A Quick Word about Storing Sweet Potatoes Over the Winter – Winter storage is the same for eating sweet potatoes and slip-producers. It’s best to keep them inside somewhere, in a dark place, like in boxes or paper bags in a closet, and then covered with a blanket to keep out any sunlight.
The ideal storing temperature is between 55-60 degrees. If the temperature rises too high they can sprout early, and if it falls below 50 for an extended period of time they’ll harden up and become pretty much useless. It’s great to store your eating sweet potatoes for as long as possible, but storage is even more important if you want to grow sweet potato slips, because those roots will have to make it to March.
We store our organic sweet potatoes overwinter with the dirt still on the skins (we gently brush off any excess dirt) because this keeps the skins intact and the roots healthy and ready to sprout in the spring.
How long can I keep sweet potato slips before planting?
Growing Your Own Slips Start 6–8 weeks before planting time. Soak the sweet potatoes in water for 2 hours. Then either suspend the tubers with toothpicks half-immersed in a jar of water (stem end up) OR place them in a flat or pot half filled with potting soil or screened compost.
How do you store sweet potato cuttings?
Winterizing Sweet Potato Vines by Cuttings – Take several 10 to 12 inch (25.5-30.5 cm.) cuttings from your sweet potato vines before the plant is nipped by frost in autumn. Rinse the cuttings thoroughly under cool running water to wash away any pests, then place them in a glass container or vase filled with clean water.
What happens if you leave sweet potatoes in the ground over winter?
Sweet potato plants ready to harvest at end of summer. Photo by Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension Although some folks may be sad to see summer coming to a close, many gardeners are looking forward to harvesting their sweet potato treasures. Sweet potatoes are warm-season plants that are very sensitive to cold temperatures.
- The tuberous roots should be harvested by the time frost kills the vines or soon thereafter.
- Sweet potato roots continue to grow until frost kills the vines.
- Roots can be left in the ground for a short while; however, a hard frost can cause damage to roots near the surface.
- Chilling injury also results to roots when soil temperatures drop to 50°F or lower, and this can result in internal decay in storage.
The greatest danger from delayed digging is the risk of cold, wet soil encouraging decay of the roots. Depending on how early you were able to plant, you may find an assortment of “baby baker” or smaller roots, as well as full-size potatoes. Although you can cook newly dug sweet potatoes right away, their flavor and storage quality are greatly improved by curing at warm temperatures first.
When should I start sweet potato slips indoors?
When to Start Sweet Potato Slips – Growing a sweet potato plant starts with producing slips from a sweet potato root. The timing is important if you want to grow large and tasty sweet potatoes. This plant loves warm weather and should be planted when the soil reaches 65 degrees F.
Can you save sweet potato slips for next year?
How to Harvest Sweet Potatoes – Before you start your harvest, if your winters are relatively short, you could consider propagating sweet potatoes for next year by taking vine cuttings in the fall, rooting them in water, then potting them up as house plants for the winter, to provide cuttings for early slips next spring.
But perhaps, like me, you don’t “do” houseplants, because you appreciate an indoor space where you don’t need to think about keeping plants alive! Remove the vines from the plants to be harvested that day. If there is more than one day’s digging, leave intact vines to protect the rest of the crop. Clip the vines, leaving stumps to show where to dig.
Roll the vines into the gaps between the rows — if you have close rows you may need to roll the vines further away. Digging forks can be useful tools for this job, rakes don’t really “grab” enough. Mowing isn’t recommended, as the roots sometimes stick up out of the ground.
- Potato digging machines usually do too much damage to sweet potatoes.
- We dig ours by hand, and it is a much-enjoyed task.
- Using digging forks, carefully dig up the tuberous roots, which grow in the ground in a bunch-of-bananas shape.
- Begin digging 12-18″ from the center of the plant to avoid damaging them.
Go straight down about 6 inches, then angle toward the center and gently lift the potatoes out of the ground by hand. It’s important not to drop, throw or in any other way bruise the roots. Avoid any abrasion of the skin, which is very fragile at this stage.
Do you have to harden off sweet potato slips?
You do need to harden off your sweet potato slips – just as you would harden off seedlings that were grown indoors under lights. To do this, you can introduce the mother plant gradually to outdoor growing conditions about a week or two before you want to snap off the slips and plant.
Do sweet potatoes go bad after cutting?
An uncooked cut sweet potato should be kept submerged in cold water in the fridge. In an airtight container the potatoes will last for 3-4 days, but for the best quality eat them within 24 hours.
Can you store cut uncooked sweet potatoes?
Sweet potatoes are popular for their healthier nutritional value compared to that of a white potato, and their overall sweet taste as well. Sweet potatoes are also great for their cooking versatility. For these reasons, many look for ways to extend that longevity through storage.
- How do you store raw-cut sweet potatoes? The best way to store raw cut sweet potatoes is in a cool, dark, dry place.
- You should refrain from refrigerating them as a temperature that is too cold and even too hot can ruin them.
- In a cool, dry storage space, raw-cut sweet potatoes can last up to two months.
Maintaining a temperature between room temperature and cool is key to properly storing sweet potatoes – as well as maintaining their taste and appearance throughout the whole process.
Too cold of a temperature can cause raw sweet potatoes to become hard on the inside and alter their taste. A hot temperature might cause them to become pithy or sprout.
So let’s talk about how to store raw-cut sweet potatoes – the right way! 
Should you wash sweet potatoes before storing?
Don’t Rinse – Wait to wash your sweet potatoes until you are ready to use them. The moisture could cause them to rot and lead to mold. If you’d like, use a dry cloth to brush off any dirt before storing, especially if it will dirty up your shelf or cabinet.
Can you cut up sweet potatoes and freeze them?
How to Freeze Cooked Sweet Potatoes – You can also preserve sweet potatoes that have already been cooked. Here are some of the most common preparations of cooked sweet potatoes and how to freeze them.
- Roasted Whole Sweet Potatoes: To roast whole sweet potatoes, scrub them clean and use a fork to poke several holes in the skin (to let air escape). Roast at 400 degrees F on a piece of aluminum foil on the center rack of the oven for 50 to 70 minutes until cooked through. Cooking time depends on the size of the potato. Let them cool completely then wrap each one in aluminum foil and transfer to a freezer bag. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Boiled Sweet Potatoes: Boiled sweet potatoes can also be frozen. Peel and slice a sweet potato into chunks, then boil for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Drain and let them cool completely. Transfer to a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes : If you mashed sweet potatoes after you boiled or roasted them, let them cool completely then transfer to freezer bags or containers. Use your hands to flatten the potatoes in the bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Store for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Can you save sweet potato slips for next year?
Sprouting sweet potatoes to make slips (the green shoots from a mature sweet potato that are used for planting) is one of our favorite spring activities. If you haven’t selected and stored roots from last year’s harvest for this purpose, you’ll need to order sweet potato slips (or if you want to add a new variety to your harvest).
Read on to learn how Sean at Living Energy Farm grows his sweet potato slips in early spring. You’ll also learn how to select seed sweet potatoes and store them through the winter to grow your own slips next year. by Sean Thomas Growing sweet potatoes is a year-round adventure, with lots of activities to keep you busy even in the winter and spring.
They’re also an easy vegetable to seed-save and grow again each year. It’s fairly simple, with a bit of knowledge and work, to produce your own sweet potato slips (sweet potato vines) for transplanting. And if you sprout your own roots, you’ll get 2-3 times more slips per sweet potato.