Your comments and tips

29 Apr 14, Jaizi (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Jan, I'm growing sweet potatoes in Temperate too. They grow really easily here actually, but mine have never died back like it says. You just have to dig around and see if they are a good size. You don't even have to harvest to whole plant, just a couple of tubers at a time and let it keep on growing. They are also really easy to transplant to another area, they're just an all-round hardy food plant. The hard part of transplanting is to make sure you get it all, otherwise you'll have them re-sprout. Jaizi

Reply or Post a new comment

22 Mar 14, John (Australia - temperate climate)

I have 2 sweet potatoes that have grown shoots whilst in the cupboard . If i cut them in half can I use half and plant the other half or should I allow the shoots to continue growing and plant those later . Its autumn now.. I have a plot I can use that would be sheltered from frost although we only get a couple each year

Reply or Post a new comment

26 Sep 13, Debbie (Australia - temperate climate)

We are ex-pat Kiwis and now live near Port Macquarie NSW. Could you please tell us where we can access some real NZ Kumara plants?

Reply or Post a new comment

09 Apr 14, David (Australia - temperate climate)

I believe that it is illegal to import NZ kumara to Australia, so you will only be able to obtain propagating material from someone who has been growing it for years or has obtained it illegally. That said, it is certainly not impossible to find people growing it, but they probably won't be advertising it. Keep putting feelers out in forums like this. (0r you might be able to buy some from a supermarket and sprout that - Liz)

Reply or Post a new comment

08 May 14, Glen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi David. Not sure if it's kiwi kumera they have but check out The Diggera Club online. They even have NZ yams on there and post plants nationwide from Victoria. Hope this helps

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Feb 13, D JAMES (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Can anyone tell me if all sweet potatoe vines leaves are edible I am a bit of a collector and have now about 5 different types of these real streetfighting trifods. They are such a wonderful tasty sustainable easy to grow plant everyone should have some in their garden.

Reply or Post a new comment

23 Feb 14, Elisabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi D James, I just harvested the tips for my vietnamese friend, she just loves them, but made it clear the fresh tips. You can use them in soups as well. She stir fries them with wood ear mushrooms and other yummy flavours. She also eats the fresh tips of the pumpkin vines as well and does something similar. I think that we need to tap into these cultures that still have a lot of their traditional foods. E Rajesh

Reply or Post a new comment

13 Apr 14, Pat (Australia - temperate climate)

The leaves are edible. In Asia, people eat mostly the leaves. You can stir fry them with chilli and oyster sauce, or with curry powder.

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Dec 12, Nyasha (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I am growing sweet potatoes for the first time. Got the tubers from the supermarket and kept them in my veggie drawer until they sprouted (approx. 1 month). I planted out 4 tubers in an area 3m x3m in August. I was told each vine would only reach 2 metres, but mine are growing a bit wild. I have had to cut the tips of the vines off because I have ran out of space. How often should sweet potatoes be watered?

Reply or Post a new comment

17 Dec 12, Simone (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have wanted to grow sweet pot for few years now. What size plot do we need for sweet potato? How big does a single tuber grow to?

Reply or Post a new comment