What happened to my sweet potatoes?

[jltrent]

 

[Workinonit Farm]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

What in the world????!!!

I'd like to know the answer as well.

 

[skyhightree1]

Did you plant them from slips or plant cells? What variety ? I dug most of mine and got 9 bushels so far may did more tomorrow.

 

[skyhightree1]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

What in the world????!!!

I'd like to know the answer as well.

Most of the time its cause the roots were damaged to start with and sweet potatoes do best in light sandy soil. This could have been a case where they took the path of the least resistance and grew like that but I would be willing to bet its because of the root formation it had before planting. I buy my slips out of N.C.

 

[jltrent]

I bought 18 plants at Walmart in individual container coming in 6 packs. The name of them are Beauregards as my sister had planted them before and they did well. I got 3 four gallon buckets full from them, don't know if that is good or bad, but several of them sure was funny shaped.

 

[greybeard]

The name of them are Beauregards as my sister had planted them before and they did well.

Sounds like some kind of racist name to me...Someone will be along shortly to set fire to your garden...

 

[jltrent]

Beauregard Sweet Potato
★★★★★
★★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 stars. Read reviews.
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Light: Full sun
Vine type: Semi-running
Matures: 90 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart
Plant size: 3- to 6-foot vine
Developed at Louisiana State University in 1987, this variety may be the world's most popular sweet potato. It is favored for high yields of uniform, reddish-purple potatoes with tasty, deep-orange flesh that keeps well in storage. It seems to have fewer problems with white grubs than some varieties and also resists cracking. Folks in Louisiana are proud of their sweet potatoes and after tasting this one, you'll know why. Make sure that plants get plenty of sun to develop the maximum flavor and sweetness.

Resistant to fusarium wilt and soil rot, but not resistant to nematodes.

 

[skyhightree1]

I bought 18 plants at Walmart in individual container coming in 6 packs. The name of them are Beauregards as my sister had planted them before and they did well. I got 3 four gallon buckets full from them, don't know if that is good or bad, but several of them sure was funny shaped.

I have never had good luck with buying sweet potatoes in those packs I tried them but seems as the potatoes do not grow well problems there in those packs and if old meaning roots are jumbled and twisted so will the sweet potatoes. Sweet potato slips are the best way to go IMO they are grown and harvested at the right time. I plant bueregards as well as Puerto Rican reds.

 

[skyhightree1]

 

[greybeard]

Beauregard Sweet Potato
Folks in Louisiana are proud of their sweet potatoes and after tasting this one, you'll know why. Make sure that plants get plenty of sun to develop the maximum flavor and sweetness.

Resistant to fusarium wilt and soil rot, but not resistant to nematodes.

I used to live in Opelousas, Louisiana ...claim to fame was the Yambilee..a festival to sweet potatoes. (they don't do it any more from what I've heard.)

 

[blkbuckaroo]

Possible soil compaction, amend your soil for next season with lots of organic matter or use some cover crops live tillage radish.

 

[greybeard]

I believe they were under nourished and have begun to eat each other......

 

[KMURBAN]

Hmm. It looks like the clown who makes balloon animals got a hold of them.

I've never seen that before...

 

[Ebenezer]

Compaction is the problem. If you cannot till deep enough, set slips in deep enough to live and set roots. Then top the rows/beds with a decent bagged soil medium and the potatoes will grow in the loose medium as normal but for easier digging and for later benefit to your bed or garden. Or get out the TNT and do some modification to the natural soil. Do you have clay soil and use a rototiller? It will turn your soil into a massive brick because it beaks down all natural structure. Might be part of it.

 

[jltrent]

Compaction is the problem. If you cannot till deep enough, set slips in deep enough to live and set roots. Then top the rows/beds with a decent bagged soil medium and the potatoes will grow in the loose medium as normal but for easier digging and for later benefit to your bed or garden. Or get out the TNT and do some modification to the natural soil. Do you have clay soil and use a rototiller? It will turn your soil into a massive brick because it beaks down all natural structure. Might be part of it.

I plowed the soil with a 16" mold board plow about as deep as it would go.

Here is a picture and the soil seemed loose. I also hilled up the row good with loose soil I put them in. They were planted right above the green beans. I think maybe compaction some and also the containers I bought them in at Walmart had them all twisted up to start with may have caused it.

 

[skyhightree1]

Compaction is the problem. If you cannot till deep enough, set slips in deep enough to live and set roots. Then top the rows/beds with a decent bagged soil medium and the potatoes will grow in the loose medium as normal but for easier digging and for later benefit to your bed or garden. Or get out the TNT and do some modification to the natural soil. Do you have clay soil and use a rototiller? It will turn your soil into a massive brick because it beaks down all natural structure. Might be part of it.

I plowed the soil with a 16" mold board plow about as deep as it would go.

Here is a picture and the soil seemed loose. I also hilled up the row good with loose soil I put them in. They were planted right above the green beans. I think maybe compaction some and also the containers I bout them in at Walmart had them all twisted up to start with may have caused it.

My soil is sandy and loose as you can get probably get and mine do that if they were messed up in a container and twisted they seem to do that. If you get good quality slips they seem to not do that at all.

 

[Ebenezer]

We grow our own slips so I have no idea on the bought ones. Compaction has been a problem here one time and since it has not. Sandy clay loam and if worked too wet or tilled it will be like a brick for a year until freezing in the winter fixes it. A lot of tilling will turn it into a long term brick by removing structure that allows air and pore spaces in the profile.