The Complete Guide to Growing Sweet Potato Plants

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on growing sweet potato plants, a treasure trove for both novice and seasoned gardeners. Sweet potatoes, with their vibrant orange flesh and sweet taste, are not just a delicious alternative to traditional potatoes, but also a visually appealing addition to your edible garden.

In this guide, we'll delve into the fascinating world of sweet potatoes, from understanding their unique nature as a member of the morning glory family to the art of growing your own sweet potato slips. We'll also share practical tips on how to prepare the area, plant sweet potato slips, and care for your sweet potato plants.

Whether you have a small garden, a sunny spot on your windowsill or conservatory, or even a greenhouse, we've got you covered. We'll also explore the benefits of growing sweet potatoes in containers, a good option for those with limited space.

So, let's embark on this exciting journey to grow sweet potato plants, a hardier variety that promises a bountiful harvest.

Understanding Sweet Potatoes

Diving into the world of sweet potatoes can be a fascinating journey. These tubers, with their vibrant colours and unique flavours, are more than just a tasty alternative to traditional potatoes. They are a treasure trove of nutrients and a versatile addition to any garden.

In this section, we'll delve deeper into understanding sweet potatoes, exploring their origins, characteristics, and the different varieties available. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a curious foodie, this guide will help you appreciate the sweet potato plant in all its glory.

What is a Sweet Potato?

The sweet potato, a treasure among root vegetables, originates from the Morning Glory family, setting it apart from the traditional potato. Don't let the name misguide you - the only similarity it shares with a potato is its utility as a staple of our diets.

Possessing deep orange flesh sheltered by a coppery outer skin, it thrives in areas with warm weather, where it grows as an incredibly resistant variety. Regarded by many as an alternative to the traditional potato, the sweet potato plant can be nurtured from a simple plant, allowing you to grow your own sweet potato.

As you tuck into a deliciously roasted, mashed, or even pie-stuffed sweet potato, remember that it’s not just the tuber but the roots of this vegetable you are savouring. Adaptable and versatile, the sweet potato provides a nutritious spin on the potato-based dishes we all know and love.

This vegetable, although resistant to most pests and diseases, prefers sandy soil or raised beds, predominantly opting for a warm hug from the soil for ideal growth. Whether in the hot south or colder north, you can have your little patch of sweet potatoes right in your garden.

Different Varieties of Sweet Potatoes

Centennial: This orange-fleshed sweet potato variety is a consistent producer, getting nicely shaped potatoes ready in approximately 90 days.

Jewell: Another orange-fleshed variant, this variety requires about 100 days to be harvest-ready. Though the duration might be slightly more, it's worth the wait.

Porto Rico: This is a bushy variety with less vine-like growth. This distinct feature makes it suitable for those who have space constraints. It takes around 100 days to yield.

Beauregard: If you prefer something sweet and hardy, this variety is an excellent choice. Recognised for its resilience, it can grow even in challenging UK weather conditions.

Orleans: Ideal for those with a sweet tooth! It leads the sweet potato world in terms of sugar content, being 11% sweet.

Tahiti: Besides being edible, its foliage brings a pleasant aesthetic to your patio. The dark purple tubers offer a flavoursome difference compared to traditional potatoes.

Makatea: Known for its bright green, heart-shaped leaves and orange-skinned tubers rich in flavour. A clear win-win for both your plate and garden beauty.

Whichever variety you choose, it is a small leap towards an exciting taste throw and a health blow for your culinary adventures.

Preparing to Plant Sweet Potatoes

Before you can enjoy the sweet, earthy taste of home-grown sweet potatoes, there's some groundwork to be done. Preparing to plant sweet potatoes involves more than just digging a hole and dropping in a sprout. It's about creating an environment where your sweet potato plants can thrive.

From choosing the right time to plant after the last frost, to warming the soil and preparing it with multipurpose compost, every step is crucial. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a beginner, this guide will help you understand the nuances of preparing to plant sweet potatoes. So, let's get our hands dirty and start the journey towards a successful sweet potato harvest.

When and Where to Plant Sweet Potatoes

In the gardener's world, knowing when and where to plant your sweet potatoes is critical to yield a bountiful harvest, and it's all about timing. As sweet potatoes thrive in warm and sunny conditions, you should wait until the last frost has passed and the soil has sufficiently warmed, typically higher than 18°C.

Different from the usual white potato plant, sweet potatoes have a strong preference for spacious areas that cater to their vigorous growth habit. They'll thank you with healthy growth if provided with open, well-drained fertile grounds that get full sun. For those living in cooler areas, don't worry. Use black polythene to warm the soil and foster growth.

You might also want to grow your sweet potato plant in small pots or containers. They're not overly fussy about where they grow as long as they get their much-needed warmth and sunshine.

