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 P P P P P P P P P

(Best months for growing Sweet Potato in Australia - tropical 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
  • New shoots on Kumara
  • Well grown Kumara

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 20 cm (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

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

Your comments and tips

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
06 Feb 09, Michelle (Australia - temperate climate)
where do i buy sweet potatoes..? in Melbourne.
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21 Mar 19, Damien Cooke (Australia - temperate climate)
Bunnings are still selling them here in Adelaide
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09 Feb 09, Grahame (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Michelle, It's probably a little late to put sweet potatoes in now as they take quite a few months to produce. You can get 'seed potatoes' from nurseries, usually from Goodman seeds. You other option is to just buy one from a good greengrocer and grow from that. The idea in Victoria is to plant the tuber in to a pot and wait for it to sprout. Once the sprouts are big enough you take cuttings and stick them in the ground and away they go.
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17 Jul 10, Jo (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Thanks for the info - I am new to the game and was wondering the same thing! All set to (excuse the pun) have a dig at growing some sweet potatoes now! Cheers!
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02 Mar 09, Jason (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hello. I have planted a sweet potato in December that has grown many runners. How do I turn that into more sweet potatos and how long do they take to mature? Am I supossed to bury the runners in the soil?? Can't quite seem to get it to work.
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18 Mar 09, Jean (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, just to get this right, do I let the runners simply keep growing, exposing the roots of course, and where do the tubers actually grow. My runners are running riot and Roy is threatening to cut them off. Help!!
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07 Apr 09, Claudie (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi there I have just decided to start my own mini Veggie garden and I am wondering what is the best thing sow in about two weeks from now. My family eat alot of lettuce and pumpkin and sweet potato. What should I do? :)
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11 Apr 09, IAN (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I can only get yellow, white or red (with white flesh) sweet potatoes in Australia. But does anyone know where to get the red one with the yellow flesh? - these are common in NZ but I have never seen them in Australia.
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07 May 09, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Claudie in Australia cool/mountain, I assume you have already planted by now. Lettuce is good this time of year, and so too are broccoli, bok choy, sugarsnap peas and broad beans. Pumpkin and sweet potato both take a looong time, and need warmer weather. Pumpkin takes up heaps of space, so not very practical in a mini garden.
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31 May 09, Meredith.Baillie (Australia - temperate climate)
I am also wanting to find New Zealand Kumera. The purple one..(they are really delicious). As you cannot, as far as I know buy the tubers here in Australia, would anyone know where I could buy the seeds?
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