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Considering develop your own sweet potatoes , huh ? Trust me , I ’ve been there – dreaming of those delicious , homegrown tubers coming straight from the garden . But before you dive headlong into sweet-smelling potato cultivation , permit ’s talk about the not - so - sweet side of things .
Picture this : you ’re out in your garden , tending to your plants with love and guardianship , and suddenly … bang ! You encounter some unexpected challenge along the way . That ’s right , maturate sweet tater is n’t all sunshine and rainbows .
They have a knack for attracting all sort of pests and fungi that can work mayhem on your other plants . To make matter worse , they ’re not shy about spreading viruses and bacterial diseases either .
So , the question remains : are they really worth the bother ?
Listen , I ’m not here to sugarcoat things – by exploring the downsides , you ’ll have a unclouded moving picture to make an informed decision on whether you should develop sweet potatoes or not !
1. Lots Of Harmful Garden Pests Like To Munch On Some Sweet Potatoes
It ’s no secret that sweet potatoes can be a magnet for pest , but here ’s the kicker : once those critter get a mouthful of your potatoes , they ’re not stopping there .
Oh no , they ’re eyeball your intact vegetable piece like it ’s an all - you - can - eat sideboard !
Aphids , whiteflies , wireworms , mellifluous white potato weevils , and root - knot nematodesare just a few of the garden raiders that care to snack on ascendant vegetable . And when they round , they canwreak mayhem .
Do n’t allow those bantam insects discourage you from growing sweet potatoes ! Many gardener , let in myself , have found success byusing words covers and keep our garden unclouded .
Other helpful strategies arerotating your cropsandusing constitutive insecticideslike diatomaceous earth when need .
This might be useful : These 10 Pest - Repellent works Will Keep Bugs off From Your Yard
2. Fungi Are Also Huge Fans
Fungi can be a real headache in the garden , particularly when they decide to point cherubic potatoes and nearby plants .
Fungal disease likeFusarium wilt disease , theme bunk , andpowdery mildewcan sneak in , outspread , and cause stunted growth of your veggies . Companion plant can alsofall victimto fungal infections , chair toa domino gist of craw damage .
Just think , you see your veggies happy and flourishing … and all of a suddenthey all begin to droop and twist yellow . If this happens , thenfungi are most potential to blame .
You know , kingdom Fungi are knotty cookies – once they get in , it ’s punishing to get disembarrass of them .
I adjudicate to go fordisease resistant odorous potato varieties , like Vermilion or Orlean . Butsimple dirt amendmentsandgood air circulationcan significantly reduce risk of fungal disease , especially if you alsoavoid overhead watering .
Applyingfungicidesororganic redress like neem oilcan also help keep these vexation out .
With this proactive approach , you’re able to ensure that your sweet potatoes are not the fungi ’s target !
Related : Top Tips For How And When To Harvest Sweet murphy
3. Sweet Potato Virus Disease Is No Joke
Sweet potato viruses are a serious terror to mellifluous potato crops worldwide , causingmajor lossesfor so many gardeners out there .
First up , there ’s SPVD , also known assweet white potato virus disease . This sneaky virus fix with our sweet potatoes , causing all sorts of trouble likeleaf distortionandstunted growth . Not cool , SPVD , not coolheaded .
Then there ’s SPFMV , orsweet potato feathery mottle virus . Your sweet potatoes might end up look allfeatheryandmottled – not exactly the Instagram - worthy garden you were aiming for , right-hand ?
Last but not least , we ’ve get SPCSV , commonly calledsweet potato greensick stunt computer virus . This one ’s like the party pooper of the grouping , stunting growthand turn oursweet spud dreaming into a bit of a nightmare .
No worry , as we are fighting back with resistive varieties , good practices , and maybe a small extra sexual love for our unfermented spuds .
grow fresh potato in your garden might not always be a walk in the park , but hey , what in life is ?
Sure , we ’ve got pests , fungi , and viruses knocking at our garden gates , but is n’t that just part of the adventure ?
As for me , I see it as a challenge worth taking on – a chance to bend my gardening muscles , get originative with solutions , and maybe even learn a affair or two along the way .
intrust me , when those fresh Irish potato finally land on my garden plateful , every bit of campaign feels completely worthwhile!Also read : Here ’s How To mature 100 Pounds Of Sweet Potatoes From 1 Sweet Potato
