Everything you need to know to grow sweet potatoes

Flowering sweet potato vine

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory family, which is clear when you see the flowers of the vine.  Sweet potatoes are native to the tropical regions of the Americas and have been around at least 5,000 years old.  They were first cultivated in Central or South America.  They are a different family than yams which are native to Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Sweet potatoes were grown by the early American colonists and referred to as a food of the Native Americans.  The edible tuber varieties have different skin colors-yellow, orange, red, brown, purple and beige and different flesh colors-white, beige, red, pink, violet, yellow, orange and purple.

Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese.  

Sweet potato vines filled out on mounds

As a tropical vine, it requires warm soil and a long growing season to develop the edible tubers, 100-140 days.  They are started indoors and planted outdoors once night time temperatures are in the 60's.  You can start your own plants by covering sweet potatoes in 2" of sand in a container kept 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping the soil moist.  As the slips appear, cover with another inch of sand.  In 6 weeks, the slips will be 6-8" long and ready to plant in the garden.

Sweet potatoes like loose soil that is well composted but not overly fertile.  Soils high in nitrogen will create healthy vines and few, small tubers.  Mounding the soil 8" high will help warm the soil.  Leave 3-4 feet between ridges as sweet potato vines are rambunctious!  Plant slips at least a foot apart.  Water immediately.  The vines are pretty hardy.  Water during any times of drought.  About a month before frost, cease watering. 

The tubers should be ready to be harvested when the leaves turn yellow or as soon as the first light frost. Do harvest before any hard frosts are forecasted.  Be careful harvesting the tubers to not damage them.  Cure for 10 days at 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity for taste and keeping longevity.