So next time when you buy sweet potato sprouts, remember these simple rules before you plant. It's a little prep that will lead to a big reward. Now, you're all set to grow your own sweet potato and be the envy of the neighbours!

How to Prepare the Soil for Sweet Potatoes

To grow sweet potatoes successfully, the focus on preparing the soil cannot be overstated. Initially, you need to find an area with nutrient-rich, well-drained, and non-clay soil. Given that the sweet potato plant adores sandy soil, a loamy area is indeed a plus. It offers enough airspace which helps roots to manoeuvre downwards effortlessly.

To optimise the soil composition, infuse it with compost, perlite, or coconut coir. This effort will enrich the soil to afford an 8-10 inch fertile top layer that is perfect for the sweet potato roots. One critical note: resist adding animal manure such as pelleted chicken manure or even heavy nitrogen-based fertilisers. Both of these will not do your sweet potato plants any good - the latter could result in über leaf growth at the expense of the roots, your actual yield.

For successful 'gardening', it might be necessary to do some 'gardening of the garden itself'. For instance, if your soil is compact and loamy, consider constructing raised beds or embankments that allow easier growth of sweet potatoes.

Understanding the preparation behind bumper sweet potato harvests positions you better when it comes time to plant sweet potatoes. Next time you are planning your patch, these pointers will ensure you grow a thriving and productive sweet potato plant.

Growing Your Own Sweet Potato Slips

Growing your own sweet potato slips can be a rewarding and economical way to cultivate your favourite variety of this versatile vegetable. This section will guide you through the process, from understanding what sweet potato slips are, to the steps involved in growing them successfully.

Sweet potato slips are the key to a bountiful harvest. They are the sprouts that emerge from a sweet potato, which, when planted, grow roots and eventually evolve into a full-fledged sweet potato plant. Growing your own slips not only adds an interesting dimension to your gardening hobby but also allows you to propagate your preferred potato varieties. Let's delve into the fascinating world of sweet potato slips and learn how to grow them in your own garden.

What are Sweet Potato Slips and Why Grow Them?

Ever wondered why gardening aficionados are always raving about sweet potato slips? Sweet potato slips are sprouts that emerge from a sweet potato, and they are key to successful sweet potato cultivation. These slips are essentially the start of a new potato plant and are an effective way to grow your own sweet potato plants.

Growing your own slips isn't just a fun addition to your garden hobby, it's also an economic way to nurture your desired sweet potato variety. While you can buy sweet potato slips, growing them yourself gives you the flexibility to pick and propagate your favourite potato varieties.

Additionally, sweet potato slips grow roots quite easily. Once planted, they grow roots and establish relatively quickly in a small pot, considering they're treated properly. With time, the slip will evolve into a full-fledged sweet potato plant, ready to reward your commitment with a bountiful harvest.

Remember that the slips have a preference for warm propagators, as it encourages the slips to grow roots. But as always, growing your own sweet potato slips, just like any other gardening project, is a delicate balance of care, effort, and patience.

Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Sweet Potato Slips

The process of growing your own sweet potato slips might seem daunting, but it is surprisingly easy and highly rewarding. In essence, sweet potato slips are shoots that have been removed from a mature sweet potato. These 'slips' are rootless at first, but they start to grow roots once planted. Here is a step-by-step guide to growing your own sweet potato slips:

Select Your Sweet Potato: Choose an organic, unblemished sweet potato.

Cut and Plant Your Sweet Potato: Slice your potato lengthwise and place each half, cut-side down, onto a nutritious compost. Cover the halves with a little more compost.

Provide Warmth and Humidity: Place your planted potatoes in a warm propagator or on a windowsill receiving lots of sunlight to encourage the growth of slips.

Monitor and Maintain: Keep an eye on your planted potatoes. It typically takes around 6 to 8 weeks for the slips to sprout and begin to grow roots.

Remove the Slip: Once the slips are between 6 to 12 inches long, carefully twist them off the parent potato. They can be put in water to encourage further root growth.

Plant the Slips: After removing them, plant each slip individually into a small pot of compost, leaving only the leaves exposed.

By following this step-by-step guide, you can easily grow your own sweet potato slips and, in turn, nurture a thriving sweet potato plant. Remember, sweet potatoes appreciate warmth, so find them a cosy corner where they can flourish! Whether you're an experienced gardener or just starting out, growing your own sweet potato slips offers a special sense of achievement that store-bought plants just can't match. Happy planting!

