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  • From: <eureka AT hctc.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Sweet Potato harvest
  • Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:26:42 -0600

So you think the potato problem was more about soil texture than the alkalinity of the water? Using the tire stacking method, how many plants per tire, and what kind of harvest can I expect?

On Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:29:04 -0500
EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
I tried Vardaman the first year I grew them. Mine weren't very sweet either. Nowadays, I just save and grow slips from year to year. I have no idea of what variety-just something I bought from from the store about 4 years ago.

Sage, grow potatoes in tires with hay or straw and compost. If you do that, you don't have to worry about the soil.

eureka AT hctc.net wrote:
We harvested our first sweet potatoes the other day, and ate a few. They were good in texture but very bland, as in lacking any sweet potato flavor. The variety was Vardaman, which was recommended. I understand they like alkaline soil so they should be happy here. I'm wondering if it was something we did wrong or the variety. Any comments or recommendations? I'm thinking next year we will try a different kind.

I may not have mentioned our regular potato harvest was a huge dissappointment. Two rows yeilded about five spuds the size of my thumb! Even with lots of compost I don't think we were able to overcome the high alkaline pH from the water. My husband says he can't live without potatoes, but I really don't want to waste any more time or room in the garden trying again. Has anyone overcome alkalinity and successfully grown potatoes? The only people I know in Texas with success are in the east Texas pine forest with acidic soils and they are growing new, or red, potatoes.

--Sage
Way Out in Texas
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