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 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

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08 Jan 23, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Crowns are the top sprouting part of a sweet potato. It should say slips too.
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05 Jan 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A slip should be 20 cm/8 in
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30 Oct 22, bernie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live in the Redlands on the sourthern outskirts of Brisbane. I am trying to grow sweet potatoes for the first time. I have grown my own slips and planted them out and the vines are growing nicely. What I would like to know is where do the tubers grow from. Is it from the base of the slip or from the vines. Also I only have one vine growing from each plant. Do I need more than one vine and if so how do I encourage the extra vines.
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30 Oct 22, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
The best way to plant sweet potatoes is to take a piece of vine with growing tip at one end about 400mm long, strip most of the leaves off but leave the growing tip (last 150mm) plant that in a trench with the tip sticking out of the soil. Water every day until it starts growing. Along the slip where the leaves joined the vine tubers will grow.
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16 Oct 22, marco (Australia - tropical climate)
hi i live gold coast queensland .i just dug up my sweet potato crop .did ok ..lots of small shoots left ..i dug everything back in the ground now will add some lawn clipping and blood and bone for the next 3 to 4 weeks .then leave and see what we get ...
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13 Aug 22, Phillip (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I lived in Maitland in the Hunter Valley until 1985. We used to get a white fleshed sweet potato that when cooked was soft, almost opaque, and very sweet. My mother would post to me when I moved to Brisbane as I couldn’t get them here! My questions is. What were they and where can I get them? Phillip Caruthers.
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16 Aug 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They grow a white purply one in Bundy - check on the internet.
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30 May 22, Bryon Ellison (Australia - tropical climate)
Where can I get kumara Wairaraka. Red with white flesh and very light central red streeks
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31 May 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You would have a very slim chance of finding some in Australia.
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01 Jun 22, Bryon Ellison (Australia - tropical climate)
Does any one know what is a similar species in Australia?
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Showing 21 - 30 of 306 comments
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Plant the tubers that you want to grow but in a separate bed. They will sprout lots of shoots which will also have roots near the base. When the shoots are 40 to 50 cm long put a fork under the tuber and gently lift it out. Separate the shoots and plant them in the bed you have prepared for them as indicated in the article above. Last year, before I knew this, I planted several tubers where I wanted them to grow but after learning the right method I dug up three and planted out about 50 slips. The slips can be left in water while you are waiting to plant them out and in a few days mine put out prolific roots where the base was under water. You can also start the sprouting inside, cutting the tops off tubers and putting the cut down in shallow water, then planting them out when they start to sprout. Roots will also start growing but later than the shoots. Look for the eyes in the tubers as they are where the shoots come from.

- Paul

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