Planting and Caring for Sweet Potato Plants

In the journey of growing sweet potato plants, the initial planting and subsequent care play a pivotal role in determining the success of your harvest. This section will guide you through the process of planting sweet potato slips and nurturing them into mature, productive plants. Whether you're looking to add a nutritious touch to your edible garden or simply want to utilise your small garden space, sweet potato plants are an excellent choice. They thrive in high humidity and are good for small gardens, making them a popular choice among home growers. Let's delve into the details of how to plant and care for these versatile plants.

How to Plant Sweet Potato Slips

Whether you're cultivating an edible garden or just nurturing a few home plants, being able to plant sweet potato slips is a rewarding experience. Sweet potato plants not only make for a nutritious addition to your diet but also thrive well in a small garden or pot, making them an ideal choice for home growers.

To begin with, sweet potatoes propagate from 'slips,' which are essentially shoots sprouting from the sweet potato tuber. One important tip is to immerse your slips in water overnight upon arrival, a process known as 'rehydrating'. This brings them back to life, preparing them for planting.

One essential aspect when potting these slips is to place as much of the stem underground as possible. This approach encourages the growth of roots, the lifeline of the developing plant. Covering your newly potted slips with a mini cloche or plastic bag until the signs of growth are visible can also work wonders.

Remember that your sweet potato plant, though simple to grow, treasures high humidity and warmth. Make sure you keep your young plant in a warm, frost-free environment for a few weeks until it firmly establishes. Before you know it, your sweet potato slips will bloom into mature plants, ready to provide you with a hearty harvest! Remember, these home-grown goodies go from being a curious project to an inviting part of your daily meals. So, don a green thumb and get started with your sweet potato planting adventure.

Caring for Your Sweet Potato Plants

Caring for sweet potato plants is relatively simple and can be done even in a small garden. Ensuring that your plants are well-watered is the key to a healthy yield. It's best to water regularly, particularly during the grow season when high humidity is crucial for these plants. But be sure not to over water as this could lead to problems in storage, such as skin cracking.

One technique that often helps is deep watering in hot, dry periods. This can significantly boost your yield. The plants themselves are quite hardy, with a vigorous growth habit. This makes them great for even a small garden or for growing in small pots.

Keeping an eye out for pests is also essential. The beneficial insects in an edible garden can often take care of minor pest problems, however it always pays to stay vigilant. If you notice any diseased leaves, these should be removed promptly to prevent any further spread.

One ground rule to always remember is to not prune your sweet potato vines. Letting them flourish is key to a good, vigorous crop. Late in the grow season, start reducing watering to avoid cracking of the sweet skin, a common storage issue. With these simple care tips, your sweet potato plants should thrive, whether in a small garden or a large plot.

Harvesting and Storing Sweet Potatoes

In this section, we delve into the exciting phase of reaping the fruits of your labour - harvesting and storing sweet potatoes. After weeks of nurturing your sweet potato plant, it's time to uncover the orange flesh or purple tuber treasures hidden beneath the soil. But, how do you know when it's the right time to harvest? And once harvested, how do you store them to ensure they remain fresh for as long as possible? We'll guide you through these crucial steps, ensuring you get the most out of your sweet potato plants.

Harvesting and storing sweet potatoes require a certain level of skill and knowledge. From understanding the signs of readiness for harvest to the delicate process of lifting them from the soil, every step is crucial. Similarly, storing your harvested sweet potatoes properly can significantly extend their shelf life, allowing you to enjoy your home-grown produce for months. Let's explore these processes in detail.

When and How to Harvest Sweet Potatoes

As your sweet potato plants mature, it's time to enjoy that sweet potato treasure round about 12 to 16 weeks after planting them. But how exactly do you know when they are ready for harvest? Simple. An initial sign of readiness is when the leaves begin to yellow and die back. These vibrant orange flesh or purple tuber variety of potatoes don't enjoy the frost. Therefore, it is vital to get them out of the soil before autumn's first freeze can cause damage.

Before you're able to taste the fruits of your labour, there's a certain skill to harvesting sweet potatoes. You might have learnt from experience that using a garden fork or spade is the best way to gently lift your treasured sweet potatoes out of the soil. The last thing you want is to damage your precious crop after weeks of nurturing.

Bear in mind that sweet potatoes are unlike other vegetables, they continue to grow and can split if they become overgrown. So, it’s always a good idea to check the size of your potatoes after 80 to 85 days of planting to prevent overly large or split potatoes.

Remember to practice patience during the harvest. It is a delicate process that requires a gentle hand. All the wanton happiness of pulling out the grown sweet potatoes shouldn’t lead to bruised potatoes that will quickly lead to rot. Handle your potatoes with care to extend their shelf life and enjoy the rich taste longer.

Now that you know when and how to harvest your sweet potato plants, it's time to savour the taste of your hard work. Growing sweet potatoes can be a rewarding experience, from nurturing a small pot to feasting on your home-grown potatoes. Enjoy the process and the delicious potatoes that follow.

