How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in Your Home Backyard Garden

Growing sweet potatoes in your backyard garden is a fun and rewarding activity that will fill your garden with vibrant green vines and provide you with a delicious harvest. Whether you're new to gardening or have years of experience, sweet potatoes are an easy and versatile crop to grow. Check out these simple steps to get your veggies off to a sweet start!

Let's Grow!

Sweet potatoes thrive in warm, sunny locations with well-draining soil. Here’s how to prepare your garden for planting: 

Select a Site: Choose a spot that gets at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. 

Soil Preparation: Sweet potatoes prefer sandy, loamy soil. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost to improve drainage. 

pH Level: Aim for a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5. You can test your soil and adjust the pH if necessary. 

Sweet potatoes are grown from slips, which are shoots that sprout from an existing sweet potato. You can either purchase healthy and naturally grown slips from us here. 

It’s time to plant

When to Plant: Plant sweet potato slips after the last frost date when the soil has warmed to at least 60°F (15.5°C). 

Spacing: Plant slips 12-18 inches apart in rows spaced 3-4 feet apart. This allows the vines to spread and the tubers to develop. 

Planting: Bury each slip up to its top leaves, ensuring the roots are well-covered and the leaves are above the soil. 

Care for Your Sweet Potatoes 

Sweet potatoes need consistent care to thrive. 

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply once a week, more often during dry spells. 

Mulching: Apply mulch around the plants to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. 

Fertilizing: Use a balanced fertilizer every few weeks. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote foliage growth instead of tuber development. 

Weeding: Regularly remove weeds to prevent competition for nutrients and water. 

  

Bugs, Pests, and Diseases 

Sweet potatoes can be susceptible to pests like sweet potato weevils and diseases such as fusarium wilt. Here’s how to manage them: 

Pest Control: Use row covers to protect young plants from insects. Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs to control pests naturally. 

Disease Prevention: Practice crop rotation and avoid planting sweet potatoes in the same spot each year. Ensure proper spacing for good air circulation and avoid overwatering. 

 

It’s time to harvest!

Sweet potatoes are typically ready for harvest 90-120 days after planting, depending on the variety. 

Timing: When the leaves start to yellow it’s time! 

Digging: Use a garden fork or spade to carefully dig up the sweet potatoes, being cautious not to damage the tubers. 

Curing: After harvesting, cure sweet potatoes by laying them out in a warm, humid place (around 85°F and 85% humidity) for 1-2 weeks. This process helps to heal any cuts and improve sweetness. 

Properly cured sweet potatoes can be stored for several months: 

Storage: Store cured sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place (around 55-60°F) with good ventilation. 

Enjoy: Sweet potatoes can be baked, roasted, mashed, or used in a variety of dishes. Enjoy the fruits of your labor! 

Growing sweet potatoes in your garden can be a fulfilling experience. With the right care and attention, you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest of delicious, nutritious sweet potatoes.

Happy gardening!