Something ravaged my sweet potato crop last year - this year = prevention methods.

[nc4bo]

Whatever it was (moles?) left me chewed off big sweets and lots of little dinky ones - they went after the big ones.

Don't think I'm going to plant sweets this year (have one budding on the table so might do that one) but I definitely want to try regular potatoes.

So I was thinking of using the tire method but don't want whatever critter it was to dig UP through the center of the tire pile and hog up the potatoes.

Was wondering if I could dig a short hole and line with screen netting (think little bigger than window screens) to block the critter and start piling my potato tires on top. Shouldn't have drainage problems or would I?

Good idea or not? Other ideas would be appreciated!

[Denninmi]

1. Probably voles, actually.

Between those and deer my sweet potatoes were a near total failure two years in a row.

Voles eat the tubers underground, leaving something between nibbled tubers and nothing left at all.

Lining the base of your tires with wire mesh would be an excellent idea, but I wouldn't rely on window screen, since they will chew right through it. I would use 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth. It won't interfere at all with drainage.

I am going to try again this year in containers, and keep them right up against my greehouse where Bambi won't go.

[nc4bo]

3. Ah ha - I never thought of voles. Everything above ground was beautiful and blooming...grrr.

and was so hyped when I dug them in the fall just for a huge let down. Good Luck this year and I hope the deer stay away!!!

Thanks so much for the suggestion!!

[WhiteTara]

2. I use chicken wire

to keep the little varmits out. I haven't grown sweet potatoes before...how do you do it?

White Potatoes are a cinch. I use alternate straw and soil to mound the earlies and to fill the bin with the winter potatoes.

[nc4bo]

4. Sweets are a breeze to grow, really. You can even use sprouting ones from the store

just stab 3-4 toothpicks around the outside of a sweet potato, place in a container so the bottom is in water and the toothpicks hold the potato secure in the container, roots will grow and sprouts will grow out the top. You can cut out the sprouts and place in water (they will grow there) or just plant in the dirt. Sweet potatoes have the most beautiful blossoms you can admire in your garden too!

They are eager to grow, are pretty low maintenance and you will get plenty of sweets.

[WhiteTara]

6. so after the roots appear, plant it?

That's all? Wow. I'll have some sweet potatoes this year! Oh, when is the best time to plant?

[Retrograde]

5. Wouldn't chicken wire be too loose?

I have Western pocket gophers who can get through the openings in chicken wire: for most plants I make little baskets of hardware cloth to put the transplants in so they can get a chance to develop a decent root system. For potatoes I'm using a grow bag: the tops look fine but it's too early to tell how successful it is.

The best deterrent I ever had for ground critters was a cat who liked to hunt rodents and didn't believe in sharing. The current one just sleeps in the garden: I'm hoping his presence will be enough to annoy the (*&^%$# gophers somewhere else.

PS: ornamental sweet potatoes - the ones grown for the unusual foliage - will produce teeny tiny 1/2" long sweet potatoes. I found this out after the squirrels uprooted the potted ones.