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 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

07 Mar 19, Mike (Australia - temperate climate)
Try the internet - seed and bulb places - like diggers club. You would probably have to buy a SP and then plant it to produce runners/shoots /slips.
08 Feb 19, Jan Clifford (Australia - arid climate)
I have grown a sweet potato in a glass and want to know if I can plant it or not. I an in the Central West NSW in the arid zone. TIA Jan Clifford
12 Feb 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Plant it and see how it goes.
12 Jan 19, Grom1t (Australia - tropical climate)
I suspend (toothpicks help) a sweet potato partially in a glass of water. After 2 weeks of so I pick off the 8inch sprouts and put them in water. I plant them once they have plenty root. First time I planted before the dry and had an excellent crop of big potatoes after at least 6 .months. it's hard to know when to harvest. .my plants never go yellow. Anyone any advice? I thought I'd try growing in pots as I had a nice if small harvest of purple fleshed ones from a pot this morning - again after 9 months I think. Magnetic Island
13 Jan 19, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It does say harvest 15-17 weeks. Pick early if you want smaller size and pick later if you like the bigger ones.
01 Oct 18, Jeanette (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm in Ipswich Qld .I've planted a whole tubor of the purple sweet potato ( after it produced roots in water) and it's shooting up beautifully, do I break these off and plant separately? or try to grow roots in water first? I have had no luck at all with the orange sweet potato.
02 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Cut it into 4-6 pieces and plant. Then when they have grown for about 2 mths take some of the vine about 5-600mm long and plant in the soil laying horizontal with just the end sticking out of the soil. Water well for week or so.
10 Jul 18, Cathy (Australia - temperate climate)
When my tomato bed finished i refilled the bed with conpost and the sweet potatos started growing. I got quite a few potatoes and pulled them out in September to replant tomatoes. I couldnt get tomatoes to grow that summer so i gave up and let the je sweet potatoes come back naturally. Should i try for tomatoes again in that same bed? If so do i need to help the soil in any way? Thanks!!
13 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
I have been told sweet potatoes are a big consumer of nutrients from the soil - other words not much nutrient left in the soil after the crop Tomatoes would also take a lot from the soil. Did you add compost or totally refilled the bed with compost again. If the compost is not totally broken down then it will take N from the soil - therefore very little N for the intended crop. Look to the guide here for planting - although it has no planting time for sweet potatoes in temperate climates. After each crop you need to do one of two things - add completed compost, manures etc and make sure this is all broken down into the soil. Or you hit it up with some all round fertiliser. Also give your soil a rest for a few months and add compost and turn it in.
21 Mar 18, Kathy charles (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted 3 tubers of yellow and 1 purple sweet potato in October 2017 now March have picked first purple one but cannot find even a little yellow tuber. Healthy looking plants but WHY no s/potato. Thank you in advance
Showing 41 - 50 of 194 comments

Ask a question or post a comment or advice about Sweet Potato

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

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.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.