|
Post by macmex on Oct 5, 2013 7:13:27 GMT -6
I don't have time to write much today. But I do want to mention that now is a good time to be thinking about growing and saving sweet potatoes. No, sweet potatoes are not a suitable crop for winter gardening! But if you grew any, or if you have a friend who did, or even if you should run across someone selling them at the local farmers' market, then, you should be thinking about this. Because, it's time for harvest and harvest is a good part of the circle of sweet potato saving for getting started. Now is a good time to save roots for making slips (sprouts for planting) in the spring. Red Wine Velvet Harvest In 1984 I was walking through the farmers' market in Warsaw, Indiana; and came upon a fellow selling sweet potatoes. To my amazement, he had some white sweet potatoes and some, which were beet red! I had never seen anything beside yellow and orange. I asked him about them and he answered that the whites were Southern Queen and the reds were Red Wine Velvet, which he had brought up from the South (I'll have to look it up. It was either Georgia or Alabama) in the 50s. I purchased some, ate some, and saved some for "seed." Red Wine Velvet has been gaining in popularity, over the years. To my knowledge, all of the starts one can purchase or find, descend from those I first purchased in 1984. As I write, I can look out the back door and see this year's crop, still growing in the garden. Thanks to Duck Creek Gardens and Sand Hill Preservation Center I have a number of other varieties of sweet potatoes. They are not hard to propagate, and, if you have purchased slips, in recent years, you know that they are not inexpensive. But knowing how to propagate them makes the price of slips quite reasonable. It is well worth the price, plus shipping and handling, to get a start of a good variety. Sweet potatoes are super good for Oklahoma's climate! They are exceedingly nutritious. And they are not only delicious, but also come in any number of distinct flavors and textures (which one is hard pressed to find if limited to the grocery store). So, keep your eyes open! Get a few roots to start your slips. I will post more on starting them. Maybe we can get Duck Creek Gardens (Gary) to lend his expertise. George Tahlequah, OK
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Oct 6, 2013 10:34:08 GMT -6
hope to start harvesting this week. I have 7 rows that are about 400 feel long to dig by hand. don't know if I am up to it right now. I did dig the Barberman variety a couple of weeks ago and got about 88 pounds from 25 plants. They were all just beautful with no culls, I wish I could count on everything doing that good, but I know that won't happen.
I have about 225 seedlings that I am anxious to dig. I planted most of them about July 6-10th so they are just now at the 90 days.....
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 27, 2013 5:35:30 GMT -6
Well, I'm running late, as usual. Just really got started, digging sweet potatoes, yesterday. This year I face a special challenge. I've lost my list of what I planted and where. It was all on my IPod, which went through the wash. However, with certainty, I do know the first two varieties I dug up: Red Wine Velvet and Brinkley White. It's interesting how varieties differ in yield from year to year. Over the years I've observed that between these two, one will excel more in one year and the other in another year. I'm suspecting that it has to do with maturity dates, but I'll have to research my notes to be certain. This year I got my sweet potatoes in late. Again, I lost my notes, but I recall that I got them in the first or second week of June. I planted them under black plastic with drip irrigation (a first for me). Red Wine Velvet did exceedingly well this year. Brinkley White produced fewer and smaller roots. They were right next to each other too. I have seen years when Brinkley White outproduced every other variety in my garden, and, it is one of my favorites for eating. So, Brinkley White is in no danger of being dropped here!
The third variety I dug is probably Ozark County. The roots match the picture I took in 2012, only this year they're larger. Last year was my first to grow this variety, and I got it in late. Then we had a terrible drought, etc. This year Ozark County did much better for me. This is what Gary, from Duck Creek Farms, wrote me, in 2012, when he sent me my first slips:
"Ozark County Large orange meated variety with heart shaped ivy leaves. Few strings, originally given to Calvin & Jean Watson for their wedding present in 1956. Grown by the family in the clay soil of Ozark County, Missouri for the last 54 years."
I still have to dig Grand Asia, which is a purple skinned, white fleshed variety. It will be easy to identify. The two which concern me are Cordners Red and Cordner. I will post once I have dug them.
This is a good example of why we should have back ups of our garden notes. Normally I do. I take them on my IPod and transfer them to a file on my computer, which is frequently backed up. But this year, due to being overwhelmed with so much work, I hadn't "gotten a 'round tuit."
