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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10 Aug 23, Frankie (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Trying to grow in my apartment.. any advice welcomed.. what kind of soil should I buy? How often should I water? I don’t get direct sunlight how long should I leave outside on my patio?
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01 Jul 23, Peter (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Can you just plant a sweet potato in the ground and sprout a vine?
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28 Oct 24, Geri (USA - Zone 10a climate)
No. Start sweet potatoes in a jar with water. They will sprout. Pick the rooted sprouts off and that is what you plant.
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04 Jul 23, (USA - Zone 4b climate)
A slip is a piece of vine about 400-500mm long. Dig a trench 50-70mm deep. Lay the slip in the trench and cover the slip over with soil. Leave the growing tip sticking out of the soil. Strip most of the leaves off the slip - not the growing tip part. Water well for the first week or two.
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02 Jul 23, (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Sweet potatoes are not planted as whole tubers like regular potatoes. Instead, they are grown from sweet potato slips, which are sprouts taken from mature sweet potatoes. Just twist off the slips, root them in water, and then plant them to grow sweet potatoes
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20 May 23, Mireya (USA - Zone 7a climate)
What kind/type of sweet potato can I grow in Northern Virginia (zone 7A)?
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01 Jun 23, (USA - Zone 3b climate)
Probably any type.
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31 May 23, JJ Penza (USA - Zone 7b climate)
I am on the Va/NC line zone 7B.I have had success growing Beauregards, Okinawas, and Covingtons, The best producers at my place were in that order.
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02 May 23, Carolyn (USA - Zone 8a climate)
A friend of mine gave me some sweet potato plants rooted and planted in soil before last winter. She told me to keep them and water occasionally and plant in April/May in North Texas. These little plants are about 6" high with multiple shoots from a center stalk. Do I plant the whole plant in a pot or cut off the shoots and plant? Confused? Thank you.
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08 May 23, (Australia - temperate climate)
You can do both. More plants if you break it up into a few.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 309 comments
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I live in the Redlands on the sourthern outskirts of Brisbane. I am trying to grow sweet potatoes for the first time. I have grown my own slips and planted them out and the vines are growing nicely. What I would like to know is where do the tubers grow from. Is it from the base of the slip or from the vines. Also I only have one vine growing from each plant. Do I need more than one vine and if so how do I encourage the extra vines.

- bernie

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