Talkback: Passion for potatoes

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Have not grown sweet potatoes but have had a very good crop of Valour -organic- with no trouble from blight. This may be due to the position I grew them in, near to my boundary which has a neighbours Leylandii up to the adjoining fence. Also have used raised beds for the first time this season. Very pleased.

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I tried out sweet potatoes last year - a very different summer weather-wise - using Beauregard and another variety - I think it was Sweet Georgia. I grew these outdoors on a well-manured ridge without protection, and watered sporadically. Like you, I started to harvest during early October, with mixed results. Some sweet potatoes were of a good size, as you'd see in the shops, including a whopper, which easily fed three people. The colour of the varieties seemed to vary from cream to yellow - not the bright orange that you get from shop-bought! - and our taste observations were that these were an altogether more delicate (to some palates insipid?) flavour; I would suggest moister with less of that wonderful caramel. However the disappointment came in lifting the bulk of the crop at the beginning of November. Something (mice? rats? moles?) had taken a distinct liking to this crop and nearly every tuber had been eaten right back to the point where it started - but just enough for me to see, frustratingly, that this would have been a very respectable crop. Consequently, I've gone back to Jerusalem artichokes this year as a reliable alternative tuber to potatoes. I probably would grow sweet potatoes again, but think that in addition to selecting a well-coloured variety I would aim to train the foliage upwards (as you might with other types of ipomoea) and away from its dense mat of ground cover, which obviously supported my phantom munchers in their mission. Heaven knows, I have two farm cats who normally deal with such intruders very effectively. Has anyone else had this problem?

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I would like to know how to grow sweet potatoes , and where and how to get the slips

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I would really like to grow Jersey Royal potatoes in my allotment next year. Is it possible to buy Jersey Royal seed potatoes? And if so, who stocks them? Many thanks.

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Hi Cornishcarole, I do believe (and someone correct me if i'm wrong) Jersey Royals are another name for the International Kidney potato, although there could be a slight variation on this variety from years of growing on the island and due to the fact that Jersey is very protective of one of it's best loved assets, infact it even has EU protection so I don't think they can actually be sold or grown outside Jersey and be called Jersey Royals. Hope this helps.

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Just a thought, before anyone says that they can buy Jersey Royals at their local supermarket, my comment "I don't think they can actually be sold or grown outside Jersey and be called Jersey Royals" was mainly directed at seed potatoes and growing etc, and not consumer purchasing in supermarkets,I guess I should have said any sold or carry the name Jersey Royals must be grown in Jersey! Sorry if that did confuse anyone.

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I have had a go at sweet potatoes for the last 2 years now. 2006 saw a very small return, however I must admit to planting and leaving them to get on with it - apart from watering. Having read a very detailed article (in a rival magazine!!) I decided to have another go this year and planted through black polythene and covered with fleece. I was late getting the plants in due to the wet and cold spring (summer not much better) I haven't watered thinking the wet summer would be sufficient. I have just harvested a very poor crop although I didn't even expect this as it has been a cold and short growing season. I live in N Yorkshire and have come to the conclusion that they are not worth the time and expense. I think I try to grow too much instead of concentrating on fewer crops. When I retire and have more time I'll have another go!!!

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I'd also love to try growing sweet potatoes and wondered, like kathmcc, how to go about it and where one can get the slips from. Also, can you grow them in those patio bags they sell for normal potatoes, as I have a very small garden and consequently not much room to plant lots of veg, so I'm mainly going the patio veg plot route.

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Antonia - I got my 'slips' rather like cuttings - from Thompson and Morgan and I'm sure they are selling them again in the 2008 catalogue. They come in about end of May, with great instructions, you pot the slips on for a few weeks, then plant out, ideally on pre-warmed soil - I used slit open, black side up compost bags, planted through the plastuc after making x-shaped slits, then covered all crop with fleece covered tunnels. Not difficult at all, juts different and certainly better in a warm summer! PG

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I live in Buckinghamshire and planted potatoes in pots. They have grown very well and are just about finished flowering. Could somebody tell me how long after flowering is completed should i lift them? Thank you.

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I live in Buckinghamshire and planted potatoes in pots. They have grown very well and are just about finished flowering. Could somebody tell me - how long after flowering is completed should i lift them.Thank you.