(Best months for planting Sweet Potato/Kumara in USA - Zone 5a regions)

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Frost tender Sweet Potatoes require a long warm growing season. Plant in free draining loose soil . Fertilise before planting but no more when the plants are growing as it will encourage vine growth. They will go for miles and you will get no tubers. If they do start spreading, lift the vines off the ground to prevent them rooting.

Mound up the soil about 20cm (8 in) before planting Let the plants die down, (leaves die or turn yellow) before harvesting the tubers. Dry them in the sun for a few days . then store in a cool dry place for up to five months.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Sweet Potato/Kumara

Use mashed, boiled, roasted, baked or fried. Or use in soups, pies, casseroles, curries and salads.

Your comments and tips

18 Feb 13, D JAMES (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Can anyone tell me if all sweet potatoe vines leaves are edible I am a bit of a collector and have now about 5 different types of these real streetfighting trifods. They are such a wonderful tasty sustainable easy to grow plant everyone should have some in their garden.

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18 Dec 12, Nyasha (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I am growing sweet potatoes for the first time. Got the tubers from the supermarket and kept them in my veggie drawer until they sprouted (approx. 1 month). I planted out 4 tubers in an area 3m x3m in August. I was told each vine would only reach 2 metres, but mine are growing a bit wild. I have had to cut the tips of the vines off because I have ran out of space. How often should sweet potatoes be watered?

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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?

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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

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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.

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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?

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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

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17 May 12, Aaron (New Zealand - temperate climate)

hi what is the best way to store kumara thanks

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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!)

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21 Mar 12, Malina Beatrice (USA - Zone 10a climate)

I found Kumara at Whole Foods in Encino, but they had them labeled "Japanese Sweet Potato." If I hadn't just seen them on a trip to NZ, I never would have known! Hope it helps.

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