Tips for Growing, Harvesting &
Storing Sweet Potatoes
Why Our Sweet Potato Plants/Slips are Superior
Sweet Potato Ordering/Shipping
Information
Our Varieties of Sweet Potatoes
Answers to Questions Frequently Asked by
Gardeners and Small Producers
Sweet Potato Plants in Hanging
Baskets
Sweet potatoes do best in
well-drained, sandy loam soil. Roots with better shapes usually develop
when grown in light, loamy soils than those grown in heavy or clay
soils. Coarse, deep, sandy soils are generally low in fertility, subject
to moisture stress, and require more irrigation and fertilizer to grow a
good crop.
Select an area to grow your plants/slips that has a Southern
exposure. Because drainage is a must, don’t grow your sweet potatoes on
flat ground as water needs to run off the potato patch. To prepare the
soil, till well and apply 8-8-8 fertilizer at the rate of 2 lbs. per 25
feet of row. Push the softened, fertilized soil into a foot-wide,
flat-topped ridge row that is 8” high.
Plant your slips 10 to 15 inches apart in the center of the
ridge row and at a depth of 3 inches with at least 2 plant nodes
underground and two or more leaves above ground. Spacing your slips
further apart in the row can shorten your growing season.
So, if you will be growing in cooler areas, consider planting
your slips further apart.
Water well after transplanting. Although sweet potatoes can withstand
dry spells, if the weather is hot (85 to 98 degrees F during the day),
the crop will need ½-inch of rainfall each week. This should produce an abundant yield of
top quality sweet potatoes.
Thirty days after transplanting, side dress with an 8-8-8
fertilizer again at the same rate (2 lbs. per 25 feet of row). That’s
important because roots begin to form in 30 to 45 days and need
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash for optimum growth. |
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Root-feeding insects can be controlled with one application of Diazinon
14G at the rate of ½ pound over 1,000 sq. ft. of foliage or 2 oz. per 25
ft. of row when the roots begin to form (30 to 45 days after
transplanting). Be sure to follow all applicable directions,
restrictions, and precautions on the EPA-registered label. Thereafter,
use a foliar spray of Sevin or Malathion at the rate of 2 tablespoons
per gallon of water every 7 to 14 days as necessary, beginning on July
1.
Sweet potatoes require very little care. A bit of weeding, done
carefully so as not to injure the shallow roots, is usually all that is
needed. Uncontrolled weeds can decrease the yields as much as 100%.
Harvesting of the sweet potato roots is usually done between 90
and 120 days or as soon as possible after a frost has blackened the tops
of the plants. A mature sweet potato will have 4 to 5 roots of varying
sizes, but the majority should have a 1 ¾-inch diameter and be 3 to 9
inches in length. You can check for maturity by gently lifting the sweet
potatoes out of the ground with a large fork or shovel, making sure they
do not become detached from the vine. If they’re not ready to harvest,
lower back down and cover with soil.
Dig sweet potatoes carefully as their skin is thin, and they will bruise
easily. It is best to wear gloves when handling them. Do not leave the
roots exposed to direct sunlight when temperatures are above 90 degrees
F for more than 30 minutes or they will sun-scald and be more
susceptible to storage rots. Once the sweet potato roots have been
removed from the ground, spread them out to dry for several hours away
from direct sunlight.
Once dry, put them in newspaper-lined boxes and leave them in a dry,
ventilated area for two weeks, then store in a cool, dry place (50 to 55
degrees F) to cure until you cook them. Sweet
potatoes can be stored for up to 10 months with little reduction in
quality. Once they have been cured (usually after 2 months) they can be
cooked and frozen for later use. |
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