purple sweet potatoes

[kingoceanos]

Hi, I am getting ready to start my veggies and wanted to know if any one was growing purple sweet potatoes? I haven't tried one yet, so how does it taste compared to regular sweet potatoes? I also heard you could eat the leaves, also which type is the best?
Thanks

[jkuo]

Never tried the purple variety. As to eating the leaves, I wouldn't think there would be much a difference between varieties other than appearance. They should all cook and taste similar. We generally saute young sweet potato leaves with garlic, or prepare them like we would with other cooked greens. Of the whopping 3 varieties I've tried, the leaves all seem to taste the seem--vaguely spinachy.

[kingoceanos]

Thank you, I like most greens, however wifey is pretty set on spinach so hopefully these will taste similar enough for her liking.

[CoolClimateFigger]

If she likes spinach, have you ever tried Malibar Spinach? It's a vineing spinach and does well in the heat. The red stemmed variety is really pretty.

[Courtney]

I am growing the Japanese kind and they are different than the regular sweet potatoes in the store. They are much sweeter and of course, delicious!!!

[kingoceanos]

I love sweet things too and these are supposed to be healthy. I am going to one of the better nurseries today to see what they have to offer. Wish I could call, but weekends are busy.

[Courtney]

I also make soup out of the leaves, add shrimp, scallions and cilantro, and it's delicious! Yes, stir fry will do just as well!

[cis4elk]

Take this for what it's worth because there can be so many variables that effect the outcome of vegetables. This last Christmas I bought plain(yams) and purple sweet potatoes, that day with those potatoes the regular(probably Jewel or Beauregard) were much better. In terms of sweetness the regular were a touch sweeter and that is where the variable is, but texture was the put-off for me. The purple ones were texturally different, I don't remember if they were pastey or what, they looked really nice when I bought them and decided to pay a little more for something different..but I won't buy them again because the orange ones were just all around better.

[kingoceanos]

Well the nursery didn't have any today, but surprise I stopped at sprouts and they had the stokes purple sweet potatoes, they were even on sale. So I bought several, some to cook and some to start slips if (wifey) A.K.A. the boss decides she likes them.

[dls]

Stokes purple sweet potatoes are the best. Enjoy!

[kingoceanos]

Thank you.

[Visceral]

Hi, I am getting ready to start my veggies and wanted to know if any one was growing purple sweet potatoes? I haven't tried one yet, so how does it taste compared to regular sweet potatoes? I also heard you could eat the leaves, also which type is the best?
Thanks

Are you planning on planting them in raised beds? I'm wanting to get some Japanese red slips and maybe some purples

I think they would do better in loose soil, so for me raised bed seems to be the way to go.

I think the typical orange sweet potatoes you get at the steakhouse are bleh. I like the dryer Asian varieties.

[kingoceanos]

Yep, raised beds is the way to go for me. I'm getting old quick and it will save my back in the long run, I used cinder blocks and cement pads to make the beds, they are about two feet tall.

[Courtney]

There are so many Asian varieties that you can try! Slips should grow wild in your TX area, just about now!!

[Visceral]

Courtney - I hope they grow like crazy. We definitely have the heat they like. I am growing my own slips from some Asian sweet potatoes in water right now. I hope to have them big enough to put in the dirt by the end of April.

[Hot Stuff]

I'm planning on growing some this spring as well.