Storing and Using Harvested Sweet Potatoes

After you've reaped your sweet potato harvest, it's time to look at the best ways to store and utilise these versatile tubers. If done well, a good harvest should last you several months, allowing you to enjoy your home-grown sweet potatoes throughout the year.

Proper storage is paramount in maintaining the quality and longevity of your sweet potatoes. After harvesting, 'cure' them by laying them out in the sun for a few hours, then move them to a warm, humid place for about 10 days. This process helps to enhance their natural sweetness and toughen the skin, thereby reducing the risk of spoilage.

Once the skins are properly cured, the sweet potatoes can be stored in a dry, well-ventilated environment. Cool, dark locations such as cellars, basements, or even a cupboard are ideal. However, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of rotting, especially if the tuber was damaged during the harvesting process.

And unlike most other potatoes, sweet potatoes are versatile and can be used in various dishes, from sweet potato pies to savoury roasts. They can also be a wonderful addition to salads, giving it a sweet and hearty touch. With the correct storage and a little culinary creativity, your sweet potato treasure could prove to be the gift that keeps on giving.

Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers

Growing sweet potatoes in containers is a versatile and rewarding gardening endeavour. It's a method that offers flexibility and control, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. Whether you're looking to grow a hardier variety indoors or simply want to utilise a sunny spot on your windowsill or conservatory, container gardening can cater to your needs.

This section will delve into the specifics of growing sweet potatoes in containers, providing you with a comprehensive guide to ensure a successful harvest. From the benefits of this method to a step-by-step guide on how to grow sweet potatoes in containers, we've got you covered. So, let's dive in and explore the world of container-grown sweet potato plants.

Benefits of Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers

Growing sweet potatoes in containers presents many advantages that gardeners and home-growers could definitely benefit from. It provides a higher degree of control over environmental conditions such as sunlight, heat, and moisture, which directly affects the quality of the crop. Sweet potato plants particularly thrive in a well-regulated environment, turning this method into a smart choice.

Not only this, containers offer an excellent solution for those with limited garden space. Growers can easily set up a dense, green setup on their windowsill, conservatory, or even a sunny spot outdoors. Using a hardier variety, you could potentially push the envelope and grow sweet potatoes indoors year-round.

Additionally, using containers filled with general-purpose compost provides a healthy growing medium. It not only ensures the development of robust roots but the burgeoning foliage on top is a bonus, offering an ornamental value to your space.

In light of these benefits, starting your sweet potato journey with containers seems to be a highly rewarding and fruitful endeavour.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Containers

Sure, here's how to grow sweet potatoes in containers:

Container Selection: Choose large, deep containers with good drainage. A 10-gallon container can accommodate 2-3 sweet potatoes and a 20-gallon one can host 4-6. Half-barrel containers (20 to 25 gallons) are the best. The container size directly impacts the size and quality of your sweet potato crops.

Plant Preparation: Soak the roots of bush-type sweet potatoes in water for a couple of hours before planting. This step is essential to prepare your plant for a healthy growth phase.

Planting the Slips: Plant your slips 4 inches deep on a bed of compost under their bottom leaves, 3-4 weeks after the last spring frost. The soil should be warm at about 18°C with night time temperatures not dropping below 13°C.

Caring for Your Plants: Make sure the plants are placed in a warm, sunny spot. You could utilise a windowsill, conservatory or a greenhouse. Keep the compost moist and, if required, let the plants soak in about 5mm of water until the compost is damp.

By following these steps, you can grow your sweet potato plants efficiently even if you don't have a full-fledged garden space. Growing in containers is a fantastic way to maintain control over the potatoes' heat, light, and soil conditions, ensuring a vibrant harvest. This method is especially useful if you're looking into growing sweet potatoes indoors.

Growing Sweet Potatoes: A Rewarding Endeavour

Growing sweet potatoes can indeed be a rewarding endeavour. With the right care and attention, you can cultivate a bountiful harvest of these nutritious and delicious tubers right in your own garden. Whether you choose to grow them in small pots, a sunny spot outdoors, or even indoors on a windowsill or conservatory, sweet potatoes offer a versatile and rewarding gardening experience.

Remember, the key to a successful sweet potato harvest lies in the preparation.

From selecting the right sweet potato variety to preparing the area, nurturing the slips, and finally planting and caring for your sweet potato plants, every step is crucial. But don't be daunted. With this complete guide, you're well-equipped to embark on your sweet potato growing journey.

So, why wait?

Start planning your edible garden today and look forward to unearthing your very own sweet potato treasure.

Happy gardening!

Frequently Asked Questions

Shop Now