What are the next steps after digging sweet potatoes? How do I cure the spuds I have just dug? Due to a wetter-than-usual summer, the tubers are unusually large. I would like to ensure that I don’t lose them to decay.
I’ve just finished harvesting sweet potatoes in my own garden. Like you, this year’s harvest has yielded some of the biggest sweet potatoes ever.
Sweet potato varieties are ready to harvest 95 to 120 days after planting in the garden. When the leaves turn slightly yellow they are usually ready to harvest. Because they have thin skins sweet potatoes are easily damaged during harvest so extra care should be taken. Some people even go so far as to wear cotton gloves when harvesting as to not harm the potatoes. Cutting the vines 2 or 3 days before you plan to dig will toughen up the skins.
After harvest, the sweet potatoes should be cured. This involves placing the potatoes in a warm (85 degrees) humid (90 percent) environment for about 4 to 6 days to increase sugar content, heal nicks and bruises incurred during harvest, and increase flesh color.
Once cured, store your sweet potatoes in dry boxes or bins in a room that’s humid and 55 to 60 degrees F. The ideal place to store sweet potatoes is in a root cellar or cool pantry. Do not store them in the refrigerator because low temperatures will cause the sugars to turn to starch.
They can be stored for 6 to 10 months under good conditions.