I’ll add Covington, Centennial to the early maturing list. Carolina Ruby needs 20 more days but worth it if one can cover the vines for last two weeks in October.
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I just wanted to follow up on this. There is a privately owned garden center about 40 minutes from our farm that sells 9 varieties of sweet potato slips that the owner grows out himself. He has been selling them for a very long time. I have bought slips from him for many years myself.
A few years ago, I asked the owner if I could buy sweet potatoes from him when he orders. He agreed, but I never got back to him. I decided to call him up and was able to put an order in with him and pick up is around April 1st.
He couldn’t tell me exactly what varieties I was ordering, because he was busy and didn’t have time to look it up. I could probably find the varieties in my records if I looked hard enough, but it really doesn’t matter because I trust the source.
Anyway, I just thought I would let folks know how this turned out for me. 
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I started mine March 1 in 7b/8a to produce slips ready to plant May 1. I lay the sweet potatoes in potting soil under plant lights to sprout them.
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I typically start mine in a hotbed outside under a low tunnel.
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Do you cover them completely or leave the tops uncovered?
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I use the same basic method as @jerryrva I just do it outdoors instead of indoors. I cover my seed sweet potatoes with about an inch of soil, but I’m sure you don’t really have to. I have started them inside in a pan of water. I lay them on their side and fill the pan so that half of the seed sweet potatoes are in the water and the other half are not. That’s the easiest way to get a lot in a small space.
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Tops uncovered as light stimulants sprouting. I have never done any outside as it’s too cold.
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Following up on this post. I was able to get 10 lbs each of Covington, Bonita White, Muasaky, and Beauregard. They were 2.99/lb. I also have a few purple and I think maybe some Puerto Rican from last fall.
I didn’t want to wash the purple off and I only have a few, so I also didn’t want to cut one up. I can’t remember the exact variety name of this purple one either.
The place I bought these from should have 4 or 5 other varieties of slips that I should be able to buy in about 30 days. I don’t want to buy seed potatoes next year, so I’m planning to hold more over.
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I started my sweet potatoes for slips 2 days ago. I have about 5 pounds of decent condition Bradshaw remaining. If you want them for cost of postage, DM an address. Alternatively, if you want some slips in about 30 days, I should have around 150 to 200 available.
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Buy slips this year and keep the entire crop for slips next year. 15 slips of garnet will give you 30-40 pounds of sweet potatoes to make slips with next year.
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Yes, that’s what I am actually going to try to do, but that isn’t going to help me this year.
How so? If you want to buy slips there are many businesses that sell them. Steele Plant Company has a good selection. Or you can simply buy some organic sweet potatoes from the store and make them yourself. It’s only early April so you still have plenty of time. In zone 6 you needn’t plant them outside before June. The short season varieties are fully mature in 90-100 days. I use soil in a plastic kitchen container and place on a heating mat in front of a south facing window. This method begins making slips in about one month.
My OP is about buying bulk sweet potato varieties the same place nurseries buy them to make my own slips. I am planning to plant 2-3 acres and selling some as well. I appreciate the time that you have spent contributing to this thread, however, I know how to make slips and plant sweet potatoes in my zone.
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I typically start mine in a hotbed outside under a low tunnel.
I did the same last year for the first time and it worked really well. Starting them outside seems like it will scale up much better. Sandhill Preservation mentions it might deter fungal issues as well but I’m no expert on that subject. Here’s a picture of how I started the slips last year. I did 3 varieties myself and purchased the rest of my slips. I’m increasing that to 18 of my own saved varieties this year. As long as they keep holding up in the basement. So far so good.
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Becca’s Purple is a variety that might have some good market potential. It does well here in the upper midwest unlike other purple varieties like Okinawa. It gets good sweetness, nice texture, and it’s easy to harvest right under the plant. Not sure if you’ll find it in bulk from the commercial nurseries, but if you do it’s worth trying. Wasn’t my absolute favorite purple variety, but probably has the best potential for commercial growing out of the ones I’ve tried so far.
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Your photo looks very much like what mine looked like last year. Sand Hill Perservation Center starts theirs in ground, which I used to do as well. The nursery that I bought my seed potatoes from starts them in large crate boxes or crate skids. He harvests them as people buy them, it’s a really nice system, so that’s what I am planning to have my little girls (7 and 10) do to sell. I am helping them take over our farm stand.
We have two farm sites for produce growing, we sell at one and only grow at the other site. I’m planning on starting the ones that I’m going to plant at the other site in ground, most likely in a low tunnel.
Thanks for the Becca’s Purple recommendation. I am thinking of ordering some slips from Sand Hill, the closeouts. I’ll put that on the list if they have them.
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Those large crates are pretty slick. That would definitely allow for more control. Keep us posted how it works for you. I grew about 200 pounds of sweet potatoes last year and my goal is to get to 2000 pounds, which should cover us for a whole year. I figure if I can double my production every year I’ll get there sooner than later. Systems like this should help. Thanks for sharing!
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You can typically get those big (melon and potato) boxes for free at grocery stores if you notice that it’s empty and you ask. Alternatively, if you live near a produce auction, you can typically buy them from the auction house.
Good job growing 200 pounds last year! Keep it up… like you said, just doubling your production each year will get you to your goal in a few years.
Good tip! I’ll have to wander around my local grocery stores and see what I can find.
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