Can I grow sweet potatoes in England?

Question

I have good drainage and sunny is spot and it was just freaky we had a cold patch last summer we have a good balance of conditions.

Thankyou for the helpful tips. I am going to experiment.

Answer 1

Yes, just make sure you are well past any frost. They need warmer air and soil, as a minimum that of being able to grow peppers. You need 4-5 months for transplants and 5-6 months for direct seeded. They need at least 1" of water a week and compost or slow release fertilizer (root crops like higher phosphorus and sweet potato is a light feeder). Because you are cool and damp you should probably start the plants early in flats by seed or sprout but they need a garden later as they don't do containers. Keep plants a foot apart minimum, more if in rows as opposed to beds. They like acid soil (5.5 pH) and watch for problems especially if you are using un-certified sprouts like those that grow on your left-overs from the market. Have fun!

Answer 2

yes they grow very well there. You can put 2 tablespoons of sugar in the soil beside the plant to make them sweeter

Answer 3

just like that !~!!!!

lulu

Answer 4

Ontario has summer climate a bit more favourable in terms of summer heat and less favourable in terms of length of growing season.

We find it necessary to use a raised bed with a black surface soil to get soil warm early. The raised bed is useful to ensure the soil drains well but that would not be as useful if your soil is sandy, well drained.

We  also used a ventilated plastic row cover to increase temperature through April, May and to about June 10. They do need a ventilated cover to allow air circulation and to limit heat buildup.

Oh, yes, sweet potato and yam are different species that are often labelled sweet potato in the supermarket.

Our family has switched to growing butternut squash in place of sweet potato because butternut squash fills much the same dietary role, and is usually much easier to grow in our shorter summer season (frost free period). But Butternut squash does want better soil to do well, as compared with sweet potato.

Answer 5

try this:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/gqt/fsheets/...

i love sweet potatoes too! might have a go myself.

Answer 6

Why not. Potato can grow everywhere. Different varieties grow at different conditions. It is an essential food crop.

Answer 7

well it depends because when the sun is hiding behind the clouds then no

if the clouds are out then yes

you have to have certain soil

Answer 8

The only thing that prospers and flourishes in England is the predominantly prejustice against lovely, well groomed, behaved, civilized and adoring Germans. I think.

Answer 9

i dont see why not:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles050...

Answer 10

I've raised them before and they like it hot.  Cold damp weather is a death knell for new plants and cool, damp cloudy weather stifles growth.  If your growing weather is cool and damp, I wouldn't mulch them with straw because you'll have white mold growing everywhere.