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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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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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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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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12 Mar 22, DeAnn Johnson (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Thank you so much for the GREAT Tip!!!
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15 Mar 22, (USA - Zone 4a climate)
Read the posting here in the New Zealand section - I just put a reply there about growing Sweet Pots.
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27 Aug 21, Kirk McCoy (USA - Zone 10a climate)
If your sweet potatoes wont sprout it is because commercial growers spray them with a anti sprouting chemical. It can be removed buy giving your sweet potatoes a ascorbic acid bath for 15 minutes then rinsing. I use 2 tsp in a half gallon of water. you could also use crushed vitamin C pills.
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19 Jun 22, Maria (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Thanks for the tip! I am trying for the first time and will do this :)
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18 Jun 21, Khandi (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Can I plant my sweet potato slips in the ground now? I’m in Zones 7B & 8A. (SE Alabama)
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Showing 11 - 20 of 34 comments
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Harvest once about HALF of the leaves start to fall over and die off (turn yellow) -- HOWEVER I'm not sure if you planted at the being of October or the end. Given good growing conditions it should take about 120 days -- if you planted at the end October then that is about 120 days.... but it could take longer -- and since the leaves have not fallen over, then I would say, it will take more time. If you planted at the beginning of October, then you are taking a lot of days -- and it could be that the growing conditions have not been optimal for the whole time.... and I would still wait for leaves to fall over... but I would start to wonder if perhaps for some reason all the conditions that your plant needs to have met in order to set tubers have not been met (nutrition, soil type/ph, water, sun light, temperatures etc.). Same rule for potatoes, harvest once the leaves started falling over and turning yellow. That is to say: as long as the leaves are a upright and green they are still collecting light and storing energy (making tubers - and making them larger)

- Celeste Archer

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