Grow sweet potatoes from late spring to early summer by planting slips, which are vining sprouts that grow on the side of the tuber. Slips can be purchased in garden stores and online sites or started yourself in middle to late winter. SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food producing plants where EBT is accepted. If you need help applying for SNAP, learn more here: Apply for Food Benefits – Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Slips should be planted in full sun and in fertile, well-draining soil. Plant these slips at least a foot apart, making sure all roots at the end of the slip are under soil. Sweet potatoes can form a dense ground cover of leaves under hot summer conditions. These leaves are nutritious and can be harvested lightly throughout the season while the sweet potatoes grow underground. Tubers take a long time to grow, between 90 and 120 days. They can be found up to a foot from the primary crown, so dig carefully when harvesting.
Harvest in the fall when soil is still warm. Tubers can be enjoyed immediately after harvest or can be prepared for winter storage. To prepare tubers for winter storage, after harvest, cure in a warm airy place for up to two weeks and store at a cool room temperature. Find healthy recipes, here: Recipe Library – Tarrant Area Food Bank.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP.