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.