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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03 Jul 19, (Australia - arid climate)
Don't fertilise with nitrogen.
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27 Jun 19, Ana (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Try this page: https://www.koanga.org.nz/grow-great-kumara/. They have the most thorough advice on growing kumara that I've seen.
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12 Apr 19, June Wark (Australia - temperate climate)
I’ve got orange sweet potato slips growing but your table @page top states not suitable for growing temp. zones - could you tell me why please. Very willing to learn as l’m new to growing veggies. Thank you.
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26 Apr 19, Graham smith (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi June. I plant a sweet potatoe around August or September and let it grow wild. Then I take cuttings from that about 3weeks before Christmas and plant them out ,making sure I water them in really well for the first week or so. Then I harvest them just after the first frost with pretty good success.
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06 Apr 19, Sam (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi there.. I harvested my Kumara in March and unfortunately most of them tubers had multiple small holes in them. Looks like some type of insects got there first and ruined it. Is there anything that I can spray them with and kill them little bugs before they ruin my crops next season.. cheers
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12 Jul 20, Brendan (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I've had good success planting an overwintering crop of mustard seeds immediately following kumara harvest.
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23 Mar 19, Zukile (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Where can i get seed for sweet potato in south africa or eastern cape ?
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09 Mar 19, Andrea (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi there,I live in chilly chch but want to attempt to grow kumera. I had one sprouting so I cut it in half and put it in water and now it's sprouting . But it's the wrong time of yr,March to plant them . How can I keep my sprout until October ? Thanks
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10 Mar 19, Mike Logan (New Zealand - temperate climate)
It may survive if you plant it now - might not grow much or produce a crop. Might be better to try again say Oct and plant out Nov Dec. You are temperate climate.
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07 Mar 19, Bruce (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live on the Sunshine Coast Qld and I am trying to source runners or tubers of the NZ Kumara, if anyone has some available I’m willing to purchase, the Aussie sweet potato is so so different.
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Showing 81 - 90 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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