Learn how to grow delicious sweet potatoes in your own organic garden at home.
Soil
What soil is good for Sweet Potatoes?
Loose, well draining soil with plenty of compost mixed in.
Position
How much sun do Sweet Potatoes need?
Full sun, will tolerate some afternoon shade.
Frost Tolerant
Are Sweet Potatoes frost tolerant?
No. Sweet Potato vines are frost tender.
Spacing
How much space do Sweet Potatoes need?
Roughly 40cm apart
Planting
When should I plant Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet Potato are warm season crops prefer to be grown in temperatures in above 21°C (70°F).
Plant 'slips' that grow from sprouting tubers in spring once the soil has warmed and once the danger of frost has passed.
Feeding
What do I feed Sweet Potatoes?
Apply an organic fertiliser throughout the season.
Harvesting
When can I harvest Sweet Potatoes?
Tubers are usually ready for harvest roughly 4 months from planting in warmer climates and 6 months in cooler climates. To harvest, pull back the vines to reveal their base and use a garden fork to gently loosen the soil to find the Potatoes. Harvest as required or pull the entire vine out for a complete harvest. Both the leaves and the tubers are edible.
Pests
What pests do Sweet Potatoes get?
Aphids, Snail, Slug, Sweet Potato Stem Borer, White Grub, Mealybug
Diseases
What diseases do Sweet Potatoes get?
Alternaria leaf spot & Leaf and Stem Blight, Black Rot, Fusarium Root and Stem Rot, Sweet Potato Virus
Notes
Is there anything else I need to know about Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet Potatoes are hardy plants that are for the most part, pest and disease free.
Sweet Potatoes form a dense green ground cover. Tubers are often found some distance away from the plant's primary crown so be sure to dig carefully and thoroughly.
Warm Season Crops
Shade Tolerant