Growing Sweet Potato, also Kumara

Ipomoea batatas : Convolvulaceae / the morning glory family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                  P P P

(Best months for growing Sweet Potato in Australia - temperate regions)

  • P = Plant crowns
  • 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

20 May 11, syd smith (Australia - temperate climate)
the wife looks after our sweetpotato and although she does plant part of the actual potato she mainly gets some of the runners with roots on and plants them in a differant part of the garden and she gets plenty off them,so need to spend money on buying s/pots
03 Aug 11, georgi (Australia - tropical climate)
i plant all year round
23 Aug 11, Savi (Australia - temperate climate)
Is it possible to grow s/potato in Melbourne? If yes, when is the best time to plant them? Thanks!
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
05 Nov 12, Danielle (Australia - temperate climate)
Google nematodes Simon....also could be carrot fly larvae if you have grown carrots close by
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.
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!)
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
Showing 31 - 40 of 194 comments

I'm just next door in Arkansas and will be planting some slips from one in my kitchen today (June 30). We have just enough time before frost to make decent sweet potatoes. You know we can eat the leaves like spinach as well? My (American) kids grew up in SE Asia and thought sweet potato leaves were a variety spinach.

- Betty

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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