Growing Sweet Potatoes From Seed!
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
- A few years ago, one of my volunteer sweet potato plants went crazy with flowers and producing seeds. So of course, being the crazed gardener that I am, I gathered up most of the seeds and set about trying to learn how to grow them. It turns out that there is hardly any information on growing Sweet Potatoes, Yams or even Ube (an Asian Yam) from seed!
So this is an experiment in which I am "winging it" and guessing, and I have no idea how it is going to turn out.
Follow along and we'll find out together!
![Turn ONE Sweet Potato Into 100 LBS Of Sweet Potatoes By Growing SWEET POTATO SLIPS! [Complete Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0igp5IzO21g/mqdefault.jpg)
![Turn ONE Sweet Potato Into 100 LBS Of Sweet Potatoes By Growing SWEET POTATO SLIPS! [Complete Guide]](/img/tr.png)
Hey Jack .. first time seeing seeds from a sweet potato ..
An interesting and successful experiment .. please keep us updated
Much respect
Thanks Dan. My current theory is that the seeds & flowers are a second year thing. The plants I found the seeds on were volunteers in 2018 from plants I grew in 2017 (and missed during the harvest).
That is just so cool Jack! That's got to be the best feeling when those seedlings pushed up through the soil. Really enjoy your experiments. I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.
Thank you Cindy!
I'll be posting a #short update tonight with more excitement.
thanks man!! someone gave me a bag they found with seeds in it and a label that says "sweet potatoe seeds" and i cannot believe how hard it is to find any info at all on growing these seeds.. it seems obvious that this would be a viable vision for growing sweet spuds...but the lack of information available is almost pathetic..so i thank you and give you many props for posting this experiment . im in california.. so my experiment may have different results.. we shall see . thanks again!! you rock my friend!!!
Thank you my friend. I too was amazed at the lack of info. The best source I found was the LSU Ag Center : www.youtube.com/@lsuagcenternortheastregion4295 , in particular the videos by Professor LaBonte. He is certainly an expert in the area growing tens of thousands of sweet potatoes each year from seed to develop new varieties. He is responsible for the Beauregard that most grocery stores sell, for example. It is certainly a complex experiment and I hope you have better luck than I have had (but I still have some seeds so...).
BTW Dr LaBonte responds to email questions as well.
Very cool Jack! 😎 You are the king of patience and I look forward to watching them grow.
I strongly deny the patience bit but my garden is trying to teach me. Latest update to the Sweet Potato experiment will be uploading shortly. It seems most of my theories in this first video are wrong.
I subscribed! I look forward to watching this experiment grow out!! Thanks for sharing!
I'll be sure to document the progress my friend. I've already learned a few new things for my next update (mostly why my initial theories are wrong).
This is a awesome experiment ! I hope this works out good because if it's like potatoes you could come up with your own sweet potato . Your always doing cool stuff in the garden . Thanks for sharing and have a great Sunday !
Thank you my friend. Interesting idea, but I'm not sure I have enough years left to stabilize a new variety.
@@geekygardens That would be so cool if you did and named it after yourself !
I have some volunteers currently coming up in my garden that are obviously Ipomoea seedlings. I do not know that they are sweet potato, but I have been gardening in the same plot for twenty years and have never seen any bindweed or morning glory in the garden in all that time. It would be a remarkable coincidence if the first time a bird delivered such seeds they happened to come up in exactly the spot where I had sweet potatoes flowering last year. I'm keeping an eye on them and seeing how they turn out.
I'm not a botanist, but I have done some investigating and will share what I have uncovered. You probably won't be digging up one or two of your plants to see if they're worth growing. Sweet potatoes are hexaploid (six sets of fifteen chromosomes) with a great deal of genetic diversity in every specimen. Every plant you're growing will be genetically distinct and they will show quite a bit of variability so they will all need to be checked in order to determine if any of them are worth keeping. The fraction that is worth keeping will probably be very small, but you might as well taste them (raw and cooked) as well as examining the roots. The leaves are also edible, so you might sample those as well, and some plants may have decorative value. You can propagate via vine cuttings, so you don't need to wait for root development if you want to multiply them. If you run the experiment for multiple years, you might want to keep a few plants that flower easily even if they don't have the roots you're looking for. That will help with collecting more seeds.
