solve this problem please ? Appreciate your advice. Thanks. May I know how do I prevent this situation ? Are the plants still edible ?
If you look on the undersides of the leaves, you will notice very small dots, and webbing. Some may be black, brown or orange, and they are alive!
Spider mites cause this damage. This is a problem that needs to be solved as fast as possible, as it will devastate your crop, completely.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-treatment.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/are-sweet-potato-leaves-edible.htm
Thanks so much for the advice. I appreciate it.
2 with each shoot. Will the rooted shoots produce more vines or have I lost them this year?
Transplanted slips or sprouts die or do not produce vines. Remedy: Sweet potato transplants (slips) must be kept evenly moist until they root. Transplant out slips that are good sized, not slips that are thin or frail. Set transplants in the ground up to their top leaves; bury the remaining nodes so that they will root.
The slips that have lost all the leaves will not likely survive.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/grow-sweet-potatoes.htm
Is there more than one correct way to plant sweet potatoes?
There are a number of methods. The easiest is to take the tip of an existing plant, and place it in moist soil. It will root itself, and produce a plant from there. Otherwise, you can leave a sweet potato out in some light until you notice slips growing out. Take one of these, and let it root into soil.
This article will help you to grow sweet potatoes: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/grow-sweet-potatoes.htm
I checked underside and found these green clear bugs. Not sure if aphids or not. Also thinking there are multiple pests due to leaf holes and black spots.
I do see multiple pests. Treating for the two most harmful to your plant at the moment will clear them all.
You will want to treat for spider mites, and for fungal infection.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-treatment.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/spider-mite-control.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/what-are-organic-pesticides.htm
I'm an experienced gardener and have taken all the steps I can think of to increase productivity, e.g. plant rotation, soil tests, watering. My plants look very healthy and produce plenty of vines, shoots and other vegetation above the ground. But the roots produce little or nothing.
Additional information about this question: Other vegetable plants, including tomatoes, peppers, beans, okra, Brussels sprouts etc. grow very productively in this garden,
vegetable supplier brought them in. I want to try grow them in containers ( I also have a small apartment and no yard to speak of and so my only option is to grow them in containers. I just read your article and looks like sweet potatoes like warm weather- another plus for me since Manaus is hot just about all year, even in rainy season. Can I successfully grow my own sweet potatoes this way ?
A recommended soil mix includes loam, perlite, sand and peat moss. These plants like to be regularly trimmed, and prefer a soil pH of 5.6 to 6.5. Tubers should be planted about a foot apart, so you'll need a large container. Water them at the base when the leaves look a little wilted.
Here's an article with tips for growing yams: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/oca/growing-new-zealand-yams.htm
How to do it
This article should tell you everything you need to know:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/harvesting-sweet-potatoes.htm