Vegetables HO-136-W

Department of Horticulture
Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service West Lafayette, IN

The Sweet Potato

B. Rosie Lerner

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is best suited for

southern gardens due to the need for a long, frost free
growing season. However, Indiana gardeners can
produce enough for home use. Sweet potatoes belong to
Convolvulaceae, the morning glory family. The sweet
potato flower is very similar to ornamental morning
gloriesfunnel-shaped and about the same color and
size. Blooms are rare but are sometimes seen in southern Indiana gardens. Sweet potatoes are perennial in
growth habit but are grown as an annual vegetable in
Indiana.
The sweet potato evolved in tropical America and ranked
second only to the Irish potato as an important vegetable
until World War II. The nutritive value of the sweet potato
is high. It is a good source of sugars, carbohydrates,
calcium, iron, and other minerals and vitamins, particularly A and C.

Types
The edible part of the sweet potato is a swollen storage
root. It contrasts with the Irish potato, which produces a
fleshy underground stem known as a tuber. The color of
both the skin and flesh of sweet potato roots range from
white to orange to red, depending on the cultivar.
There are two types of sweet potatoes, often described
as dry-fleshed or moist-fleshed. This refers to the
mouth feel, not the actual moisture present in the root.
Actually, soft versus firm fleshed types would be a more
accurate description. Moist-fleshed types tend to
convert more of their starch to sugars and dextrines
during cooking, becoming softer and sweeter than the
dry-fleshed types. The moist-fleshed types are often
called yams. However, the true yam is an entirely
different plant species, grown only in tropical climates.
The common sweet potato is a trailing vine normally of
considerable length. These vigorous vines make the
sweet potato an impractical crop in gardens with limited
space. Some cultivars are of a different plant form, called
a bush or bunch type, and are more practical for small
gardens because they produce shorter vines. With extra
Revised 11/01

attention to watering and fertilizing, bush types may also

be grown successfully in containers.

Location
Since the sweet potato is a tropical plant, both warm days
and warm nights are essential for a quality and quantity
crop. A 4-5 month outside growing season is desired for
optimum yield, but acceptable home garden quantities
can be harvested in a shorter growing season. To
prevent buildup of disease organisms and insect pests,
do no grow more than once every 3-4 years on a site.

Acquiring Plants
Sweet potatoes are grown from slips (transplants).
Because there is a possibility of transmitting disease from
saved roots to new plants and of a delay in having plants
available early in the year, home gardeners often find it
more practical to purchase disease-free plants from
reputable growers and garden supply stores. If buying
through mail-order firms, be sure to order early to get the
cultivars you desire. Recommended cultivars for Indiana
gardens and sources for purchasing plants are listed at
the end of this publication.

Growing Your Own Slips

For gardeners wishing to produce their own slips, roots
can be saved from the previous years harvest. Starter
roots should be about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, selected
from high-yielding hills, and be smooth, well-shaped, and
free from disease and insect injury. Each root produces
several slips, so only a few starter roots are needed for
the home grower.
An electrically-heated hotbed is preferred for producing
sweet potato slips (see HO-53: Hotbeds and Cold
Frames). Cold frames are seldom satisfactory for starting
sweet potato vines in Indiana, as slips often grow too
slowly to accommodate the short growing season.
Temperatures should be maintained between 75 and
80F. Place roots about 1 inch apart and 2 inches deep in

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Vegetables HO-136-W
clean sand or good quality potting soil and water to settle
the media around the roots. Ventilate the beds on warm,
sunny days. Water regularly to prevent roots from drying
out, but do not overwater. Mulch can be used to conserve moistureremove it when sprouts appear. Plants
should be ready for transplanting in about 6 weeks or
when 6-10 well-developed leaves are present. Gently pull
each sprout along with its newly developed root system
away from the starter root.
There are a couple of old, but not necessarily wise,
methods of propagating sweet potato starts. A small
number of slips can be produced by partially covering
starter roots with water in a jar or other container. Waterrooted slips are pulled and treated as described above,
but often have an inferior root system due to lack of
proper aeration. The other questionable practice is that of
growing slips from store-bought sweet potatoes. These
sweet potatoes are not likely to be locally grown. The
cultivar will probably be unknown and may not be culturally adapted to Indiana conditions.

Soils
A fertile, well-drained, sandy soil is preferred. Heavy, clay
soils can result in the formation of long, stringy, or
misshapen roots. Poorly-drained soils hold excessive
moisture which may promote root rot.

