Harvesting Sweet Potatoes

I planted sweet potatoes for the first time ever this year. Put them directly into the ground … which I don’t do with many of my edibles, since the Florida dirt is so sandy where I live. But I read that sweet potatoes thrive in poor soil and don’t need fertilizer. So I planted them (I did mix a bit of my chicken poop compost into the dirt first), mulched them, watered them lightly approximately every other day (unless it rained, which it does a lot this time of year here), and that’s it.

The other day I started digging near the roots, and here’s what I got! The first two I pulled up had issues … I think it might be black rot. So I got rid of those entire plants. I’m guessing the slips I bought already had the disease.

But with 6 plants remaining, I’m thinking I’ll have plenty for my small family. And here in the sub-tropics, we can grow them year-round.

Here’s one of our favorite sweet potato recipes. Omit the ham for a vegetarian version. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato & Edamame Hash             

Serves 8

• 1 (8-ounce) package diced, smoked, lean ham
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into ¼-inch cubes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (12-ounce) package frozen, shelled edamame
• 1 (12-ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn
• ¼ cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper

Sauté ham and onion in hot oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is tender and ham is lightly browned. Stir in sweet potatoes and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in edamame, corn, broth and thyme. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in salt and pepper.