased by the use of lime, rock phosphate, and animal and green manures. We consider our farm to be representative of an ordinary-to-difficult garden site in the Northwest."

On their sweet potato cultural information page they do say the soil needs to be at least 55 degrees F.

Here is a link that might be useful: Territorial Seed Company Culture and Location Info

i have heard if you put hard to grow veg inside tires or old bucketts or garbnage cans with holes you can grow sweet potatoes and other things that are hard to grow because old tires keeps things insulated with the layers of dirt ect is this true