Here are a couple of pictures of Red Wine Velvet. Please keep in mind, that though I am really "stuck on" this variety, I in no way wish to convey the idea that it is clearly superior to all other varieties. There are MANY excellent varieties out there, which need and deserve a home or sponsor. Red Wine Velvet has simply become "mine" by virtue of me having "found" it in the 80s and because I've grown it for so long.Red Wine Velvet Cluster (Some had already fallen off.)Largest Sweet Potato dug on 10/26/2013
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Oct 28, 2013 9:42:04 GMT -6
Yesterday I dug what I believe to be Cordner's Red. Though they don't look very red in photographs, they do when I dig them. This variety did exceedingly well this year. The yield is excellent and I found that almost all the roots were clustered right under the plant. There were no "strays" where I sometimes miss them. In fact, I could dig carefully around each plant and pull all of the roots at once, still attached to the plant.Here's a picture of me holding just one plant's yield of Cordner's Red.Here's another picture of a cluster.Here's the description provided by Duck Creek Farms. "Cordner’s Red (heirloom type 1950’s) This is a very compact bush type plant with red skin and orange moist flesh. Excellent for people with small gardens. The name “Cordner’s Red” was given by local growers as it was never officially released. From the breeding material of Dr. H. B. Cordner of Oklahoma. Fair storage variety and great tasting. A personal Favorite. One of our top producers in 2010. Early type "www.duckcreekfarms.com/I believe this variety is also sold by Sandhill Preservation Center. This is definitely a keeper! George
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Nov 2, 2013 16:08:52 GMT -6
I am still digging sweet potatoes! This is the largest crop I've ever grown. At the halfway point of harvest we have harvested more sweet potatoes than in any other crop in my life! Here's a picture of my wife, Jerreth, holding clusters of Grand Asia, which has beet colored skin and pure white flesh. Apparently many Asian markets greatly prefer the white fleshed, purple skinned sweet potatoes over yellow or orange. When we lived in Hidalgo, Mexico the most common sweet potato, found in the marketplace, was a purple skinned sweet potato with white flesh. In fact, orange or yellow sweet potatoes did occasionally show up. But few would purchase them! I got a start of Grand Asia, from Duck Creek Farms, specifically because our family misses the white sweet potatoes of Mexico. The Mexican sweet potato always outproduced my American varieties (when grown in Hidalgo). It appears that Grand Asia may have the same vigor, even producing sizable roots way out on vines which had rooted. I will have to report on texture and flavor. George
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Nov 10, 2013 7:06:11 GMT -6
Yesterday we finally finished digging sweet potatoes. The crop this year was really good. Just wanted to mention that we have baked and eaten a number of the Grand Asia sweet potatoes. They taste exactly as I remember the "Morado" in Mexico. They are not quite as sweet as regular American types. Yet they are sweet. They have white or creamy colored flesh. And, when baked, they fluff up, almost just like an Idaho baking potato. With a little butter and brown sugar on them, they are really nice. Best of all, they are huge producers. I am a fan of big production! Last week I cooked up the largest of our Grand Asia roots, a four pounder. Jerreth and I ate on that for four days. It was good to the very end.
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Nov 10, 2013 9:20:44 GMT -6
George
I have enjoyed your postings about your 2013 sweetpotato harvest. as soon as I finish and get settled, I will post some of my results
here it is November 10 and I still don't have all mine dug. I will have to finish up today and tomorrow as it's supposed to get in the low 20's by Wed Morning. I won't plant that many next year unless I can get a digger.......
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Nov 12, 2013 19:46:57 GMT -6
Hope you managed to get your sweet potatoes harvested, Gary. It's going to be really cold by morning!
By the way, I baked two Cordner Red roots, slowly, in the oven last night; sending them to work with my wife. She had one of them for lunch and came home telling me that it was absolutely delicious, right up there with Red Wine Velvet.
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Dec 14, 2013 14:49:04 GMT -6
should start adding some of my Sweetpotato results for the 2014 season...I will add more later as I get time.
I planted around 119 varieties this year, many in 25 or more, but more than half of the varieties in 5 to 10 slips per variety. I didn't keep records of most, but I have some information to share on a few. Some varieties were amazing and some were a total bust this year.
