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 Aug 21, Kirk McCoy (USA - Zone 10a climate)
If your sweet potatoes wont sprout it is because commercial growers spray them with a anti sprouting chemical. It can be removed buy giving your sweet potatoes a ascorbic acid bath for 15 minutes then rinsing. I use 2 tsp in a half gallon of water. you could also use crushed vitamin C pills.
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19 Jun 22, Maria (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Thanks for the tip! I am trying for the first time and will do this :)
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25 Jun 21, Tina Lloyd (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I want to try and grow nz Kumara / sweet potato I live in Ararat Victoria. And where can I buy slips please. Thanks
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01 Jul 21, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Plant a couple of sweet potatoes and use the slips from them. Use the new vine part. Strip most of the leaves off a 250-300mm piece. Did trench and lay flat with the growing tip out of the ground. Water a lot the first 2 weeks. That is the way commercial growers plant sweet potato in Qld
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18 Jun 21, Khandi (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Can I plant my sweet potato slips in the ground now? I’m in Zones 7B & 8A. (SE Alabama)
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29 Jun 21, (USA - Zone 8a climate)
It does say April to June.
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04 Dec 20, Brian (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
My first attempt of growing Kumara was in heavy duty cardboard box, with a rigid base to stop the runner escaping. 1.5 kg tuber was harvested from one slip, I was impressed. Second year was in an old bath in full sun, 5 slips, harvest revealed a lot of small tubers. 3 kg. This year, 2020, I will combine my efforts in cardboard boxes again and the another bath. Layers of cardboard in the bottom of bath with mixture of compost, vermicast, gritty sand, soil and pea straw to preserve the slips from being removed by Wekas and or Pukekos. Liqiud fertilizer will be added to the new beds before planting, Intend to harvest before May 2012.
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21 Nov 20, Len Lind (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I would like to try growing kumera here on Stewart Island in a tunnelhouse. Is there anywhere I can buy sprouts, slips?
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18 Nov 20, Aitaua (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hi.. Can these sweet potatoes useful for planting here in Samoa?
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19 Nov 20, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
They should be.
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Showing 41 - 50 of 306 comments
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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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