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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04 Jul 23, (USA - Zone 4b climate)
A slip is a piece of vine about 400-500mm long. Dig a trench 50-70mm deep. Lay the slip in the trench and cover the slip over with soil. Leave the growing tip sticking out of the soil. Strip most of the leaves off the slip - not the growing tip part. Water well for the first week or two.
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02 Jul 23, (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Sweet potatoes are not planted as whole tubers like regular potatoes. Instead, they are grown from sweet potato slips, which are sprouts taken from mature sweet potatoes. Just twist off the slips, root them in water, and then plant them to grow sweet potatoes
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20 May 23, Mireya (USA - Zone 7a climate)
What kind/type of sweet potato can I grow in Northern Virginia (zone 7A)?
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01 Jun 23, (USA - Zone 3b climate)
Probably any type.
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31 May 23, JJ Penza (USA - Zone 7b climate)
I am on the Va/NC line zone 7B.I have had success growing Beauregards, Okinawas, and Covingtons, The best producers at my place were in that order.
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02 May 23, Carolyn (USA - Zone 8a climate)
A friend of mine gave me some sweet potato plants rooted and planted in soil before last winter. She told me to keep them and water occasionally and plant in April/May in North Texas. These little plants are about 6" high with multiple shoots from a center stalk. Do I plant the whole plant in a pot or cut off the shoots and plant? Confused? Thank you.
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08 May 23, (Australia - temperate climate)
You can do both. More plants if you break it up into a few.
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14 Jan 23, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Has anyone planted Kumara in a Vegepod?
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23 Jan 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Why would you - they need a lot of soil around them.
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02 Jan 23, Allen (USA - Zone 7b climate)
Hi; I know what a sweet potato slip is but what the heck is a sweet potato crown? All I can find on the internet is recipes for cooking not planting.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 305 comments
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I talked to a commercial grower yesterday. Fertilise the ground before you plant. What fertiliser you use depends on how fertile your soil is. You would need a soil test to really find that out. But fertiliser with a reasonable amount of N, good P and high K. Mix this through the soil profile. If you cut off slips, make them about .4m long, strip off most of the leaves but leave the growing head part. Dig a furrow 50-75mm deep and place the slip in the furrow (place the slip level in the soil). Cover the slip over with soil but leave the growing bit sticking out of the soil. You could put the slips in a jar of water for a week or so to start the roots growing. Once you have planted the slip make sure it is watered for the next week, lIke each day. The soil around the slip has to be wet for the roots to shoot and grow. After a week or so you should notice the plant growing. The slip will produce sweet potatoes from where you stripped the leaves off giving a higher yield of crop. If the vines grow really long then I believe too high N, but I was told they need plenty of N. I was mainly asking about the placement of the slip but will ask more about the fertiliser next time.

- anon

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