Help needed - sweet potatoes getting drenched

[Just Kate]

Two beds of sweet potatoes are/were thriving., Now we have had rain for 2 days on and off and more expected next 20 hours or so. They are in raised bed.

I think they could survive that but the temps at night are predicted to be in high 40's. First time for growing them but from what I understand, they are not going to do well in upper 40 degree weather.

What do I do?

Do I harvest when it stops raining, cover with tarp for warmth or any other suggestions?

I know when you harvest you are supposed to not wash off and let them cure in a 70 degree or so room. That is my next issue, will address it somehow.

It will be warmer on Sunday but the night temps are what has be bothered. Any help from you garden experts would be most appreciated.

Thanks
Kate

[Samuel Adams]

Let 'em be until it frosts, then cut the vines off at the top of the potatoes and cover with straw and a tarp to let them recover from the excess moisture while still in
the ground. Dig them before the hard freeze.

OR.......dig them when it stops raining and cure as usual,

OR......tarp them now to prevent further soil saturation and have a better shot at plan A.

My experience is that Sweets are far more forgiving than regular potatoes.

[Just Kate]

Thanks Sam!

Will check on a patch in the AM after the rain stops, supposed to be in the 70s'

Will decide from there, appreciate your advice.

Best
Kate

[Meemur]

What did you decide to do, Kate? I dug the rest of mine up today since it'll be in the 70s tomorrow.

My harvest was not good. I'll be adding more from the farmer's market.

[Lenno]

Just a querry
can you soak em in salt water to kill mold and make them store longer?

[CaryC]

Hey,

Just another thought.

Vardaman, Mississippi is the Sweet Potato Capital of the world. Huummm that might mean it's the Sweet Potato Capital of the Universe too. Anyway,

I just feel like they would have a website/facebook/whatever thingy where you could research, and ask questions.

Even though Mars may have water in the summer months, or was that winter months, I just can't see them growing Sweet Potato's.

I'm also like where does the water come from in only summer/winter months. Doesn't it take 2 molecules Hydrogen, and 1 molecule of Oxygen to make water? Where is that stuff the rest of the year?????

So many questions from a layperson. What do I know, Mars could be made of Sweet Potato's.

[Hermantribe]

How do you know when the sweet potatoes are ready to be harvested? TIA

[Samuel Adams]

Sweets are a long season crop. They'll continue to grow right up until they freeze.
If you're on the ball, the morning after the first frost, cut ALL the foliage off the tops of the potatoes to prevent the "poison" of the frosted leaves getting into the potatoes, and then harvest any time. This is what I normally do.
You can also trim that foliage the night before the first frost is expected, and save a little stress.
Whereas sweet potatoes make more vine than they need, all throughout the growing season, we periodically trim ours back to within 18-24 inches of the base, methodically feeding the excess foliage to milk cows.......
The leaves are quite edible for us, as well, and a sweet potato vine can be kept in the house to provide a source of greens over the winter.

[Just Kate]

Sam: thanks for the advice of trimming back. I did not know you could do that.

We harvested one bed while the soil was still wet - let just say that beautiful bed of vines turned into all hat very small yield. Two humongous taters, and the rest very slim and elongated. Those are "curing" but I do not think they are edible due to the skins being so soaked - any ideas if they are OK to eat or feed to the chickens.

The other bed I am just leaving alone. I went back for the 4th time to review the websites and the 50 degree thing is about storage and curing, not in the ground temps. Apparently I failed reading comprehension 101

I will harvest the other bed in a few weeks when the leaves are starting to turn yellow. That is what my research found and before the first frost.

CaryC - will check that website out.

I was so disgusted with the low yield. So next year will see what I can do to have much more success. I will post later if anyone is interested on the 2nd bed.

And here is a perfect example of how people think that they can just plant and have a bumper crop. It does take years of experience figuring out what works where etc.

Thanks again everyone for your input.