Got your sweet potato slips started?

[Marianne]

It's time! Or actually a little past time. Do you have your sweet potato slips started?

Last year I used three whole sweet potatoes, just laid them down in some potting soil in a small plastic tote. About half of the potato was exposed. I dampened the soil, then covered the tote with some plastic. Secured each side with a clothes pin and I was good to go. I checked them pretty regularly and misted with water as needed.

Later I had tons of slips! I read that you can get up to 50 slips per potato. I gave two potatoes with slips to another family and rooted the other slips for us. I still have some of those potatoes from last year that I used for growing slips for this year. I don't know if it's easier or better than traditional potatoes in water, but, hey! it works.

 

[so lucky]

About how long does it take for you to see any growth when you use potting soil? I am not having any luck putting the potato in water, Just a few roots, no shoots. It is an organic potato, too, and I have it on top of the fridge.

 

[Marianne]

About how long does it take for you to see any growth when you use potting soil? I am not having any luck putting the potato in water, Just a few roots, no shoots. It is an organic potato, too, and I have it on top of the fridge.

It seems to take forever, doesn't it! If you have roots, you'll get slips eventually. When do you put it in front of a window? I always started mine somewhere there was some sunlight.

I don't think it went any faster in the soil, but I sure got more slips.

 

[so lucky]

My window sills are non-existent, but I could put it on a table in front of a window that doesn't get direct sun. I think I will try some in soil, too.

 

[Marianne]

Last year I accidentally misted the potatoes with dilute bleach water that I keep in a spray bottle under the kitchen sink. I freaked out and sprayed them pretty good with regular water to rinse it off. I never had a problem with mold.
Yesterday when I checked them, there were a few white fuzzies! So I hit 'em with the bleach water, then regular water. I also pinned back the plastic covering so it'd get more air for a while.

 

[Denim Deb]

I need to get a tater so I can try it. Haven't had the time.

 

[k15n1]

I bought slips this year. Thanks for posting, BTW. I hadn't given it a thought but then I remembered DW asked me to put in some sweet potatoes this summer. I ordered from Jung.

 

[okra]

Got mine immersed in jars of water and held up by toothpicks and they are producing slips but now wondering whether putting them in potting compost and misting is better. Next year I will have to experiment with both methods.

 

[Marianne]

Mine are doing nothing. I have a hunch that starting with better potatoes would have helped. But! I also remember that about the time I think nothing is going to happen, then I got shoots.

 

[Denim Deb]

I can't find an organic sweet tater. And I can't tell if the one I used is actually getting any roots on it or not. If I can't get any slips started, I'll be buying some and then hoping I can get slips off of one of those for next year.