Bradshaw

Family: Convolvulaceae Root Vegetable

Sink your spoon into Bradshaw’s orange sweet potatoes for a richly sweet, honeyed flavor with a velvety, creamy texture that turns luxuriously tender.

The roots develop a warm orange interior and a smooth, well-shaped form that’s especially satisfying for roasting, mashing, and silky sauces, with standout performance for home storage and seasonal harvest. Grow Bradshaw for a dependable 110-day rhythm and a harvest that feels like autumn in every bite.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 110 DaysHabit: Vine

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 14th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	May 9th
Harvest Begins	Aug 27th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	110
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Vine
Support Needed	Trellis
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	55
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Bradshaw leans intensely sweet and creamy—its flesh behaves like a natural thickener, going luxe when pureed or mashed. Give it heat to drive caramel notes, then balance with salt, smoke, pepper, or a sharp citrus snap so the sweetness feels bright instead of heavy.

Best Uses

roasting until caramel-brown at the edges, then scooping for a custardy center
mashing with butter or olive oil for a silky, thick mash that won’t get watery
silky purées for gratins or spoonable sauces
baking or pan-frying for a soft interior with lightly bronzed surfaces

Flavor Profile

honeyed sweetness velvety, creamy starchiness warm orange aromatics tender, spoonable texture

Kitchen Pairings

butter maple syrup smoked paprika ginger black pepper lime

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage early blight on Bradshaw potatoes in home gardens?

Early blight shows up as brown, concentric “target” spots on lower leaves, then spreads upward and can cause leaf drop before your Bradshaws finish bulking. Remove and bag infected foliage promptly, avoid overhead watering, and keep soil from splashing onto leaves by maintaining hilled ridges. If the problem is spreading, apply a labeled fungicide for potatoes at the first signs and repeat according to the label—especially during humid stretches when new leaf growth is occurring.

How often should I water Bradshaw potatoes during the main growing phase (after plants emerge)?

From emergence through the peak bulking period (roughly mid-summer), keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for about 1 to 2 inches of water per week total, adjusted for rainfall. Water deeply whenever the top 1 inch of soil dries out, and stop increasing water once vines start naturally yellowing near maturity. Avoid letting the soil swing between very dry and very wet, which can lead to misshapen tubers.

When are Bradshaw potatoes ready to harvest and how can I tell?

Harvest about 110 days after planting, when the plants’ leaves yellow and die back and the tuber skins have “set” (they won’t rub off easily when gently scratched with your thumb). For larger, more mature tubers, wait until most of the foliage has died back, then harvest on a dry day to reduce rot. After lifting, cure the potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place for 1–2 weeks to toughen skins before storage.