Plant Pathology Infobytes

September 9, 1999
Healthier Sweetpotatoes - Digging Tips

A planting of sweetpotatoes doesn't fit into every home garden, but if you're lucky enough to have the space for a crop, it's getting close to 'tater digging time. You might want to check a few hills to get an idea of when you need to get your crop out of the ground.

When you decide to harvest, there are a few practices which will help you avoid fungus and bacterial rots that frequently reduce quality of freshly harvested roots. The following guidelines will help insure a healthier harvest and extend sweetpotato storage life.

  • If possible, wait for a rain to avoid having to harvest roots from bone-dry soil. Sweetpotatoes harvested when the soil is dry are more likely "skin-up" to as they are lifted from the soil. Damaged roots are more susceptible to rot, so try to time your harvest until soil moisture conditions are right.
  • Remove vines ahead of harvest to allow determination of row centers. This will allow best placement of harvesting implements and result in fewer cut roots.
  • Avoid bruising roots when placing into field harvest containers.
  • Don't delay your harvest too far into the season; if you wait until the soil is cold and wet, it's almost a sure thing that you'll lose a good part of your roots to bacterial soft rot, which attacks late-harvested roots.
  • Store only firm sweetpotatoes that are free of diseases and other blemishes and bruises. Soft roots affected by bacterial soft rot are likely to "mush" and cause deterioration of other roots stored in the same container.
  • Place sweetpotatoes in clean containers and allow for adequate ventilation under and around containers during storage.
  • If possible, cure the roots at 80 - 85 degrees F for 7 - 10 days at 70 to 90% humidity for proper healing of wounds.
  • After curing, sort out and remove roots showing symptoms of decay that developed during curing conditions.
  • Store sweetpotatoes at 50 - 55 F and 85% humidity for best keeping.

For more information on sweetpotatoes and what can be done with these power-packed sources of vitamins A, C, and other vitamins and minerals, check by the County Extension Office.


Written by the late Dr. Frank Killebrew

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