Snow is beginning to melt.  Temperatures are on the rise.  Now is the time to start sweet potato slips.  There are many ways to start sweet potatoes, but in this tutorial, we will show you a simple way that produces great results and can be done with resources already available in your kitchen.

Start with organic sweet potatoes from the store or from a previous harvest.  If you purchase conventionally grown sweet potatoes, they may have been irradiated to prevent sprouting.  A quick note about products labeled as yams – all products marketed as yams in the United States are technically still sweet potatoes. The “yams” you find in the store are usually a variety of sweet potato known as ‘Jewel’ – a selection with moist, orange flesh and orange-reddish skin.  The other variety, which is marketed as a sweet potato, is usually either ‘Jersey’ or ‘Hannah’.  Both Jersey and Hannah are characterized as having white or creamy, dry flesh, and creamy skin.  If you are fortunate enough to have access to a decent organic food co-op or natural food store, you may find other varieties as well.