How to Grow Sweet Potatoes
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Sweet potatoes are a tropical plant. They are in the morning glory family not the potato family!
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Sweet potatoes are started in a field/garden by transplanting vines.
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Plant slips with at least 2 nodes (where leaf connects to stem) in the ground.
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Slips can be planted 12-18 inches apart in a garden or as close as 4-6 inches in a planter if used for decorative.
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Slips will look very wilted when they arrive. Stand them in a jar of water until your ready to plant.
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Sweet potatoes love heat! Cover the ground with a garbage bag or black plastic before planting. Melt or cut 2-3 inch holes and plant the slips into those holes.
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Tilled soil makes for easy planting by gently pushing the stem into the ground.
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WATER! The first 6 weeks are the most important time to give the plant enough water.
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Plant in full sun!
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Cover on cool fall nights or spring nights. Sweet potatoes don’t like temperatures below 10C
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Sweet potatoes need to be cured with warm temps (26-28C) and high humidity (85-90%) (see the Harvesting, curing and Storing page for more details.
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The leaves are edible. They are a great substitute for spinach! Cutting off too many leaves may reduce tuber yield. Designate a plants for greens and a few for tubers to get the best of both!
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