August 20, 2015

Good morning, This year I have managed to get in a fourth bed of sweets. This will be pretty cool if I pull this off. Sweet potatoes are a huge success at the market. I usually sell out between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Having them into January would be wonderful. As long as we do not get long extended periods of clouds (my fingers are crossed), this forth bed should mature, I plan to start harvesting this last bed sometime in early November. I may be too optimistic!

Whether I pull this off or not I did discover an easy way to propagate sweet vines. All a person needs is a big screw diver, 1/2 diameter stick or a piece of 1/2 inch rebar 10” long, pair of scissors and some fabric to cover the new plantings. The length is so you have something to hold onto.

I cut pieces of sweet potato vine that are around 3' long. I then cut sections with at least 4 leaf nodes, more if the nodes are closer. These pieces are roughly 6 to 8 inches long. I clip off all the big leaves (there will most likely be some small leaves next to the stem, except the growing tip. The next step is performed best in moist soil. Push your,screw driver or other probe into the soil 8 or 9 inches down and wallow out the hole. This should make it easy to insert your cutting all the way up to the last leaf node. This node will be OK at ground level but do not bury. Push the hole closed. Once the bed is planted, water everything in and cover with your fabric. Should be rooted in about a week. Since it has been so warm lately, I raised the fabric with some hoops. I have been exposing the new plants to more sun daily and hope to remove the covers all the way soon.

Why this works is because of the growing nature of sweets. If you look at the leaf nodes on either side of the leaf petiole (leaf stem) are little almost obscure bumps these are dormant root buds. Clipping and soil contact along with moisture activates them into growth. This seems to work very well in warm soil. I would like to try this in less optimum conditions. The problem may be no vines to cut up.

Soil warmth could be modified with the use of greenhouse film by day and fabric covers at night.

Sweet harvest is gaining momentum. Most tubers are around a pound. I am a quarter through the first bed but would like to see a little bigger sizes.

The first bed of okra has pretty well finished so I gut it back to the ground . I am seeing some new growth so I hope to have my okra harvest increase again soon.

First planting of summer squash is finished but a second planting will be maturing in the next few weeks and should go to frost. Got the cucumber beetles out of the cukes and am seeing some re greening. There will not be big harvest but there should be a steady supply. Tom harvest will continue to slow but the second bloom and fruit set is in full swing. I am hoping for toms clean up to frost. First batch of Jezebel Jam with more to follow as jalapenos and poblanos continue to ripen.

Fall planting will commence towards the end of the month. I will be sowing brussel sprouts. There has been a lot of requests for them. So we will see how they do both growing and selling.

Yessss! The change of seasons is quickly creeping upon us and I think I am really quite ready!!!