Sweet Potato
Ipomoea batatas
Sweet potato grows from slips planted into warm soil three to five weeks after the last spring frost, forming storage roots under spreading vines. Cold ground stunts slips, and curing harvested roots heals skin damage before winter storage. Vegetative planting replaces seed metrics, with harvest about 90–120 days from slip planting.
Plant family Convolvulaceae · Also called sweetpotato
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Plant slips only into warm soil.
Set slips outdoors three to five weeks after the last spring frost when soil is warm. Vegetative planting means germination days and seed depth do not apply.
Tender frost tolerance rules out early planting. Slips root quickly in heat; cool nights yellow leaves and pause tuber growth.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.
Allow vines room to run or climb.
Allow 30–45 cm between slips with rows about 90 cm apart. Vines root at nodes and can cover ground between rows.
Containers need 40 cm depth and about 40 litres. Large volume supports modest harvests of roots in patio trials.
Core measurements
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Crop-level planning range.
Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.
Install support early when it is required or useful.
Water evenly while roots bulk.
Eight hours of direct sun is preferred. Sweet potatoes are efficient in heat but need light for vigorous vine growth that feeds roots.
Moderate water at 25–35 mm weekly with pH 5.5–6.5, more acidic than many vegetables. The key tip pairs warm planting with post-harvest curing.
Sunlight
Full sun preferred (8+ direct-sun hours/day)
Soil pH
A suitable acidity range for general growth.
Weekly water
Moderate water need.
Aim for even moisture and water deeply when the upper 2-3 cm of soil begins to dry.
Cure tubers after lifting.
Count 90–120 days from slip planting. Dig before hard frost damages vines and roots; cure in a warm humid space briefly, then store cooler.
Harvest basis is planting slips, not seed sowing. Yield depends on length of frost-free season after the three- to five-week post-frost window.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Read with the full crop profile.
Plant slips only after the soil is warm and cure harvested roots before long storage.
Sweet Potato growing questions
What is a sweet potato slip?
A vegetative cutting or sprout planted instead of seed. Germination fields are null in the dataset.
Why wait three to five weeks after frost to plant?
Soil must be warm for tender slips. Outdoor timing is listed relative to last frost.
Should roots be cured after digging?
Yes. The key tip recommends curing before long storage.
What pH range suits sweet potato?
5.5–6.5, lower than many garden crops in the same bed.
Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S1,S2,S4. Local climate and variety can change actual results.
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