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Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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Posted by linnea56 z5 IL (My Page) on Thu, Nov 19, 09 at 11:08
| I tried posting on Annuals but there appears to be no one home. Not surprising. I’m afraid they are drying out while I wait for an answer, so I thought I’d try here, as I know many here use them.
While ferreting around in the garden I dug up one of my ornamental sweet potatoes. These were killed by frost a couple of weeks ago so the tops were all shriveled. I found a cute little skinny zigzag potato on the end which was still nice and firm. So I dug up the others to check. Some are whole potatoes, but half did not form a potato, but were just thickened roots.
In the past I tried taking cuttings from them. They all rooted quickly but died not long after potting up. I tried many different variations of rooting and potting and decided it just doesn’t work for me. Could be just because it’s fall and their internal clocks work against it.
I remember some saying here they had better luck saving the whole tubers, like dahlias. I couldn’t find the thread where someone mentioned this.
Can anyone give me more details? Does it work to save the ones that are just roots? Or does it need to be a whole potato? Save how? In plastic, or in paper bags like I was told to do with begonias? Dust with fungicide? Thanks!
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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| The one year I did this I simply rinsed the tuberous potatoes off with water, allowed them to air dry in the sun for a few days and then stored them in paper bags in a cool dry place over the winter. The following spring the whole potato was planted in the ground and it sprouted and gave me the same wonderous vine. |
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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| I also did what nckvilledudes did one year. I used the whole potato, not thickened roots. It worked fine and the plant grew well the next year. I wonder if you could cut the tuber with an eye in each piece to get several plants . . . |
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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| Thanks! They are now stored in the basement with the tuberous beonias. |
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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th so much for posting this. i had read 'no' years ago, and i much prefer your 'yes'! will follow your lead now.
best,
mindy |
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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| linnea, I just posted an answer in the Annuals forum (Home, but in that winter sleep, zzzz...). Basically the same answer you got here. The main thing is keep them dry enough not to rot. I cut the sprouting ones in pieces in the spring and let them dry before potting up, though sometimes they rot anyway. If you have more than one tuber, you might try both ways. If you do, report back! :) |
RE: Saving ornamental sweet potato tubers
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| I actually had my sweet potato tubers on my patio table out to dry last week for a few days before I stored them and those little rascal squirrels stole them all! I guess it was like hitting the carbohydrate jackpot for them. Note to self for next year: Do not leave outside - lol At least they didn't bother with the canna lilies and geraniums which I am also drying out for storage. |
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