Farm Plan 2014
I'm putting in an order for 500 certified Sweet Potato slips for FeF for the 2014 crop year. Should be ready for planting the second/third week of May!
If you got your new crop of city slicker/helpers in there are a few things you could have them do to prepare the ground:
Till the hell out of it. I remember 2 years ago when we did this with a rear-tine and your ground is like concrete, the more you can loosen up the soil the better they will do. You have a PTO on the LifeTrac yet? That would be best. Put down some N, P and K. (If you are going organic-rabbit manure will work, it's too late for chicken or cow manure at this point...) I've had the best luck when I planted them in long rows of loose raised/mounded dirt. May 1st cover the long rows with black plastic to start killing the weeds and warming up the soil and prepare for planting. (You could use round bales for this too, it just won't work as well). The round bale idea would help hold in moisture for the hot summer months, but will also introduce weed seed too. Setup irrigation, could be as simple as getting some long hoses setup, or could make an automated system with plastic piping, a pump and a central water source feeding at the end. (did you get an irrigation pond setup yet?) Start more slips, eventually you want to be able to use last years crop and make your own slips (http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-plant-and-grow-sweet-potatoes/index.html) but that might be a little ways down the road...probably should get a handle on how to have a successful crop using certified slips first. Always interested to hear what's happening at FeF, hope everyone is doing well and staying warm!
Tim
Growing Sweet Potatoes in Missouri http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G6368
Tomato
