As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Steps
1
Prepare a sunny garden plot that receives 8 to 10 hours of sunlight daily. Ensure the soil is loamy and quick-draining with a pH between 5.8 and 6.5.
2
Enrich the soil with a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer (such as 5-10-10) before planting. If the soil is heavy, create raised rows or mounds approximately 8 inches deep and 12 inches wide to keep the slips warm.
Tip: Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers as they encourage heavy vine growth but result in fewer, smaller tubers.
3
Prepare the slips by breaking off the lower leaves so that only the top leaves remain.
4
Plant the slips 12 to 24 inches apart. Dig holes just deep enough to cover the root ball and the stem up to the remaining leaves. For best results, plant on an overcast day when temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tip: Plant slips 3 to 4 weeks after the last spring frost when soil temperatures are consistently above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
5
Water the plants liberally for the first week to 10 days to help them become established. Once established, provide approximately 1 inch of water per week.
Tip: Water in the early morning or evening so leaves dry during the day.
6
Maintain the vines by training them onto a trellis or back into the garden bed if they become unruly. Do not prune the vines, as the leaves provide necessary energy for the tubers.
7
Stop watering 3 to 4 weeks before harvest to prevent the tubers from splitting. Harvest the potatoes approximately 90 to 120 days after planting (depending on variety) when the leaves begin turning yellow.
Pro Tips
Crop rotate your garden and avoid planting sweet potatoes in the same location year after year to prevent fungi from persisting in the soil.
Stop fertilizing as you approach the harvest time.