Growing Sweet Potato, also Kumara

Ipomoea batatas : Convolvulaceae / the morning glory family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Plant shoots or cuttings (Slips). Best planted at soil temperatures between 63°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 16 - 24 inches apart
  • Harvest in 15-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best in Separate bed

Your comments and tips

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27 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Give it a go.
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08 Mar 18, Mary (Australia - temperate climate)
Pop it in the ground, that way you will have slips for next Spring. However, if you get cold winters over there, pop it in a pot, so you can move it to the garage or shed during the cold days and nights.
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24 Feb 18, Val Clark (Australia - temperate climate)
When is the best time to plant out the new growth from a tubar. I have a sweet potato that has sprung heaps of shoots. I'd like to put them into pots. Will they grow over winter in I keep them warm or am I wasting my time?
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08 Mar 18, Mary (Australia - temperate climate)
I am in Adelaide -Temperate, and I leave mine in the ground over winter.
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26 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Put them in the ground if you have a garden. Cover with some shade until they start to establish themselves. Sweet spuds are grown all year round in Bundaberg - 30-35 degrees in summer.
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02 Feb 18, Geoff (Australia - tropical climate)
Does growing sweet potato deplete the soil of any particular mineral. I have grown a good crop of the sweet potato & intend to plant some sweet corn on the next full moon. Is there a particular fertiliser that’s advisable to add, prior to or as planting? I understand that all soils are different, but assuming all things are equal, is there something to add?
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05 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A bit of fert in the soil now and when the plants are about 12-15
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07 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When the plants are about 12-15
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05 Feb 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Someone recently told me sweet potatoes take a lot out of the soil - NPK and trace elements etc. A general all round fert should have about 10-14 N 3-10 P and 12-15 K with 1-2 S. You can then up grade to a fert with trace elements. I buy from a farmers fert depot. 25Kg bags cost $20-25 and $30-35 with elements in it. You can buy stuff from supermarkets or Bunnings but you pay 2-4 times the price for smaller 2-5kg bags. Or you can go the organic way with manures et.
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19 Oct 17, Allan (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Do you progressively mound up Kumara like growing potatoes?
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Showing 131 - 140 of 307 comments
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I have had for over one year a half 200 litre plastic drum with a sweet potatoes growing in it. Just this past weekend I have dug around in the totally dry soil looking to see what was there. I did this with my hands after loosening it up with a garden fork all around the side of the drum. The leaves were not dying off in fact new shoots are forming. I only did this as we have had 1 week of dry hot weather. I harvested 3 very good sized spuds and put the rest back and topped up with well mulched soil. No extra fertilizer has been used and this is the second time I have turned this drum. As the soil lowers and parts of tubers show I top up with more well mulch soil. With watering and good old mother nature we have bought no sweet potatoes at all for quite some time. I have no idea how long they have been growing I don't garden like that.

- Garden Gnome

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