How to Grow Sweet Potatoes From Slips

Sweet Potatoes are easy to grow, and for only a few plants, you can have a generous harvest. Usually, this plant is mostly grown in the southern region since this pant requires four months of warm temperature, some people from the north also plant sweet potatoes. So, let’s learn how to grow sweet potatoes in your backyard garden.

Recommended Varieties for Growing Sweet Potatoes

Jewel. It is a copper-colored type of sweet potato that has excellent resistance to disease and has an excellent reputation for life storage.

Centennial. This type is the most popular sweet potato type and also has a great storage life. It is carrot-colored, and it grows well for the northern gardeners.

Beauregard. Initially, this type of sweet potato originates from Louisiana but also grows well in the north. It has dark orange flesh and light purple skin color.

Strokes. This type of sweet potato has a vibrant purple color that has extra health benefits.

Vardaman. If you have a limited space garden, this type of sweet potato is the right choice.

Bunch Porto Rico. This bushy type of sweet potato is an excellent choice for a garden with limited space. It is also copper-colored and has a very flavorful taste.

Growing Sweet Potato the Old Way

In the past, you can grow sweet potato from the slips by following the instructions below:

Step 1. During the early spring, you take the sweet potato out of your storage.

Step 2. You use the toothpick and insert it around the tops of the sweet potato.

Step 3. You let the jar of the water sit for two weeks to two months to produce slips and wait for it to have root. Slips are vines from the sweet potato.

Interested on growing potatoes in containers? Read my post about it.

Growing Sweet Potato the New Way

Contrary to what I used to do when planting sweet potato in a jar of water, I tried another it the other way, my new way of planting it. I planted the sweet potato in a pan. It is not fancy, make use of an aluminum roasting pan, and I sat it on the seedling heat pad, then waited. So, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Place the entire sweet potatoes in a pan of soil. The soil should come a halfway up of the side of the potato.

Step 2. Put the pan in a seedling heating mat.

Step 3. Keep the soil moist and wait for the potato to produce roots or slips within or less than two weeks.

Caring for Growing Potatoes

For caring for your sweet potato, side dree it about three to four weeks after you transplant using a three pounds of fertilizer 5-10-10 in every 100 feet row. If the garden soil is sandy, use five pounds.