Author Topic: Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout  (Read 1943 times)

Monk

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Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout
« on: November 25, 2019, 07:03:03 PM »
Hi does anyone know why some sweet potatoes I bought from the store won’t sprout? I bought five varieties and two varieties didn’t sprout. I tried the purple sweet potatoes three times from three different stores with no luck. The purple potato had “purple yam” labeled at the store and the other one also had a yam label I think. Has it been treated with something to prevent it from sprouting? if so can I do anything to get it to sprout? The purple one look like HAWAIIAN OKINAWAN SWEET POTATO

vall

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Re: Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2019, 02:33:08 PM »
I've had that problem too, even organic ones that shouldn't be sprayed or treated, often just won't sprout. I suspect they have been chilled too much.  I had much better success with sweet potatoes from the farmers market.
- Val

Monk

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Re: Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2019, 07:00:16 PM »
I’ve never thought of them being overly chilled but it is very possible! Well whatever the reason is I give up on trying to sprout the purple yams from grocery stores😂

Anolis

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Re: Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2019, 01:42:46 PM »
If the sweet potatoes were imported they were likely irradiated, and sprayed with sprout inhibitors. Your best bet would be to find some organically grown produce grown here in the US, or you could just purchase some slips online.


pineislander

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Re: Grocery store sweet potatoes won’t sprout
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2019, 04:46:48 PM »
The white/buff skinned mottled/purple fleshed Okinawan sweet potatoes don't sprout very well. I eventually got some going by slips from somone else. The vines, however, are vrey difficult to ever remove once they get going every piece left keeps on growing.
https://www.friedas.com/products/okinawan-sweet-potato/

This one should work:
https://products.wholefoodsmarket.com/product/organic-stokes-purple-sweet-potatoes-f547ec