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

17 Dec 12, Simone (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have wanted to grow sweet pot for few years now. What size plot do we need for sweet potato? How big does a single tuber grow to?
27 Nov 13, Elizabeth (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I grow mine in a 1m square bed they grow as much as you let them. the tubers can grow huge depending on how long they have in the ground at the right temperatures. My last lot seemed to be fairly small but i think i dug them up to soon, 20 cm long and 5cm diameter.
20 May 13, Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
You can also grow in a very small plot - they grow suprisingly well suspended in a glass of water on the window sill. Use a few toothpicks to support on surface of water
28 Jan 13, Kevin (Australia - temperate climate)
You need an area that will allow the runners that will grow from the cut pieces of tubers to run over a large area, Mine grow over approx 6x6 metres and still want to spread. Tubers can grow up to at least around 2 kilos or more.
01 Jul 12, Peter Jakob (Australia - temperate climate)
i am living in melbourne has anyone grown maori kumara in Australia or is it possible to do so?
23 Aug 12, Ferry (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i have been growing sweet potatoes for about two years i am still tweaking things to see what works best but it is defiantly possible. i live in the central coast and i harvested my first two of the season two days ago. i found it easier to start from a roots i got from a friend, that had started sprouting rather than planting seeds. they need quite a bit of sun but not full sun through the hottest of summer. i started with 3 roots with multiple spouts and harvested none in the first year to double my plants. this year i had to cut back half of them as i did not have room! some garden shops sell ornamental sweet potato that is not edible. my ones tasted just like sweet potato but fresher. my favorite way of eating them are peeled raw in salads, in pumpkin soup or lightly fried as a side
28 Mar 12, Raelene (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm not sure if it's the same type of sweet potato, but in Asia we eat the leaves - cook them lightly like spinach. From the photo on right it looks the same - I have just been given some shoots.... (Bear in mind this is different to potato leaves which cannot be eaten!)
12 Oct 11, Sean Gallagher (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can you grow from store bought Sweet Potato
19 Sep 13, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)
I grew a crop from store bought sweet potatoes - just have to wait for them to start shooting then plant to leave the shoot tips (with 2 small leaves) showing . I have had good crops for a couple of years with minimal attention other than normal weeding and watering.
02 Sep 11, Simon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, I tried growing sweet potato here in Lismore, NSW. The plant grew well, but when it came to harvesting the tubers, I found that they were riddled with small white grubs. I have tried to google what the grub is and how I can control it (for next season) but the information is limited. Has anyone got any idea what the grub might be and how I could control them? Thanks Simon
Showing 151 - 160 of 194 comments

'Evangeline' was developed at a horticultural research institute in Louisiana and has Intellectual Property Rights. This means that it could only be available to commercial growers who probably pay a royalty for the slips for their crops. You could try the Sweet Potato Research Station at: PO Box 120, Chase LA 71324. These restrictions seem onerous for home gardeners but help pay for the development costs for new varieties. Try them, they may be willing to send you a few slips.

- John

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