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 17°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 40 - 60 cm apart
  • Harvest in 15-17 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best in Separate bed

Your comments and tips

11 May 11, Carrie (Australia - temperate climate)
I work for a company which sells sweet potato and the Kumaras you talk about sound like what we call Beauregard orange in flesh and skin.
19 Jul 10, Joanne Lockyer (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi we recently went to NZ for a holiday and were quite impressed by Kumara. Where can I located some plants in Australia as we would like to try and grow our own. thanks
13 Jul 10, ben (Australia - temperate climate)
hi everybody i live in western Australia and you can get the orange(anytime), purple(most times) and sometimes the cream coloured ones. I buy them more than normal potatos
23 Jul 10, Karl (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Ben when you say you can get purple most of the time is that purple on the inside?
15 Jun 10, Michele -- Launceston (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I found a sweet potato tuber with shoots about 2cm long in the vegetable storer in the cupboard. I want to know if it will keep for a couple of months so I can plant it out when the threat of frost has gone . I paln to plant tomatoes, capsicum, peas and chiilis at the same time..... mid October ish.
03 Aug 11, [email protected] (Australia - tropical climate)
next time plant them in a very large pot, wine barrel etc and keep indoors by a sunny window till frost passes. just trim the shoots that over hang or trellis them
09 Jul 10, CC (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My brother grows sweet potato & they grew from shoots, which he planted in the ground.
31 Jul 09, Santy Bruwr (Canberra) (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Does anyone know where I can buy them in Canberra? I will check at our Asian grocery/veg shop.. but I have not seen any in Australia.. and nothing beats the taste... will buy if anyone has stock pleez - just not possible to get it here from NZ
10 Jan 22, Cindy (Canberra) (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Have seen them at Kim's groceries (around the corner from Maccas in civic), also sometimes at "Asian Supa grocery" at Belconnen. You can also get seedling from Daleys fruit trees. Good luck :)
28 Sep 10, Lana (Canberra) (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Santy, The fresh food markets (belconnen markets and fyshwick markets) have sweet potato. Most often they only stock the orange variety, but I have seen white and purple (purple skin, white flesh) there also. I am going to try to grow them this year, but keep in mind that they are not really suited to our climate!
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