Accidental Sweet Potato Growing

I had attempted to grow sweet potatoes in the past. I couldn't get anything to sprout.  However I left some sweet potatoes too long hanging out in a plastic bag and low and behold I have some sprouts.  I have heard it is near impossible to grow sweet potatoes here in the Pacific Northwest but I figured it was a sign when I had them growing on my counter.

I planted my slips (cuttings from sweet potato) in some containers on my deck.  In order to keep the soil warmer, I cut up ziploc bags and laid over the surface to help with heat retention.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised at my harvest.  I really wasn't sure if I would get anything. I got quite a few little ones.  I am going to mark this as a success.  Now I have to cure.  I have a couple of ideas. Sweet Potatoes have to be cured (heated up with humidity) so the starches turn into sugar. 

Helpful Links
10 tips
Growing Sweet Potatoes in Pacific Northwest
4 Simple Tips for Curing Sweet Potatoes
Growing Sweet Potatoes - Even in the North

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Heather's Sweet Taters

OK, I know this is a little out there.  Sometimes I get this wild crazy ideas, just ask my hubby. But I saw this really cool pin on pinterest on Sweet Potatoes at Outlaw Garden.  Then I read an article in Mother Earth June/July 2011 that it is possible to grow sweet potatoes this far north.  I am little late to start this but for a few dollars I thought I would try to grow my own sweet potato slips.  Here is my set up. 

Fred Meyer Organic Sweet Potato(left)   Trader Joe's Sweet Potato (Right)

One sweet potato is from Trader Joes (no idea if organic) the other is from Fred Meyer's (said organic).  I am using the method found at Outlaw Garden. Yes, I have entirely too much time on my hands.  I know that I probably won't have a sweet potato harvest this year but I wanted to see if I could even get slips.  I am all about the research. Maybe I will even generate some interest from the Wrecking Crew.