Sweet Potato Orleans plants - Ipomoea batatas

The Orleans sweet potato is a variety that produces tubers with pink skin and orange flesh. The sweet potato is a root vegetable native to South America. Its elongated tuber can be cooked like a potato with a slightly sweet taste. The plant's foliage is very decorative. The plug plants of this variety can be planted from April to June, after the last frost, in open ground, under cover or in pots, depending on the climate. Harvesting can be done from September to November. This perennial plant is only about twenty centimetres tall and can spread several metres wide thanks to its long creeping stems. Belonging to the Convolvulaceae family and the genus Ipomoea, it has very decorative foliage. Some varieties have been selected for their foliage and can be used in gardens as ornamental plants, such as the Ipomoea 'Illusion Midnight Lace' or the Ipomoea 'Sweet Heart Purple'.

Vegetable varieties produce elongated tubers with flesh colours ranging from white, yellow, and orange to purple. This exotic plant needs warmth and water to grow. It can be planted in open ground in regions with hot summers. In cooler areas, opt for cultivation under cover or in pots.

In terms of cooking, the sweet potato can be prepared like a potato (mashed, gratins, etc.). Its sweet taste also allows it to be used in desserts such as cakes, pies, or jams. The edible leaves can be consumed like spinach. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin B6, and minerals (copper and manganese).

Harvesting: Sweet potatoes are short-day plants. Tuber formation begins in September-October when the foliage turns yellow. Just before harvesting, cut the foliage. Gently dig out the tubers with a garden fork, not damaging them. Let them dry in the sun for a few hours. Harvesting should be completed before the first frost.

Storage: Sweet potatoes can be stored like potatoes. Store them in a cool, dry place away from light.

Gardener's tip: Although the plant provides ground cover, mulch the soil to keep it moist and reduce weed growth, especially at the beginning of cultivation.