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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07 Jun 15, Nins Ricci (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Send me your addess by email. I have heaps of the real NZ Kumera, purple with white flesh and spots inside. Will nail you some runners. Also in Qld. Mine growing crazy but have not yet had a harvest.
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30 Apr 24, Ali (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello Nins, hope all is well! Do u still have Kumara runners?
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26 Jun 22, Tracy M (Australia - arid climate)
Hello, would I be able to pay for some runners also? I assume they can grow in Melbourne's climate? Many thanks!!
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30 Sep 21, Matthew Steele (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello, I have been looking everywhere for these delightful New Zealand Kumura for years. May I also ask if you would mail me some runners? Happy to pay! Many Thanks.
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04 Sep 20, Rick (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Nins, another kiwi missing his beloved kumara. I imagine you've been inundated with similar requests for runners. Happy to pay something and/or donate to Gardenate if you have plants and the time. thanks Rick
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07 Nov 21, Ian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi I've just stumbled across this thread to NZ kumera, by any chance did you manage to source any runners. Thanks
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03 Jul 17, Jenny (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Nins If you have any more of the nz kumara i would be most appreciative if you could share a runner or cutting. Jenny
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27 May 16, Meia (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Nins, hoping you are still perusing these pages.. i am really hoping you still have, and are willing to post on some tubers. Thanks ;)
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04 Sep 15, Hamish (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Nins, I am also very interested in real NZ Kumara if you had some spare Thanks Hamish
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15 Aug 15, Elaine (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Nins Might I impose on you for some of those NZ kumara runners? I have been desperately trying to find a source over here in Aust. The ones here are nothing like NZ kumara. Many thanks Lainey
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Hi there :-) found this thread while looking for a diagram of kumara (sweet potato) and thought this info might help you Jason. In early Feb, had this awesome fella come show us how to plant kumara in the traditional way, used successfully by Maori before European colonisation. I recently emailed him asking for general care and cultivation tips... this was his reply: "Kia ora ano sis, chur mean, glad to hear the kumara are in abundance! Have y'all pulled the runners up yet? - about 3 weeks ago you shouldve pulled up the runners on a sunny day and exposed the roots to the sun for a few hours to kill them. Otherwise the plants direct energy away from the tubers and into setting down new roots via the runners and your kumara wont be as big as they could. If you havent done it yet, still do! At that point you can also start harvesting the new shoots of vine growth - pick leaves and vines that are still that brighter green and use it like puha or watercress. If you eat mature leaves it might upset your stomach so kia tupato! (you probably already know all this!). This has same effect of directing energy to the tubers." For your reference, "puha and watercress" are greens that can be added to salads or boiled/blanched similar to spinach and silverbeet and "kia tupato" means I need to "be careful" - eating mature leaves can be harmful! Well, I am off to pull up the runners and expose them to the sun! Glad there is some today :-) Good luck with the kumara growing!! "As the garden grows so does the gardener." - Proverb

- Starrlite

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