10 or 10-10-10, can be used at the rate of about 3

pounds per 100 square feet.
Only moderate amounts of nitrogen are required by
sweet potatoes. Excessive amounts may encourage
excessive vine growth and result in cracked and misshapen roots and poor storage quality.
Results are improved when half the fertilizer is applied
before planting, either directly under the ridge or a few
inches to the sides of the centerline of the ridge. Make
the first application of fertilizer 10-14 days before planting
time. The second half of the fertilizer can be applied as a
side-dressing after plants have begun new growth.

Planting
Sweet potato plants are sensitive to cool soils as well as
frost. Transplant to the garden 3-4 weeks after the frostfree date (see Figure 1 for range of planting dates in your
area). Try to purchase or harvest plants the same day
you plan to set them. Be sure to keep roots moist. In
sunny, hot weather, set plants in evening hours to reduce
excessive wilting. Set plants 12-18 inches apart in the
row and gently firm the soil around each plant. Water
immediately to establish good soil-to-root contact. A
starter-solution (1-2 tablespoons of low-analysis fertilizer,
such as 12-12-12, per gallon of water) can be used to
water the plants.

A moderate to slightly acid soil with a pH of 5.6 to 6.5 is

recommended for sweet potatoes. As soil pH approaches
neutral (pH 7.0), diseases are more common. Such
diseases can be controlled by lowering soil pH with
sulfur. However, do not attempt to alter the soil pH
without first having the soil tested. Information on how to
sample and have your soil tested is available through
your local county Extension office and HO-71: Collecting
Soil Samples for Testing. Also remember that other
vegetables in the crop rotation may not require the same
pH as sweet potatoes.
Soil Preparation
Prepare the soil 2 weeks before planting. Dig 6-8 inches
deep with a rototiller, plow, or spade when the soil is dry
enough to work. Prepare a ridge about 18 inches wide to
allow soil too warm and dry faster. On heavy and/or
compacted soils where drainage is slow, ridges 12-15
inches high are especially helpful. Space the ridges 3648 inches apart. On light, sandy soils, ridges 8-10 inches
high, spaced 30 inches apart are usually adequate. Allow
the ridges to settle for a few days, then flatten the tops.

Figure 1. Recommended planting date for sweet potatoes.

*Potential yield may be reduced due to relatively short growing

season and cool soil temperatures at planting time.

Fertilization

Maintenance
A soil test is the best guide for rates of fertilizer to use.
However, in the absence of a soil test, a fertilizer containing moderate amounts of nitrogen and relatively high
proportions of phosphorus and potassium, such as 5-10Page 2 of 4

At least one inch of water per week supplied by natural

rainfall and/or irrigation is required for optimum yields.
Wide fluctuations in soil moisture can cause the roots to
crack.

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Vegetables HO-136-W
Do not cut back the vines during the growing season.
Any kind of damage to the vines before roots are mature
can cause the roots to sprout in the soil. However,
sprouted roots can be salvaged by rubbing off the
sprouts and curing the roots immediately.

Weed Control
Cultivation controls weeds and maintains ridge height
and shape. Control weeds with shallow cultivation or a
mulch. In large plantings, herbicides can be used (see
ID-56: Midwest Vegetable Production Guide 2001 for the
latest recommendations).

Care should be taken during digging and handling to

avoid skinning and bruising the roots. Even a small
wound can easily become infected with decay organisms.
If possible, line containers with rags or other soft material
to avoid scratching the roots. Put healthy roots directly
into clean storage containers at harvest. Although large
amounts of soil clinging to roots during storage is not
desirable, freshly-dug sweet potatoes are easily damaged during the washing process. Allow roots to dry and
cure before removing excess soil.

Curing

Sweet potatoes in Indiana have few insect pests. Control

may be necessary for flea beetles, particularly on young
plants. Severe damage may necessitate replanting.
Sweet potato leaf beetles, which are shiny, blue-green,
and about 1/4 inch long, and tortoise beetles, which are
oval, flattened beetles about 1/4 inch long resembling
small turtles, may also be damaging. (see E-21: Managing Insects in the Home Vegetable Garden for control
recommendations). Follow label recommendations.

Sweet potatoes should be cured before storing to heal

wounds and improve flavor. It is during the curing process that starch is converted to sugar. Cure sweet
potatoes by holding them for about 10 days at 80-85F
and high relative humidity (85-90%). In the absence of
better facilities, they can be cured near your furnace. If
the curing areas temperature is between 65-75F, the
curing period should last 2-3 weeks. To maintain the
required high humidity (85-90% R.H.), stack storage
crates or boxes and cover them with paper or heavy
cloth. Packing in perforated plastic bags will also keep
humidity high.

