Post by macmex on Oct 8, 2020 9:13:40 GMT -6
Oklahoma Red is a sweet potato I originally obtained from Sandhill Preservation Center. I had been raising Georgia Red, and lost it. When I asked Glenn Drowns about getting a new start he didn't have Georgia Red available, so he sent me Oklahoma Red. It seemed fitting, as I live in ... Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Red was developed in the 50s by Oklahoma State University, but a Dr. H.B. Cordner and specially mentioned as being adapted for growing in heavy clay soil.
The first year or two I grew this sweet potato it produced very long, very skinny roots. Then, after a couple of years the roots started coming out much more like the standard shaped sweet potatoes we all know. Perhaps by the fifth year of growing it, I figured it out. Oklahoma Red will grow very shallowly and put out LONG roots, when planted in very hard soil. These long roots are almost always close to the surface of the soil. They're still quite good to eat, but they are so long and skinny that they break easily and are a challenge to store in a box. After I had worked my garden soil a bit more Oklahoma Red started producing more normally shaped roots! Once again, I am impressed with the importance of time and observation, in order to really get to know a garden variety.
Last night I started digging Oklahoma Red in our 2020 garden. I planted them on June 1, putting out 10 slips, which is more than the minimum of six, which I shoot for when maintaining a variety. I LIKE Oklahoma Red a lot. As you can see, the skin is red. There is nodependable way to distinguish between Oklahoma Red and Red Wine Velvet, though Oklahoma Red has more often has fairly smooth roots and Red Wine Velvet always has veins popping out of its sides. This variety has nice orange flesh and though it is not quite as moist as Red Wine Velvet (No sweet potato is moister than Red Wine Velvet) it is quite good. I really like this variety.
It keeps very well. There's nothing not to like about this variety. Production is good too. You can see in the photo above, that the roots were positioned like normal varieties which are not noted for doing especially well in heavy clay soil. Every now and then I still find a LONG skinny root, usually running along the top of the soil and under my plastic mulch.
This year we have encountered some really big roots. I don't generally think of this variety as being extra large, but any variety will grow large if it has the time and conditions to do so. Remember, sweet potatoes never reach "maturity." They just keep growing as long as able. Oklahoma Red liked our conditions this year. I'm glad I put a good number of slips in the ground, as we will enjoy this one all winter and probably into the coming summer.
Hopefully I can finish digging this variety later today.
Oklahoma Red was developed in the 50s by Oklahoma State University, but a Dr. H.B. Cordner and specially mentioned as being adapted for growing in heavy clay soil.
The first year or two I grew this sweet potato it produced very long, very skinny roots. Then, after a couple of years the roots started coming out much more like the standard shaped sweet potatoes we all know. Perhaps by the fifth year of growing it, I figured it out. Oklahoma Red will grow very shallowly and put out LONG roots, when planted in very hard soil. These long roots are almost always close to the surface of the soil. They're still quite good to eat, but they are so long and skinny that they break easily and are a challenge to store in a box. After I had worked my garden soil a bit more Oklahoma Red started producing more normally shaped roots! Once again, I am impressed with the importance of time and observation, in order to really get to know a garden variety.
Last night I started digging Oklahoma Red in our 2020 garden. I planted them on June 1, putting out 10 slips, which is more than the minimum of six, which I shoot for when maintaining a variety. I LIKE Oklahoma Red a lot. As you can see, the skin is red. There is nodependable way to distinguish between Oklahoma Red and Red Wine Velvet, though Oklahoma Red has more often has fairly smooth roots and Red Wine Velvet always has veins popping out of its sides. This variety has nice orange flesh and though it is not quite as moist as Red Wine Velvet (No sweet potato is moister than Red Wine Velvet) it is quite good. I really like this variety.
It keeps very well. There's nothing not to like about this variety. Production is good too. You can see in the photo above, that the roots were positioned like normal varieties which are not noted for doing especially well in heavy clay soil. Every now and then I still find a LONG skinny root, usually running along the top of the soil and under my plastic mulch.
This year we have encountered some really big roots. I don't generally think of this variety as being extra large, but any variety will grow large if it has the time and conditions to do so. Remember, sweet potatoes never reach "maturity." They just keep growing as long as able. Oklahoma Red liked our conditions this year. I'm glad I put a good number of slips in the ground, as we will enjoy this one all winter and probably into the coming summer.
Hopefully I can finish digging this variety later today.
