Many years since I've read about it so have no detailed information. First here in drought-time, needed ground-cover after mulching out the grass, we used Beauregard variety. Plunked them in, watered for a bit then months later harvested quite a quantity of tubers. No fertiliser soil clay loam without much organic matter (previous owners rid themselves of all clippings). After that we put in garden beds but they thrived in seemingly inhospitable conditions.
I heard of SP being used (esp in India/SE Asia) as a clay breaker but can't seem to find any detailed sources - would it be becuse they bury themselves etc but in fact are not meant to be harvested but rather you would leave them there then they will break down supplying the area with organic matter?
I previously had black plastic covering the shale and clay and decomposing organic matter in the bed in front of the plastic. I removed the composted soil and over time the plastic slid down as seen below my foot. I found this tuber in the folds of that plastic and some smaller tubers actually growing in the shale. Boy the sweet potato is one tough cookie.
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Many years since I've read about it so have no detailed information. First here in drought-time, needed ground-cover after mulching out the grass, we used Beauregard variety. Plunked them in, watered for a bit then months later harvested quite a quantity of tubers. No fertiliser soil clay loam without much organic matter (previous owners rid themselves of all clippings). After that we put in garden beds but they thrived in seemingly inhospitable conditions.
Cripes, look at that clay soil. That's seriously heavy stuff.
SP seem to like burying themselves deep into the hardest ground I have also. Impossible to remove.
Now you know why it's recommended to break clay/compacted soil prior to planting!
I previously had black plastic covering the shale and clay and decomposing organic matter in the bed in front of the plastic. I removed the composted soil and over time the plastic slid down as seen below my foot. I found this tuber in the folds of that plastic and some smaller tubers actually growing in the shale. Boy the sweet potato is one tough cookie.