Sweet potatoes are harvested when their vine ends start to yellow or before the last frost in the northern hemisphere. To gather them, use a digging fork to loosen the soil around the plant in an 18-inch circle, and cut off the vines and primary crown. Harvesting them at the right time helps retain the potato’s quality and longevity.
Sprouts
Sprouts of sweet potatoes from the store are generally safe and shouldn’t pose any health risks. While the stalks of sprouted sweet potatoes will differ from the regular sweet potato, they contain many of the same vitamins and nutrients. They are also a great source of fiber and can help the digestive system. Also, if you’re concerned about Vitamin A deficiency, sprouted sweet potatoes can help.
The process of sprouting sweet potatoes is very similar to that of growing an avocado pit in water. You’ll need a warm, sunny location and a few minutes a day. After a week or two, the sprouts should appear. Once they are about six inches tall, they’re ready to plant.
When choosing sweet potatoes, choose a firm, new variety. Poor-quality sweet potatoes will smell foul, look mushy, and feel soft. Even if they aren’t spotted, they’ll still be safe to sprout. However, if you decide to grow sweet potatoes, it’s essential to pick firm potatoes, as the sprouts will melt on the soft, rotten sweet potato.
Although store-bought sweet potatoes can be used as growth starts, they’re best purchased as the freshest ones. Remember that traditional non-organic sweet potatoes are often treated with chemicals inhibiting sprouting. You may also need to give them more room to sprout.
Size
Sweet potatoes are long, tapered tubers that can vary in size from a few inches to over a foot. Their flesh can be white, orange, or purple, and their skin can vary from brown to reddish or deep purple. They are sometimes mistaken for yams, so it is essential to know the difference.
Sweet potatoes can be frozen, but they must be cooked first. They can be diced or sliced before freezing. You can also boil and then cool the potatoes. After cooling, squeeze out any air. The ideal storage temperature for sweet potatoes is between 50 and 60 F. Store them in a cool, dark place away from heat or direct light.
The sweet potato can be grown in various climates, although it grows best in warm areas. They can withstand drought and heat. Most sweet potatoes come from the Southern United States, where they grow well. When developing your sweet potatoes, you can make them by using raised beds or mulching them with black plastic.
Sweet potato is similar to a yam but slightly smaller than a yam. Its skin looks like tree bark, and its flesh is orange. When purchasing a sweet potato, check the skin for bruising or cuts. Sweet potato should be small to medium in size, smooth, and without scratches.
Color
The color of sweet potatoes in the grocery store can be a misnomer. This is because the color of sweet potatoes in the grocery store may differ from yams. While the flesh of these root vegetables is similar to yams, they are not the same. When buying sweet potatoes, check the color and firmness of the skin.
Sweet potatoes are available in many different colors. Choose those with the color you prefer. These varieties are best for baking and roasting. Make sure to buy several types, as the skin sometimes represents the color inside. Once peeled, cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces and season them with salt. Lay the colorful sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Roast them at 375 degrees until tender.
Sweet potatoes and yams have similar colors, but the flesh of yams is much drier and has little flavor. However, the Louisiana yams were developed by a Louisiana State University faculty to make the flesh of sweet potatoes moister and more edible. Although the distinction between sweet potatoes and yams is becoming less important, consumers should be cautious when purchasing sweet potatoes at the grocery store.
When buying sweet potatoes, you should also check the texture. Sweet potatoes used to be firmer and paler when they first came to the United States. However, softer varieties were introduced over the years, which as the orange variety we’re familiar with today.
Pests
Before buying sweet potatoes from the grocery store, you must know how to pick them correctly. Sweet potatoes are susceptible to diseases and pests, and you must select disease-resistant varieties and disease-free slips. They also need to be kept in a sunny spot until they are ready for planting outdoors. Once grown outdoors, sweet potatoes will form roots and small leaves.
Sweet potatoes grow well in warm climates. In the South, they are more common. However, they can be grown in other regions if conditions are right. They need warm weather to grow correctly and taste great. If you can’t grow them in your area, consider growing them in a raised bed.
Sweet potatoes are available year-round, but their prime season is October and December. A medium-sized sweet potato contains nearly four times the recommended amount of Vitamin A, supporting bone development, vision health, and immune function. They are also high in fiber and manganese. Make sure to pick medium-sized sweet potatoes with smooth skin and red or rose-colored flesh. To store, place the potatoes in a dark, cool place. Please make sure they’re in a bag that allows air to circulate.
Once your sweet potatoes have reached the desired maturity, you can begin harvesting. Ideally, they’ll be ready for harvesting when their vine ends turn yellow. They should be harvested before frost in the northern parts of the country. An excellent technique to harvest sweet potatoes is to dig the roots of the plants by hand using small hand tools. Searching for them by hand can be rewarding and satisfying.
Storage
Once you’ve bought sweet potatoes at the grocery store, you should know how to store them to keep them fresh. The best way is to keep them in the fridge for up to five days, but if you’re storing them for a long time, you can freeze them instead. If you don’t plan on cooking them right away, they can last up to six months in the freezer.
Storing sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place is essential for their freshness. A root cellar or basement is the ideal place to keep them, and the temperature should be around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. They will lose their crispiness and spoil if you store them at a warmer temperature. Invest in a root cellar if you live in an area that never experiences deep freezes.
Another way to store sweet potatoes is by curing them. This process will help them resist decay and heal any bruises. You can place them in a large plastic grocery bag with punched holes for fixing. Then, please place them in a warm, sunny window for a couple of weeks or until they’re ready to eat.
Sweet potatoes can be stored for up to six months if properly stored. You can use a vegetable brush to gently brush the skin off the potatoes, preventing them from bruising. Otherwise, you can use a paring knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