Wow! Thank you for that information my friend!
I'm not sure how this experiment is going to work out but it has been interesting so far. The seedlings are growing great above ground with lots of flowers and seed pods and I can't wait to see what is going on below the ground!
I did find one video on the LSU Ag channel showing how they grow tens of thousands of sweet potatoes from seed every year in various breeding programs and many of their tubers were better than any I have grown. But then I'm just a small scale backyard gardener that enjoys a good experiment.
I honestly planted the seeds mainly because a friend told me I couldn't grow them from seed! But if they do produce I will probably grow them year after year to see if I can produce a variety suited well to my little micro-climate.
Expert smart talrnted gardener...sir....good job
I certainly don't claim to be an expert my friend but I sure do enjoy the experiments. I'm mostly letting the plants teach me what they need.
Oh how cool I can't wait to see if they produce. They are growing so fast. My sweet potatoes never flower. Good luck Jack:-):-):-)
Thanks Robin.
I just found a video from LSU Ag Univ with some good info on sweet potatoes thanks to my friend Peanut at Peanuts Peppers. I learned that the flowers usually come late in the year, which is after the time we dig the tubers so we seldom see the flowers or seeds.
It sounds hopeful that they should produce, so long as I give them what they need.
Nice video with good information
Thank you my friend and thanks you for stopping by.
I've been learning a bit lately and now know that several of my theories are not quite correct though the plants are still sprouting and growing.
Hey Jack, so I got my seeds, I’m going to give it a try. Happy Growing !!
I wish you a good crop my friend!
I'll be digging mine in a few weeks and can't wait to see what, if anything, I get.
But I have already learned a few things from this experiment. I emailed a Prof at LSU Ag Ctr and learned that they soak the seeds for 15 minutes in concentrated sulfuric acid before planting to increase the germination rate (I won't be playing with acid myself). I was also told that there will probably be a wide range of variety in the result - ranging from beautiful potatoes to no potatoes at all! Apparently sweet potato genetics is pretty complicated.
But even if I don't get tubers, it's been a fun experiment. And the plants are growing so lush that if nothing else they would make a great ground cover.
This is awesome! Thanks for posting your experiment!
Thank you my friend.
I plan to start digging around the end of the month to see what is going on under the soil. But even if I don't find any tubers (which is a possibility) I have already learned some things that make the experiment worthwhile.
Oh very nice , cant wait to see how it turns out
Thank you my friend! Things are progressing nicely and I've already learned a few things (like most of my theories in this first video are wrong). Just posted an update with much better information - from a source that isn't just guessing!
I have like you started seedlings for this spring and yes sweet potatoes will start from seeds , 30 years or so ago we started with seeds because our potatoes were reaching their standards to be able to plant eyes and were making smaller and smaller potatoes
Thank you my friend. I am starting pretty much with no knowledge in this experiment and appreciate any tips I can get.
That is interesting. I want to try it. Great information, friend.
Thank you my friend and thank you for stopping by.
Before you try this be sure to catch my latest update which I will be uploading in a few minutes. It turns out that most of my theories in this first video are wrong.
Nice, Very nice.
Awesome! I'm gonna have to get enough dirt to try this.
I'd love to see that Erick!
Learned some new things from LSU Ag Ctr. Flowers & seeds come late in the year, after the time we usually harvest, which explains why most folks never see them (but doesn't explain why I DID see them that year). And apparently the seeds are so hard LSU soaks them in some sort of acid to increase germination rates. I need to email them and find out more about this because my germination rate is horrible!
Great experiment Mr Jack!
Hope it works out for you!
If you want some dragon fruit cuttings I can fix you up before long after I bring them out the garage and prune them
Take care!
Gro Dat!!
It's going to be interesting regardless of how it turns out.
I'll keep that offer in mind Danny. The ones I am growing from seed are growing real slow!
@@geekygardens it's a 3 to 5 year process to get them from seed to fruit. At that point you still don't know if the will be pollinators.
Just let me know I will be happy yo send you some!
