The RHS have trialled several varieties of Sweet Potato. They picked a wet, sunless season so far but as the plants will be harvested during October (they need a long time in the ground) there is time for a good spurt of hot weather (I am an ever hopeful optimistic gardener).

Normally these plants are difficult to grow successfully in Britain but for those who are a bit adventurous you may want to try this crop next year. If so follow the results of the RHS trials.

• Grow from cuttings or slips (young shoots) forced into growth be heat in a damp sandy compost
• Plant out in June they are spreading vine like plants related to Morning Glory and root along the nodes
• The black polythene acts as a heat absorber and offers protection
• The mounds can be filled with straw and soil mixed
• Avoid frost but allow the longest growing time possible.
• Harvest in early October or wait for half the crop until the end of the month
• Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is a tender, warm-weather vegetable that requires a long frost-free growing season to mature large, useful roots.

Sweet potatoes suitable for growing in the UK
‘Georgia Jet’ is considered to be particularly reliable.
For a brightly coloured skins try ‘T65’ – its red skins contrast nicely with the creamy, white flesh.
‘Beauregard Improved’ is Thompson & Morgan’s best selling variety, producing smaller tubers with a lovely salmon-orange flesh.
Richly flavoured ‘O Henry’ has a slightly different, bushier habit than other varieties and produces it’s tubers in a cluster which makes for easier harvesting.

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