# I learned something new. Sweet Potatoes



## Onebigelf (Sep 17, 2011)

I found out that the LEAVES of sweet potato plants are edible. Very popular in the Caribbean and cooked/used much like spinach. That makes the plant double edible. I've got a vacant lot next to me, I'm thinking about planting them and letting them go wild.

John


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

I'm not sure they will go wild. It isn't like you'd be growing Kudzu or something.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

It would be so much more immensely wiser to lease the lot out to someone to grow a winter crop of onions, or carrots, or greens, etc., etc.,.....
http://niceville.com/Garden/FYF/Guides/CoolVeg.htm

Forget letting sweet potatoes go wild....please.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

sweet potato leaves are delicious! I grew one in my house for greenery, and ate the trimmings I took to keep it in check. Yummy! However it winter kills around here, so it is a summer only delicacy in any large amount. The nice thing about the house plant route, is that I grew my own sweet potato starts in the spring for the garden....then saved a root for the houseplants....goes on forever!

(oh yes, I am also looking for my download on how to eat Kudzu, since you reminded me of it....)


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Onebigelf, you may have just made my day!

I can grow sweet potatoes out the yazoo, if the tops are also edible(and taste good) I see the garden going to a full acre next year.

Will let you guys know how it goes in the spring.

Morning Glories are in the sweet potato family, I wonder if those leaves are edible also? Anyone have any input on that? If they can be eaten and are at all tastey, my property value just took a big jump.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Are they eaten like salad greens, cooked or what?

I'm going to get my shoots started around Christmas and I can get the vines in the ground in March usually so I guess we could be eating leaves around the middle to end of April.



kappydell said:


> sweet potato leaves are delicious! I grew one in my house for greenery, and ate the trimmings I took to keep it in check. Yummy! However it winter kills around here, so it is a summer only delicacy in any large amount. The nice thing about the house plant route, is that I grew my own sweet potato starts in the spring for the garden....then saved a root for the houseplants....goes on forever!
> 
> (oh yes, I am also looking for my download on how to eat Kudzu, since you reminded me of it....)


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Davarm, you can eat the leaves raw or cooked.


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## WoodRose (Dec 13, 2012)

Grew them years ago in MS, the ground was basically churt and gravel. They grew so easily - huge potatoes and the vines were beautiful. We ate the tips, as well. Great crop choice. The only problem we had was storage of the potatoes - wrapped them in newspaper, but they went bad after a while, anyway.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

There's nothing new here, google sweet potato vines for fodder. It's always been a double duty crop.

Many years ago when we raised rabbits they loved the sweet potato vines (among other things) from the garden.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

....and I would think morning glory vines would also make good fodder...:

feed morning glory vines to the rabbits


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## alwaysready (May 16, 2012)

I first ate them in the early 80's while stationed in the Philippines. They weren't bad. I was told that they have a medicinal benifits just can't remember what they were.


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