How to grow Sweet Potatoes

Ipomoea batatas

Heat-loving roots that store for months.

Sweet potatoes love heat and a long season; they’re grown from “slips” (rooted shoots), not seed. Give them loose, warm soil and they reward you with months of storage roots.

Grow Sweet Potatoes with step-by-step help for your exact yard.

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Sweet Potatoes at a glance

Sun	Full sun
Soil pH	5.5–6.5
Spacing	12 in
Harvest	100–120 days
Plant	Late spring
Note	Loves heat; cure to store

How to grow Sweet Potatoes, step by step

Plant slips in heat
- Set slips out only once soil is warm and frost is past.
- Loose, sandy soil grows the best roots; space 12 in.
Let vines run
- Vines sprawl and need little once established; water in droughts.
- Avoid heavy nitrogen — it grows leaves, not roots.
Dig & cure
- Dig before frost when roots are sized; handle gently.
- Cure warm and humid 1–2 weeks to sweeten and store for months.

Sweet Potatoes problems & fixes

Sweet Potatoes — All vine, small roots: what's wrong and how do I fix it?

Too much nitrogen or cool soil. Ease off feeding; grow in heat.

Sweet Potatoes — Roots cracked or scarred: what's wrong and how do I fix it?

Uneven water or pests. Water steadily; rotate beds.

Sweet Potatoes — Rot in storage: what's wrong and how do I fix it?

Not cured. Cure warm and humid before storing cool.

Recommended sweet potatoes varieties

Beauregard — All-rounder. Fast, productive, classic orange - the safe pick.
Georgia Jet — Short season. Quick to mature, great for cooler regions.
Murasaki — Specialty. Purple skin, nutty white flesh.

Sweet Potatoes month-by-month

January	Eat from storage.
February	Plan a warm bed.
March	Order/start slips.
April	Grow slips.
May	Plant slips after frost.
June	Vines establish.
July	Vines run — little care.
August	Roots bulk up.
September	Dig before frost; cure.
October	Cure and store warm.
November	Eat from storage.
December	Eat from storage.

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