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lat0403

Wow!

lat0403
9 years ago

So I get home from work and there's a priority mail box on my front porch. I have no idea what it could be so I open it up and it's the sweet potato slips I ordered from Duck Creek Farms on MONDAY. It said on the website that he was behind because of the weather so I wasn't expecting them for at least a few weeks. Talk about great service!

The downside is that I was looking forward to being a lazy bum this evening and now I have something to plant.

Leslie

Comments (6)

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    9 years ago

    Gary's terrific and I'm not surprised your order arrived so soon.

    Let's link his website so anyone else looking for sweet potato slips can find him.

    Dawn

    Here is a link that might be useful: Duck Creek Farms

  • MiaOKC
    9 years ago

    I have wanted to order some slips, but want some that will look more like the ornamental sweet potato vine (like the chartreuse and purple versions). If I steer clear of the ones with "semi-bush" descriptions, do you think I will be able to find some at Duck Creek?

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    9 years ago

    Mia, I imagine so. A lot of his individual varieties are sold out or selling out, so don't delay! You might try buying one or more of his assortments, especially his heirloom assortment, and send him an email telling him you're especially interested in vining types with pretty foliage. He might be able to select some for an assortment that have prettier-than-average foliage.

    I trialed about 20 kinds from him a few years back and it was a good year here, weatherwise, and they grew like mad and had beautiful foliage in a part-shade situation at the west end of the garden. Everything he sent me grew well and was beautiful and produced well. It may just take a little trial and error to find the types with the foliage that is most appealing to you.

    Gary's a great guy (and incredibly busy all the time) and will work with you to get you what you want, with the limitation being that his website does show a lot of varieties already have sold out for 2014.

    I just ordered some from him this morning. I wasn't even going to grow many sweet potatoes this year because of the ongoing vole problem we've had since the drought of 2011. Sweet potatoes are Vole Chow here. I decided to grow some in containers, and then I ordered far too many to fit into the containers that aren't already filled with something else, so we are going to have to build another gopher wire-lined raised bed to raise them. Tim's going to be so thrilled to find "Build a new raised bed" has been added to our To Do list. He'll do it, though, because he loves sweet potatoes.

    Dawn

  • lat0403
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I've always just used a grocery store sweet potato to start them in the past. I'll definitely keep buying them from Gary now. On top of the quick shipping, the starts all look great.

    I think I read somewhere that none of the sweet potatoes grown to eat have colorful foliage like the ornamentals. I got one named Mahan/Bradshaw that's got really cool leaves though.

    Leslie

  • p_mac
    9 years ago

    Ok. So you guys nudged me. I had intended to order from Gary anyway and when I saw how many he was already out of - I decided to go ahead. 12 short season variety, 12 Beauregard and 3 Purple Delight.

    Dawn - at the fling we talked about my new "planters" (100 gal. water troughs). Realistically, how many slips would you recommend I plant? I'm sure I too ordered more than I can fit in those so Ken may be building another container also...or could I put 3 in something as large as a whiskey barrel?

    Paula

  • amunk01
    9 years ago

    Paula! I havent forgotten about your recipe request completely! (Only momentarily lol but im on it!) Im in the same boat on space, how many slips can i plant in a 2'x8' raised bed?
    And if i do plant a few in containers, how deep of a container are we talking? I just ordered #25 nursery pots online (5 for $43, only $8 shipping too!) Could i plant a few in those? Id say they are similar to 1/2 a whiskey barrel..
    Alexis

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