@@CajunHydroponics Thank you my friend. It seems like everything in my garden is trying to teach me patience! I'll soon be entering my second year growing asparagus from seed, and that's another 3-4 year process.
Any my coming birthday reminds me that I don't know how many more years I have to do these longer term experiments.
I started collecting seeds today. I had hundreds of flowers in my potato patch which had never happened before, but these volunteers went nuts. Im down here in St Cloud florida so heres to hoping.
Great! I do hope they work out for you.
A neighbor just mentioned she got some sweet potato seed online, but couldn't recall where. I had never heard of growing sweet potato from seed before and doing some research found out they are difficult to germinate. I'm looking at yours and wondering if because your seed was nice and fresh they germinate better. They are so easy to plant from slips it really makes no sense unless you are wanting genetic diverisity of seed produced plants I suppose. An interesting experiment. I am growing slips to start and am already giving them away to friends knowing I'll not have room for them all.
Hi Patty. It was/is an interesting experiment and I learned a lot - mostly too late to be useful. Much of what I learned came from the LSU Ag Center - www.youtube.com/@lsuagcenternortheastregion4295/featured ,especially from Dr. Don La Bonte. The Ag Ctr grows tens of thousands of sweet potato plants each year, all from seed as they are refining new stable varieties and it can take 10 years or more to get a stable variety. They created the Beauregard, among others and they really know what they are doing (unlike me ;-).
My germination rate was terrible - less than 25%. It seems the seed husk is so thick that something has to be done. At LSU they soak their seeds in concentrated sulfuric acid for a few minutes - not for me! I sent some seeds to a friend and he carefully sanded the seed husks and got a bit better germination.
And at the end of it all, I got zero tubers! The genetics is pretty complicated with many strains being ornamental only. I did stir-fry some leaves and stems though.
And now the experiment continues because they keep re-seeding themselves! Talk about invasive!
Oh, I had the same problem as you this year - grew way too many slips! But I went a different route and planted them ALL!
I think if you breed those seed together the next generation will produce better more viable seeds,,. Maybe 😏🙏 thank you brother
Thank you my friend. I rooted cuttings from the second generation of seedlings and am hoping to see good results in September.
I have a bunch of flowers hope I get seeds so I can try
I wish you luck, but try not to get your expectations too high.
LSU ag center might be able to help.
I've spent a lot of time on the LSU website but so far haven't found any useful information.
Hi Jack, I've just ordered Okinowan sweet potato seeds from Amazon. Really hoping for something good. They're a purple variety. What temperature is your heating mat at? Sending greeting from beautiful Ireland.
Hi Kate. I must say I hope you have better luck than I did, though I did learn quite a bit. You may want to check this video ruclips.net/video/x1vzRPms15E/видео.html from the Louisiana State Univ Agricultural Center - they grow LOTS of sweet potatoes every year from seed. I emailed Dr LaBonte and he told me that they soak their seeds for 15 minutes in concentrated sulfuric acid to soften the shells and increase the germination rate. He also told me that due to the complex genetics of sweet potatoes it can be difficult to know what you will get. So I do hope the seeds you ordered will grow true to their variety.
My heat mats get to a max of 85 degrees f or 30 c.
Oh, yesterday I noticed sweet potato sprouts in the bed where I grew the one's from seed! I guess I didn't get all the seeds when I did the harvest!
@@geekygardens thanks so much! That was a great video. He soaks his seeds in ACID!! I might have to try lemon juice I don't have acid to hand!!!🤣🤣 Well, I'll plant my little seeds and I'll let you know what they turn into. My seeds are really tiny compared to his, so who knows, I could be putting them my hanging baskets as flowers rather than harvesting them as sweet potato!!!
@@katemabbott4846 I'd love to see how they work out for you my friend! I may have to try to talk you into posting a video ;-)
Hey, some a few seem to be doing good. Wonder if the age of the seed has anything to do with the poor germination rate? keep moving forward with your experiment but see if you can get some fresher seed?
I am wondering about the age of the seeds but I don't know how to get more because that year was the only time I've had a plant go to seed. I did find more seeds I gathered that I vacuum packed & stored in the fridge, so I've planted some of those seeds as well.