A 5 gallon bucket held about 22-23 pounds for me
Barberman
Planted about the 3rd week of June. Dug on 9/22/13, 25 plants yielded 4, 5 gallon buckets which held about 22 pounds each. All very nice roots. Production right under plant easy to dig.. Short blocky roots. Orange skin with orange flesh. 88 pounds total yield from 25 plants. 3.5 pounds/plant
Bugtussel (Kentucky Heirloom) Planted out about the 3rd week of June, Dug on October 8. plants yielded about 4 ½ buckets per 25 plants. Some of the roots were very big, so digging a littler earlier would have been possible.
Pink skin yellow flesh, yields, top shaped (turnip shaped) roots with no uniformity. . Tendency to crack on a dry year. Produced one large root surrounded by a few to many smaller roots, all directly under the main plant. Ivy shaped leaves with spreading habit. Early to mid season maturity at about 100 days. Bugtussel is said to have been grown in the Bugtussel, Kentucky area for the past 100 years. The cooked roots were a little on the dry side, but very sweet.
Razorback (Arkansas Heirloom) Ivy leaves, spreading habit. Early to mid season production at about 100 days. Good yields of pale cream/orange skin with orange flesh roots. Not all roots directly under plant. Originally from the University of Arkansas. I dug a bit over 4 buckets from 25 plants
Georgia jet did well this year with about 4 1/2 buckets from 25 plants. I had very little cracking this year, which can be a problem in dry years.
Cordner's Red Was a winner this year. we harvested about 27 bushels from the two rows planted, but I didnt' record how many plants, but I was very pleased with the results.
Red Wine Velvet Did well although not as well as some years. I did have one plant to produce a whopping 12 pounds of beautiful roots
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Jun 17, 2014 14:14:05 GMT -6
Here it is the 3rd week of June (the 17th) and I am just now really getting started planting my sweets. Was hoping to get some planted earlier so I could relax. As of now I have only planted Allgold, Cordner's Red, Redgold, Vardaman, a new one for me called Bermuda Pink, Grand Asia, Redmar, Becca's Purple, Molokai Purple, Bradshaw, Dianne, Korean Purple, Georgia Jet, 8633, Heartogold, and Red Velvet aka Texas Porto Rico.
My Red Wine Velvets are pulled and ready to go to the field.
I hope to really get the bulk of them planted later in the week and next week.
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Jun 18, 2014 11:19:04 GMT -6
Planted June 15-17, 2014 North Field
Row 1 Dianne Barberman Ohenry
Row 2 Molokai Purple Bradshaw
Row 3 Allgold Red Wine Velvert
Row 4 Korean Purple Barberman Violetta
Also Planted Cordner's Red, Redgold and Vardaman
South Field Planted June 19, 2014
Planted June Row 1 Bermuda Pink Grand Asia Redmar (Maryland Red) Becca's Purple Heart o Gold
Row 2 Gem (2) 8633 Georgia Jet Texas Porto Rico AKA Red Velvet
Planted June 19th Row 3 Bugtussle Hayman Razorback Oklahoma Red Oklamar Georgia Red
Planted June 20th Row 4 Norton Dingess Purple FLesh Dingess CT Bloom Dingess Beige & Purple Unknown Variety 29 Ted's Red Golden Sweet Amish Red Golden Sweet Sport BeetleJuice Garnet Red Continential Red Delaware Purple Regal
Planted June 21 Row 5 Gensing Orange Maryland Supreme Georgia Giant Dingess Pink Tint Maryland Scarlet Cascajo Morado Red & Gold Ivy Leaf Baker Brinkley White
Planted June 22, Row 6 Tennessee Red Cook's Family Heirloom Patriot Xushu 18 Envy Camote Negro Unknown Purple flesh variety White Jewel (white Skin) White Jewel (Red Skin) Camote Morado (Purple Flesh) Regal Okinawa Purple Seedling from my breeding Program Acadian Hayman White Pense Red
Planted June 22 Row 7 Travis New Jersey Red Arkansas Red Bradshaw Sport Sumor USDA Jasper Sweet Red Red Resisto William's White Sharp Excel Arkansas Red Leaf Pense Red
Row 8 Ruddy Amish Bush Porto Rico Ringley's Porto Rico Shoregold Cordner Oklahoma Nugget Evangiline Memphis Pride Violetta
Row 9 Charleston Scarlet Carver Lee's Purple Cherokee Dingess Big Red Pumpkin Yam Morado Moravi Betty's Scarlet
Row 1 in Organic Section
Ozark County Brazilian Golden Slipper Frasier White Darby Ivis White Cream Indiana Gold Nancy Hall Goldstar Georgia Yam Jewel Red Yam Purple seedling?