Disease Control

Storing

Effective disease control is closely associated with proper

maintenance, harvesting, and storage methods to
prevent disease before it happens. Sweet potatoes
should be rotated with other crops on a 3- or 4-year cycle
so that soil-borne pathogens do not progress.

Once the sweet potatoes are cured, move them to a dark

location where a temperature of about 55-60F can be
maintained. Select only sound, whole roots that are free
from disease and insect damage for long-term storage.
Use cut pieces and damaged roots soon after digging.

Always use disease-free starter plants. Inspect transplants and/or roots for disease symptoms (soft rot, dry
rot, discolored lesions) and discard all diseased planting
material. Grow disease-tolerant cultivars whenever
possible.

Sweet potatoes are subject to chilling injury at or below

50F. Good results can be obtained by merely wrapping
cured sweet potatoes in newspaper and storing them in a
closet in which the temperature is 55-60F. Outdoor pits
are not recommended for storage because the dampness
encourages decay.

Insect Control

Harvesting
Sweet potatoes should be harvested by the time frost
kills the vines or soon thereafter. Usually 130-170 days
from planting are needed to give highest yields, although
baby bakers or smaller roots can be harvested up to a
month earlier. Roots continue to grow until frost kills the
vines. However, an extremely hard frost can cause
damage to roots near the surface. Chilling injury also
results to roots when soil temperatures drop to 50F or
lower, and this can result in internal decay in storage.
Direct sunlight for over an hour can sunburn the roots, so
dig only those that can be picked up immediately.
The greatest danger from delayed digging is in the effect
wet soil has on the roots. Excessive moisture can prevent
digging injuries from healing properly allowing decay of
the roots. Keep in mind that disease control continues
through harvesting and storing.
Revised 11/01

Sweet potatoes that are well-matured, carefully handled,

and properly cured should store well until April or May.
For more information on storing produce at home, see
HO-125: Storing Vegetables and Fruits at Home.

Recommended Cultivars
Beauregard: Large, elongated, red-skinned tubers with
orange flesh. Matures in just 90 days.
Bush or Bunch Porto Rico: Short vines (18 inches),
suitable for limited space gardens. Good sized, tapered
roots. Copper-colored skin with light red flesh.
Centennial: A moist-fleshed sweet potato of good
quality. The potato is tapered to cylindrical, medium to
large, and has orange skin with deep-orange flesh. Vines
are vigorous, thick, long, trailing, reddish-purple except at

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Vegetables HO-136-W
terminal ends. Leaves large and light green. Very prolific,
heavy yielder. Stores well. Moderately susceptible to
stem rot and internal cork; susceptible to black rot, scurf,
soil rot, and root-knot nematodes.
Georgia Jet: Early, high yielding purplish red skin and
deep orange, moist flesh.
Jewel: Narrow, cylindrical shape with red skin and
orange flesh. High yielding, good for storing.
Vardaman: Also a bush-plant, high yielding with golden
yellow skin and deep orange flesh.

Johnnys Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Road, Albion, ME

04910, (207) 437-4301, www.johnnyseeds.com
J.W. Jung Seed Company, 335 S. High St., Randolph,
WI 53957, 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com
Earl May Seed & Nursery, Shenandoah, IA 51603, 712246-1020, www.earlmay.com
Mellingers, 2310 West South Range Rd., North Lima,
Ohio 44452, 800-321-7444, www.mellingers.com
Geo W. Park Seed Company, 1 Parkton Ave, Greenwood, SC 29649, 800-213-00767, www.parkseed.com

Sources of Slips (Plants)

Sweet potato slips can be difficult to locate for the smallscale grower. Following is a list of companies known to
sell slips in small quantities. This list is not exhaustive,
and no discrimination or endorsement is intended.
W. Atlee Burpee, 300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA
18991, 800-333-5808,www.burpee.com

Steele Plant Company, P.O. Box 191, Gleason, TN

38229, 901-648-5476
Vermont Bean Seed Company, Garden Lane, Fair
Haven, VT 05743-0250, 803-663-0217,
www.vermontbean.com

Hastings, 434 Marietta Street N.W., P.O. Box 4274,

Atlanta, GA 30302-4274

For more information on the subject discussed in this

publication, consult your local office of the Purdue University
Cooperative Extension Service.

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Revised 11/01