<< Back to Gardening TipsSweet Potato
When you plant regular potatoes, you simply bury pieces of potato from last year’s crop. Sweet potatoes are grown from “slips,” which are rooted sprouts from mature tubers. Sweet potatoes are so willing to be transplanted that plants accidentally dropped on the ground will take off and grow when tucked into warm, moist soil.
Plant sweet potatoes about 12 inches apart, and allow 3 feet between rows so the vines will have plenty of room to run. When setting out sweet potatoes in very hot, sunny weather, cover the transplants with upturned flower pots for 3 days after planting to shield them from baking sun.
Sweet potato vines will soon cover a large area. Thoroughly weed your sweet potatoes 2 weeks after planting by pulling them gently; if possible avoid deep digging with a hoe or other tool that disturbs the feeder roots that quickly spread throughout the bed. These give rise to your sweet potatoes. Water weekly. Water is especially important as transplants grow and roots spread.
Sweet potatoes have a short shelf life, even when they’ve been properly cured and are stored under ideal conditions. This means that it is difficult for home gardeners to store sweet potatoes for more than a few months. Use them as quickly as possible and check frequently to catch decay before it can spread.
Apply Blessings Blends OMRI-Listed Premium Compost (.5 – .5 – .4) for best results.