Organic Section Row #2 July 2, 2014 Seedlings from My Purple Flesh Breeding (60) Nancy Hall Jilian Darby Texas White Viola Mississippi (Cornelia) Purple Centennial Golden Sweet Gensing Red Capidito Gem Excel Carolina Rose Papota Orange Oakleaf
Row 3 in the Organic Section Planted June 26
Chinese Empress Koto Buki D & S Red Bonita Hawaiian Purple Munduena Midnight Purple White Eclipse Purple Knight Savannah Sweets Tainung 65 O****n* White Delite Japanese Purple
Organic Section Row 4 Margret Bray Theodore Meese Dingess Old Time Wilma’s Wakenda Japanese Purple Georgia Yam Cook’s Family Covington Dianne Arkansas Red Leaf Hernandez White Triumph Carolina Ruby Ruddy Seedling Speckled Purple Topaz White Queen Resisto
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 20, 2014 5:45:17 GMT -6
June 2, I received (from Duck Creek Farms) and planted 13 slips of Oklahoma Red, which finished off my first row of sweet potatoes. I had grown Oklahoma Red several years, losing it, a couple of years ago when I didn't store my roots correctly. This variety looks very similar to Red Wine Velvet (beet colored skin and nice orange flesh). It was developed for heavy soils. I noticed that whenever one of its roots would run shallow and parallel to the surface of the soil, it would be very long and skinny. Whenever they roots went down, they had very nice size and shape (more blocky). After growing it several years I had very few of those long skinny roots. I attribute this to better tilth in my soil.
The other day I prepared a second, one hundred foot row for sweet potatoes. Yesterday I put in:
2nd row sweet potatoes East to West 20 - Grand Asia 5 - Red Wine Velvet 5 - Ula 5 - Cordner Red 5 - Ozark County
Ula was given to my by Ron Cook. I don't know, for sure, whether it should be spelled Ula or Uala, as I understand that Uala is Hawaiian for "purple," and this is a purple (inside and out) sweet potato from Hawaii.
I was impressed with the tremendous growth that most all of my previous planting of sweet potatoes is now making. I was easily able to cut slips from that planting, to make my second row; and that, without making any noticeable impact on the plants.
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Jun 26, 2014 14:22:27 GMT -6
My Sweets are looking so good right now. there's lots of moisture in the field and they are going bonkers. I still have lots to plant and will be planting more tonight. I still have a few varieties coming from some other collectors. I wanted to get everything planted in June, but I am behind as usual.
|
|
|
Post by macmex on Jun 28, 2014 6:30:54 GMT -6
The 19th and 21st I finished my last 85' of sweets. 20 - Grand Asia 5 - Red Wine Velvet 5 - Ula 5 - Cordner Red 5 - Ozark County 7 - Ginseng Orange 7 - Barberman 10 - Red Wine Velvet 4 - Ozark County
Of all I planted this year I have only lost one or two Ula, which is extremely sensitive to cold and cool; and one Oklahoma Red. The Oklahoma Red was an extra and extra small. Anyway, my Oklahoma Reds have taken off. Last night I cut a slip from one of the larger vines, and replanted that empty hole. Since moving to Oklahoma, in 2005, I have not seen such a good gardening year. At least, up to now, this has been a great year. Am so excited about the sweets this year! May 11 planting are going to town.
A note on Ula. It is Hawaiian variety and apparently well adapted to warm conditions. If hit with cool temps it can drop its leaves. But with our warm summer temps it is one very sturdy, vigorous plant. Am looking forward to see how it produces.
George
PS. This week I had a couple more requests for sweet potato starts. I've had a great time introducing new people to sweet potato culture.
|
|
|
Post by duckcreekfarms on Jul 7, 2014 15:10:19 GMT -6
I just finished up planting all the sweetpotato varieties that I intended to plant for this season. I had hoped to get everything planted before now, but always running late. I was going to plant a few more today, but it is so hot (and dry) that I think I will just call it quits, I have over 130 varieties planted out this year and I will probably never get them all dug if we get some rain and have a fair crop. Anyone with a shovel and would like to volunteer to help me dig is welcome come fall.....
last year I watered them in as I planted and then had to go back another time watering to get them established, but this year, I have had to water several times. I have to do it by hand, so makes for along time...... I will be watering again tonight as the high temps and hot dry winds really suck the moisture out
|
|