Sweet Potatoes
Although sweet potatoes have been grown in New York, they have received much more attention in the last couple of years due to the value of the health benefits it offers. Even though acreage is not normally recorded, we estimate that there are over 200 acres of sweet potatoes being grown throughout NYS. However, due to the long growing season that is required (100 days plus), they are generally produced on raised beds mulched with black plastic. Orange skinned, orange fleshed types are the dominant types grown here, but there are also white skinned, white fleshed and orange skinned, white fleshed varieties grown in the state. Sweet potatoes have also gained popularity with organic producers to replace winter squash production due to the fact that they have almost no disease or insect problems when grown here and can be stored longer then winter squash in many cases. The increase in winter farmer's markets or winter CSA shares has also increased sweet potato production in NY. However, deer and mice can be major vertebrate pests of sweet potatoes. Variety trials, plant density research and the use of floating rowcovers for increased production are being evaluated in the Capital District region of NY.2022 Annual Sweet Potato Report
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2023 Annual Sweet Potato Research Report
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Reminder on Calculating Fertigation Rates for Plastic Mulches
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2020 Sweet Potato Variety Trial Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
See the results of our 2020 sweet potato variety trial conducted in Coumbia and Orange Counties, NY.
2019 Sweet Potato Variety, Slip Production, Slip Size Trials
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Reports, charts, results and information from our 2019 sweet potato trials which included a variety trial, a slip production trial and a slip grading trial. These documents are in pdfs.
Tips for Harvesting and Curing Sweet Potatoes
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The days are getting shorter and the days cooler and I've been getting some calls about harvesting sweet potatoes. This article will help you ensure you harvest the best quality sweet potatoes.
Considerations When Planting Sweet Potatoes
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
2018 Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference Vegetable Presentations
Presentations from the 2018 ENYCHP Eastern New York Fruit & Vegetable Conference held February 20th and 21st for the vegetable sections.
Winter Storage Keys to Success - Vegetable Crops
Key topics covered:
- Growing a healthy Crop and keeping it that way in storage
- Storage conditions
- Construction of coolers
- Controls and Thermostats
- Monitoring and more advanced controls
Responding to Hailstorms
Crystal Stewart-Courtens, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
While no one wants to think about the possibility of hail hitting their beautiful crops just as they start to respond to the heat and take off, the likelihood that we will see more hail seems pretty high. So let's talk about it.
Improving the Quality and Yield of Sweet Potatoes in New York: 2010 Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
The Capital District Vegetable and Small Fruit Program is actively researching how to improve the yield and quality of sweet potatoes grown in NY. In 2010, 6 different varieties, IRT vs. black plastic and different spacing configurations were evaluated. See the full pdf file for the full report.
Improving the Quality and Yield of Sweet Potatoes in New York: 2011 Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture

Upcoming Events
New York State Agritourism Conference
November 10 - November 11, 2025 : New York State Agritourism Conference
Saratoga Springs, NY
The first-ever New York State Agritourism Conference, hosted by the CCE Agritourism Program Work Team, is designed to support farms in growing successful visitor experiences. This statewide gathering will feature expert-led sessions, peer networking, and practical tools to help farms expand direct sales, education, hospitality, and entertainment offerings.
Date:
- November 10: A full day of educational sessions targeted at beginning or experienced agritourism operators.
- November 11: A half-day, interactive networking session with fellow attendees.
ASL 104sp Seleccion y organizacion del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) taught in Spanish
November 12, 2025 : ASL 104sp Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) in Spanish
ASL104-SP: Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team - impartido en español) ¡Inscripciones abiertas!
En este curso identificamos cómo escribir descripciones de puestos disponibles en el trabajo para atraer a los mejores candidatos. Aprenderá a encontrar empleados con un perfil deseado, cómo entrevistar y seleccionar a las personas adecuadas. Descubrirá cómo completar la documentación de nuevos empleados, la autorización de empleo y la contratación de personal (on-boarding): es decir, cómo efectivamente incorporar nuevos empleados al rancho en una manera exitosa y productiva.
Los temas incluyen:
- Convertirse en un lugar de trabajar preferido
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Inicio del curso: miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2025
Discusiones en vivo por Zoom: Cada martes 18 de noviembre - 23 de diciembre, de 1:00 a 2:00 p.m. (hora del Este)
ASL 105 Employee Development and Training
November 17, 2025 : ASL 105: Employment Development and Training
ASL105: Employee Development and Training
Three leadership practices are essential for supervisors: setting clear expectations, employee training and development, and providing performance feedback.
In Employee Development and Training you will learn best practices to plan and conduct training that engages employees, supports retention, and helps ensure great quality work. You will also learn how to create a culture of continuous learning and performance improvement through employee development, coaching, and career planning. This is a 6-week online course, taught in English.
Topics include:
- Planning effective training programs
- Onboarding new employees
- On the job training
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- Creating a culture for continuous learning
- Coaching and career planning
Course begins: Wednesday, November 12 Live Zoom discussions: Tuesdays, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET beginning November 18 through December 23.
Registration closes November 17 at 5 PM ET.
