October is here, which means it’s time to harvest your sweet potatoes! A question I often get is, “How will I know when it’s time to harvest my sweet potatoes”? I will tell them two things…

The first thing to do is take a peek! In September follow a sweet potato vine to where it grows from the ground and with a garden trowel loosen the soil around the vine until you find a potato. This will give you a good indication of the size of the rest of your sweet potatoes. Depending on how warm September and October are, you may have a few more weeks left for your sweet potatoes to grow.

Second, watch out for drastic changes in the weather. If nighttime temperatures consistently fall to 50 degrees or below your sweet potatoes it’s time to dig them out, because they are no longer growing. If the temperature falls below 40 degrees you run the risk of damaging your potatoes causing them to turn mealy.
Pro tip: watch for rain and plan to harvest your sweet potatoes when the garden is dry. Nothing is worse than digging into wet soil while looking for sweet potatoes.
Watch this video on how to harvest your potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamins A, C and B6. Vitamin B6 is important for brain health and helps with things like memory, mood, and focus. They also have the  beneficial  minerals manganese and potassium. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals, but they are also delicious in savory and sweet dishes. Try these recipes below!

Roasted Sweet Potato Wild Rice Arugula Salad

Sweet Potato Muffins by food blogger A Couple Cooks

Happy Harvesting!