My current theory is they produce seeds in their second year, since the ones I got seeds from were volunteers that I grew in 2017.
@@geekygardens That sounds logical
I kmew you could grow them from seeds, its a plant, all plants have to come from seed one way or another! But, i bought some seeds of sweet potatoes and i may have to video it as my experiment.
By all means do it my friend! I would love to see how they grow for you.
I just found this video I also am trying the seeds they've sprouted but I'm not expecting much..please let me know if yours worked
P.s. love your video
Welcome my friend!
So far my seedlings are doing fantastic, but I still don't know what it going on under the soil.
In case you are interested I have a playlist where I am gathering all the updates on this experiment. I would love to see how things work out for you also (hint hint).
A friend found a video at the LSU Ag center - ruclips.net/video/x1vzRPms15E/видео.html which had some helpful hints.
@@geekygardens thank you so much
What is really odd is that there is even no information how long do you need to wait for your own tubers from seed, just "sweet potato is grown from slips, not seeds" and that's it. I have found an information about procedures when developing a new variety, but even there not a suggestion of how long does it take. This is really odd, because there is plenty of information about other crops or ornamental plants. Even those that rarely flower and take a decade to first harvest.
The best info I found was at the LSU Ag Ctr - www.youtube.com/@lsuagcenternortheastregion4295 where they develop new strains starting from seed. I emailed Dr. LaBonte there and learned that sweet potato genetics is so complex that you may have to grow thousands of plants before you find one with characteristics you want. Even at LSU when they identify a plant they want they switch to growing from slips to ensure the genetics remains stable.
If you haven't seen the other videos in my Seed playlist be aware that I never got tubers in my attempts. But the vines did take over my whole garden last year when I was out of town for a few months.
I always say something had to start from a seed, too, if it exists.
So true my friend! It has been an interesting experiment so far and I've learned a lot, but I'm not sure I have the time or space to really keep it going.
@@geekygardens Yeah, I know how things get to be too much. Time means everything.
Any update on your experiment?? I’ve gotten some white sweet potato seeds. Like you, no info!!
Tyvm.
I learned a LOT from the LSU Ag Center YT channel - look for Professor LaBonte videos. My experiment was interesting - vines grew great but never produced tubers. In fact, I was gone a few months last summer and the vines covered most of my garden.
I did make a playlist for the experiment if you're interested.
Ty.
Can't be of much help but it appears that if someone sticks to growing from seed they may starve to death lol
I learned yesterday that LSU Agricultural campus grows thousands of sweet potatoes every year in their breeding program and ALL of them are grown from seed!
What was the end result?
The vines grew beautifully completely covering the raised bed I planted them in, but they produced absolutely no sweet potatoes! I saved some of the leaves and stems for stir-fry and they would make good ground cover, but I want tubers.
I learned from a Professor at the LSU Ag Center, which grows thousands of sweet potatoes from seed every year, that sweet potato genetics is so complicated that it may take growing thousands of plants to find one with the characteristics you want.
I do still have some seeds though in case I want to try again sometime.
Never heard of seeds.
I suspect the seeds & flowers may be a second year thing. The one's I got were from volunteers that I had planted in 2017.
less work the seed and for you lowest rate better result in size and genes improvement
if u start from seeds you want to make the soil first
than germinate from this same soil where it is gonna grow
there is no point using ritch subtrat at the beginning you are just weakening the seed genetique
for the genetique want the plant to adapt
Thank you for the suggestion my friend. I've been working on improving the soil in my beds for a number of years but use only sterile soil when starting seeds in my indoor "lab" to avoid bringing pests into the lab from outside.
How many seeds did you put in each cup?
I only put one seed per cup but I did plant about 75 in all. Of those I got 22 seedlings to plant outside. The vines grew great but if you're thinking of trying this be sure to see the Harvest video first. I learned a lot about sweet potatoes from this experiment.
Seeds need to be scarified with acid before planting
Thank you. I learned that via email from Professor LaBonte at the LSU Ag Center after I started this experiment. They use concentrated sulfuric acid to increase their germination rate. But even without acid the ones I planted in my garden re-seeded and covered much of my garden with vines while I was out of town for a few months last summer!