Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
martiniquehome

Okinawan sweet potato in San Diego

I am growing the Okinawan sweet potato for the first time and would like to know when to harvest. Any ideas when to harvest? And i would also like to keep some of the cuttings for next year. When to take cuttings?

Thanks,
ZoeMom

Comments (7)

  • jctsai8b
    9 years ago

    Grow sweet potatoes in your own backyard

    Sweet potatoes are usually harvested 120 to 180 days after transplanting. They should be harvested with care, since skins are thin and delicate. Sweet potatoes aren't consumed immediately after harvest. Potatoes should be cured in a warm and humid area for five to 10 days. After curing, potatoes should be kept in a cool and dry area.

    http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Nov/24/il/FP611240317.html
    You can dig into the ground to check the sweet potatoes to see whether it is ok to harvest after 4 or 5 months.

    I harvested my regular sweet potatoes about 5 months after transplanted. I keep some small sweet potatoes underground overwinter and keep some in my garage too, it will grow again when the temperate get warm again from the roots, we have frost and hard freeze too in the winter. If your area is no frost, you can have some cuttings now and grow them, they will continue to grow until next year.

    I bought the Okinawan sweet potatoes from the flea market here and tried to grow many times, but failed.
    Where did you get the Okinawan sweet potatoes?

    This post was edited by JCTsai on Mon, Sep 29, 14 at 19:30

  • Martiniquehome , Zone 10, San Diego, CA
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi JCTsai,

    Thank you for the information. I found and and pulled up one potato but it was the Korean variety (Red skin yellow inside) - 2" x 6" size. I had grown both Okinawan and this Korean variety (slits made from store bought) in the same garden bed.
    The Okinawan I never could get slips from the store bought potato. A Japanese grocery near sold the Okinawan slips from their own organic farm for $3.5/slip.
    I will be cutting the vine to make slips.

    Zoemom

  • jctsai8b
    9 years ago

    I ordered some purple skin purple fleshed sweet potatoes to grow in June, just harvested some, tastes not bad.

    Zoemom, how is your Okinawan sweet potatoes?


    Sweet Potatoes at a Glance

    http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/sweet-potatoes-at-a-glance-zm0z13djzkin.aspx#axzz3Hm1YRwey

  • Martiniquehome , Zone 10, San Diego, CA
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    HI,

    I finally had time to do some gardening. Been busy with family.
    I pulled it up and didnt see anything decent to harvest. But, there were lots of red roots. Iam guessing that they need more time. But its been at least 120 days. I placed it back into the soil, added more soil also.
    Hope to see something in another few months. :)

    Zoemom

  • josephlee
    9 years ago

    I bought Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato from Hawaii and bought some from Chicago open markets. I couldn't get any too sprout .
    Is there anybody have a few Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato that would sprout-I could buy , I need as few as 3 for my research , I am doing sustainability study basic on limited space and basic materials . I do have purple Peruvian potatoes too trade if that would help.

  • jctsai8b
    8 years ago

    Hi, Zoemom


    How are your Okinawan sweet potatoes? Good harvest? Thanks


  • RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
    8 years ago

    I just pulled one plant to check on my purple sweet potatoes. I see 4 small potatoes, each about 1 1/2" wide and about 4-5" long. I cut one and re-planted the plants back. The potato tastes sweet even without curing.

    The variety is purple skin and purple inside, from Asian market produce. Not sure what varieties. I believe I have two varieties, one with yellow skin and one purple skin.

    I planted the home grown slips on 6/6. So it is exactly 3 months. I'll have at least one more month to grow. They will grow larger, but I'm not sure what to expect in one month. I think this is about the best I can manage. I think they can get larger if the soil is richer. I do not fertilize the plants....

Sponsored
Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars254 Reviews
Northern Virginia Design Build Firm | 18x Best of Houzz