Sweet Potato

A Fall Harvest

~ McArtor ~ 1 Comment
We dug out 30 pounds of sweet potatoes last Sunday. They were smaller than last year’s crop. We wonder if its because we did not cover the ground with black plastic this year. The plastic keeps the soil warmer and prevents over-watering from flooding rains. We will use the black plastic next year.
We had a surprise harvest of beans this fall. In August, Mexican bean beetles almost destroyed the young bean plants. Now it is too cold for the beetles to stick around to eat the hanging beans. More turnips, radishes and beets are ready to harvest.

I sauteed a bunch of turnip greens with garlic in olive oil, but they were too bitter to eat alone. The greens tasted better in chicken pasta soup. I am certain I can get my husband to try the greens again if I combine them with bacon. We’ll see on the next fall harvest.

Sweet Potato Leaves

~ McArtor ~ 1 Comment
our sweet potato vine explosion

We discovered greens that grow well in hot weather – sweet potato leaves (also called sweet potato tops).  A Chinese gardener from our community garden told us that sweet potato leaves are edible.  They are rich in vitamins A, C, and B2 (Riboflavin).

cooked sweet potato leaves

We have an abundance of sweet potato leaves growing in our community garden plot!  The leafy vines are taking over our leek bed and walking path so I picked a couple bagfuls for my cooking experiments.

1.  I sauted the leaves in olive oil with shallots then simmered them in chicken stock.  I served the cooked leaves with quinoa.   It was yummy.

2.  I sauted  the leaves  in vegetable oil with chopped ginger, then simmered the leaves in chicken stock. I served it as a side dish.  It tasted delicious.

I discovered that  sweet potato tops are strong and hearty, will hold up to cooking, are similar to spinach and have a mild, non-bitter taste.

Sweet Potato Planting

~ McArtor ~ 3 Comments
one sweet potato slip

Last week I planted 12 sweet potato slips.  They look straggly now, but just wait, they will produce a hearty vine and a hidden treasure of potatoes.  Last year we planted 2 slips and dug up about 50 pounds of rugged sweet potatoes (bright orange and creamy when cooked) at harvest time.   Once the vines start growing, we will surround them with a low border fencing to prevent them from spreading into our other vegetable beds or community garden walking paths.  This year we planted the slips in a corner that is not adjacent to a neighbor’s plot.  These plants can get a bit too gregarious!  I marked each slip with a rock because it will help us find where to begin digging at harvest when there is a sea of vines.  I have high hopes for these slips.  If all twelve of these newly planted slips take off and produce we could have 300 pounds of sweet potatoes!

our sweet potato patch

(We may have more….I noticed sweet potato vines growing in last year’s sweet potato bed.  I wish I did not have to pull out these unexpected guests, but they will take over our tomato and pepper patch if I don’t).

Do you have any sweet potato recipes to share with me?