Sweet freedom

Sweet freedom Make this your year for enjoying spuds that won’t fall foul of blight. Bob reveals how to grow sweet potatoes crops from molluscs

-  Bob

HAVE you tried growing sweet potatoes yet? These are surprisingly easy and remarkably productive. More importantly, they do not suffer blight, which is currently such a problem with ordinary potatoes.

Admittedly, they’re not very hardy (about the same as tomatoes), but they can be safely grown outside after the middle of this month. Then, ideally, they can be brought inside somewhere light and warm once the cold and frosts return in the autumn.

Sweet potatoes are best grown in tubs, sacks or re-used black plastic ‘compost’ bags. Turn bags inside out; it is neater and, being black, this keeps the insides warm. A longer season is desirable, as the yields increase rapidly towards the end when, taken under cover, the haulms will not be frosted and can wither, giving up all their resources to the tubers.