They are much easier to slice.
Too hard and too early. Were the vines blooming?
Hal said:
Too hard and too early. Were the vines blooming?
No blooms yet. Most of the leaves were dying, so I thought I’d try to harvest and see what I got. I have one more batch I haven’t dug up yet.
@Andi
They say sweet potatoes don’t like overly rich soil. Mine turned out the same way, and they were in some really nice soil.
Hal said:
Too hard and too early. Were the vines blooming?
When is the best time to harvest them? I’m growing them for the first time.
When the vines are blooming. You can dig a few to check, but you should be about ready by then.
Ridge said:
@Hal
A couple of years back, we left ours until the frost killed the vines, and because of that and a tiller that digs down two feet and leaves soft dirt, we got several that weighed over 10 pounds.
Yeah, but typically we don’t want a 10-pound sweet potato, haha.
@Hal
Maybe a shelter could use them? Haha.
Hal said:
Too hard and too early. Were the vines blooming?
When is the best time to harvest them? I’m growing them for the first time.
They take about 100 to 120 days. I use a mix of topsoil, sand, and manure. Make sure it’s loose enough for the tubers to grow with little resistance. You can snip the vines and plant them in water after harvesting to keep them going.
Nate said:
Sweet potatoes take quite a while. I used to wait until just before the first frost to dig them up.
I agree, either pulled too early or planted too late. Very hard clay soil could also cause this shape.
Turd harvest oh my.
So next year, keep all the trailing vines from trying to re-root everywhere. Use landscaping cloth or cardboard. If each rooted spot gets energy, it takes away from the main plant.
This can lead to poor growth, along with the dense soil that others have mentioned.
You should see my carrot harvest.
Wow, those are some sweet potatoes!
Looks like the excavation of Pompeii.
Well, at least you got something from all your work, which is a plus. Focus on improving the soil. I’m always adding to it, even if it’s just coffee grounds. Consider adding cut straw. Avoid using raw, uncomposted manure for root crops. Keep at it.
While scrolling, I thought it looked like a crime scene.
Looks like you have constipated tubers, my friend.
Did you plant in the middle of winter? You need room and deep, wet, loose soil. Don’t cut runners; handle them carefully. Also, avoid planting on a full moon or during the last weeks of the month.
Uma said:
Did you plant in the middle of winter? You need room and deep, wet, loose soil. Don’t cut runners; handle them carefully. Also, avoid planting on a full moon or during the last weeks of the month.
What’s wrong with planting on a full moon?
I think you needed to let them grow a bit longer. They say it takes around 90 to 110 days, but it might be longer, and you might not have hilled enough soil while they were growing.