Sweet potatoes - have I done it wrong?

[confused of chalus]

At the end of January I bought a sweet potato from the supermarket, scrubbed it (to remove growth inhibitor?) and put it balanced in a cup on top of the fridge (to get the heat from the condenser). Absolutely nothing has happened! It looks as fresh as the day I bought it. No sprouting. zilch. So assuming I wont get any sweet potatoes this year, what shall I do next year to get it started.

[5-element]

 

It's exactly what has happened to me for 2 years running... but if you leave the potato be, by mid-summer it might start sprouting - by then the anti-sprouting chemical will have worn off, but by then it's clearly too late to put the shoots in the ground...

This year I did not bother, but I would have scrubbed it like you did, as someone suggested. It doesn't sound like it works, though.

I think some companies might sell "chittings" (is that what it's called?) but I don't know which, and they are probably UK-based?

 

 

[JandM]

Would it be worth trying bio/organic sweet potatoes, which presumably haven't had the growth inhibitor treatment?

[5-element]

It may well be - but I can't get those where I live - in fact, sweet potatoes are still considered as a bit exotic even now - although they seem to be in most allotments in Portugal...

[vissac]

I planted some of the decorative varieties in my baskets last year. When I came to empty them they had produced tubers! The light green variety produced  round tubers and the dark purply one long slender ones. Double value. They tasted all right as well.

[confused of chalus]

Well, I think I'll eat the one I've been trying with and have another go next year -perhaps I might be able to find organic ones as there seem to be more bio vegetables available in our area now.

Thanks for the replies - and if anyone comes up with a surefire answer I'll be looking for it round january next year!

[foxyloxy25]

Can't help with the chitting process, though you might find something about that on the Gardener's World web site or the Kitchen Garden one, not absolutely sure. You cn buy them from Thompson and Morgan who will only post to an English address, they are delivered in May.