At Sand Candy, we’ve been growing the highest-quality sweet potatoes for decades. It’s our boots on the ground, and that’s something we’re proud of.

Sprout Initiation

Sweet potatoes are not started from seeds; instead, they sprout from cuttings known as “sprouts” or “slips.” We initiate this process by cultivating sprouts in a controlled environment like a greenhouse.

Bedding

We employ unique methods for sprout initiation, such as “bedding.” In this process, seed potatoes are placed on the ground, covered with a thin layer of soil and often protected with plastic. This usually occurs in the early months, such as March.

Transplanting

Sprouts are then cut and carefully transplanted from the greenhouse to the open field. This typically takes place in the months of May and June.

Planting

Using specialized machinery, sprouts are planted in rows in large-scale operations. The growing period takes approximately 90 to 120 frost-free days, during which sweet potatoes develop underground.

Harvesting

Once the growing period concludes, sweet potatoes are ready for harvesting. Rows are often plowed, and the sweet potatoes are unearthed, flipped onto the ground, and left to dry.

Grading

Post-harvest, sweet potatoes undergo a meticulous grading process. Workers in the field or machines sort them based on size before packaging. Larger sweet potatoes may be classified as “jumbos,” while smaller ones are designated as “canners.”

Curing

To enhance sweetness and skin durability, sweet potatoes are cured. This process involves exposing them to specific temperature and humidity conditions for 4-7 days.

Storage

After curing, sweet potatoes can be stored for an extended period. Storage conditions involve maintaining specific temperatures and relative humidity levels, allowing sweet potatoes to remain fresh for up to a year.

Packaging

Before hitting the market, sweet potatoes are washed, sorted by size, and carefully packaged. This ensures quality and facilitates efficient distribution.

Shipping

After we complete the entire process we ship our Sand Candy sweet potatoes.