This was the largest roofdeck sweet tater harvest yet. Using big containers (a couple of Southern Patios included) and Scotts organic and moisture retentive potting mixes helped. But the key was to give them a good start. Because of our short growing season, most people don't think you can grow sweet taters in Chicago. You have to start them early indoors.
I save slips and inedible tuberous roots at the end of the season. The roots go into a box or bag in a sandy mix for storage. The slips are cleaned, cut into 4" pieces, and placed in clear plastic bottles (juice, listerine, etc) along with an inch layer of activated charcoal and sand. I water just enough to wet the sand. As the slips grow throughout winter on windowsills, I'll add more water or more sand as needed. The bottles act like mini-terrariums protecting them from cold drafts which could kill them or hot furnace air which could dessicate them. The high humidity inside the bottle prevents aphids or spider mites from establishing, and the bottle itself is a barrier to thrips. Activiated charcoal keeps mold at bay. Any dead plants must be fished out with some difficulty.
Once warm weather hits in June and the outdoor containers are prepared, it's time to plant. I carefully cut the bottom off the bottles preserving as many roots as possible, then plant them deep. Any root pieces that survived in the sandy mix are also added. In a few weeks the leaves are growing like gangbusters while the roots are busy forming taters. Harvest should be completed before day temps dip below 50 degrees F.
2008's total for four 18" pots was nearly 20 lbs. Perhaps not cost effective compared to grocery store prices for sweet potatoes, but there are intangible benefits. They were grown organically. I know all the inputs from plants to soils to fertilzers. And nostalgically, we are eating from the same plant that fed my great grandmother 11 years ago. Woohoo!
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