Planting sweet potatoes is super rewarding — they’re easy to grow, don’t need much maintenance, and the vines are pretty too. Here's the whole process from start to harvest:
🌱 How to Plant Sweet Potatoes (Step-by-Step)
1. Start with Slips (Not Seeds!)
Sweet potatoes are grown from slips, which are shoots that sprout from a mature sweet potato.
To grow your own slips:
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Place a sweet potato (organic is best) half-submerged in water (pointy end down) using toothpicks to hold it up.
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Put it in a warm, sunny spot.
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After a couple of weeks, sprouts (slips) will form.
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Once they’re 6–8 inches long, gently twist them off.
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Place the slips in water until roots grow (a few days), or plant directly in moist soil.
2. Prepare the Soil
Sweet potatoes like:
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Loose, well-draining soil (sandy or loamy is best).
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Slightly acidic pH (5.5 to 6.5).
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A sunny location (full sun, 6+ hours daily).
Prep tip: Create mounded rows or raised beds to help with drainage and give the tubers room to grow.
3. Planting the Slips
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Wait until soil temps are consistently above 60°F (16°C) — sweet potatoes hate cold!
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Plant slips 12–18 inches apart, with 3 feet between rows.
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Bury them up to the top leaves (about 4 inches deep).
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Water well after planting.
4. Care & Maintenance
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Water: Keep soil moist, especially the first month, but don’t let it get soggy.
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Weeding: Weed regularly until vines spread (they’ll start to crowd out weeds on their own).
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Fertilizer: Go easy on nitrogen (too much = lots of leaves, fewer tubers). Use balanced or low-nitrogen fertilizer if needed.
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Mulching: Helps keep weeds down and retains moisture.
5. Harvesting
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Ready in about 90–120 days, or when the leaves start yellowing.
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Use a digging fork to gently lift them — be careful not to bruise them!
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Cure in a warm, humid place (80–90°F) for about 7–10 days. This helps develop flavor and toughens the skin for storage.
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