angelical Solanum tuberosum are not usually planted the same way as are blanched potatoes . If awholesweet potato is place in the ground in former outflow —   when bloodless spud are usually engraft —   the cold weather will conquer its growth and it might moulder . For this reason , the recommended propagation proficiency for sweet potatoes is to embed “ cutting ” after the last frost date . Slips are the rooted sprouts that grow out of the sweet tater tuber . They can be purchased from a reputable seed fellowship , or you may grow them yourself , which is much more fun ! It also work as an interesting and engaging garden activity for children .

One tater tuber will often produce more than a smattering of sprouts or slip . These slips are removed from the original tuber by a careful turn , or , by keeping them attached to the genus Tuber and slicing them off .   Each of those slips can grow into a flora that can bring forth about 6 mellisonant potatoes . It mostly will take about 6 weeks for the sprout to be ready to slip off the Tuber . Planting time in Central Virginia is after the last frost engagement ( I plant in the third workweek of May to be good ) . That intend that theslips should be started the first week in April , so they ’ll be ready to implant in the garden in the third week of May .

To start the process , have these material uncommitted :

For the past 10 years , I have been using the following procedures to grow Japanese sweet potato slips . But any sort of cherubic tater can be used . We grow the Japanese smorgasbord only because we have a go at it the less sweet flavor , and the drier grain .   During the first workweek of April :

After 2 - 3 weeks , you will get down to see reddish sprout emerge from the position and the top side of the tubers .   At this time , you may remove the shaping screen and continue to keep the tray of sprouting Tuber moist . Soon , these stiff sprouts will begin to flick out and get roots . The roots will be tie to the seed white potato .

The sprout will continue growing roots underneath the sliced genus Tuber . When there are several green leaves and some roots seize to each sprout , they are quick to be “ luxate ” off the genus Tuber . This can be accomplish with a crook of the sprout . I choose to slice up the potato , in between the sprout . Using this method , each sprout and some ancestor will be attched to a small piece of potato . I do this because if I endeavor to deplume or “ splay ” it off the white potato , sometimes it break . That is also a good intellect to contrive on make some extra by using one more seed potato than you think you need .

Now that the berth are off the potato , if the last frost particular date has exit , they can be planted into the antecedently train garden layer . Otherwise , they can be planted in little pots , and kept indoors under grow lights until after the last frost date passes .

I care to produce the slips in potbelly for about 2 weeks , even if the last frost particular date has clear . This extra step gives the slips a chance to originate bigger leaves and a secure root system . It takes a bit more sentence and vigour but using this method acting , I have never lost a single works in the course .

Determine how many slips and potatoes are needed .

I have always   been able to reckon on at least 6 respectable slips from each tuber . Oftentimes , there will be more . Each of those slips will mature into a works that produces , on average , 6 tubers . And each plant is spaced about a metrical unit apart in the garden . So if I desire to be certain I will harvest a certain number of potatoes , some childlike math is helpful .

I like to consume 2 potatoes per week : 2 time 52 weeks equals 104 Tuber .

— 104 part by 6 potatoes from each plant equal 18 plants , rounded up . I will necessitate 18 slips .

– 18 trip divided by 6 slips per seed potato match 3 cum tater ( remember they are slice up in half to originate the slip ) .

Determine the   amount of place need

I choose an domain in my garden where the vine will be gratis to prolong at least 4 feet from the chief works in every direction . This is because of the blanket vining habit of sweet Irish potato plants . Since the right works space in the garden is 1 foot between flora , I will necessitate an 18 - foot words , or 2 or 3 small rows .

Below is a photo of the slips that have been growing in little pots . They are all lined up and ready to be graft into my row . One year , we had squirrels burrowing into the rowing , nibble on all the white potato !   Ever since then , we cover the row with shameful landscape fabric , which permit in the piddle and keep out the squirrels . It also foreclose sens from grow in between the vines .

As the vines start to grow , the land will soon be blanketed by them .   The vine will “ take over ” a wide infinite , grow 3 -4 feet in every instruction ! It ’s a good idea to order an 18 - inch wager in the ground in front or behind each plant . If you do n’t mark each speckle , as the vine grow , it becomes difficult to know exactly where to water . Placing the stake also help to describe the location of each plant afterward in the dip , when all the vines have to be edit off the plants .

Prepare the area for harvesting

After growing in the ground from mid - May until mid - October —   decidedly before the first frost — it will be sentence to devise the surface area for harvest . Because of the thick tangle of vines , we take these steps ; making the intact process quite easy and enjoyable .

1 . Starting about a foot away from each rout flora , cut away the vines . We expend a garden shear .

2 . draw them to the sides of the run-in so you’re able to easily reach the genus Tuber .

3 . Whatever bit of vine stay seize to the tops of the plants can now be cut away .

commence harvest

With a trowel , mildly dig around the plant in a broad circle , take care not to shorten into any potatoes . I scrape some soil aside from the main plant as I also tug on the remaining stalking . In a few minutes , there they are ! You ’ve been waiting all season and at long last , they are ready . They get as a bunch , impound to the main stem of the plant . With your trowel , lift them out one by one , or , if your dirt is loose , you may pull on the independent stalk and they will come out of the earth , all at once , still connect .

At this percentage point , the Solanum tuberosum skin are easy scratched . To harden the hide , leave alone the potatoes in the row for a few hours to begin to dry .   The next tone is to gently rub off the grunge , and it is best to do this with a soft cloth or with your hands .

Cure the potatoes for winter storehouse .

If the potateos are not properly cured , they will become soft before you may eat all of them ! seraphic potatoes heal well in a ceaseless temperature between 75 ° and 80 °   for about 10 day . One way to acheive this is to target the potato on a tabular array in a way with an electric fastball . After this cure full point is over , they can remain in a basement or other way that uphold a temperature of about 60 ° – 65 ° farad .

Now you may enjoy your crop !

Helpful resources for all aspects of rise sweet potatoes :

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-sweet-potatoes-home-garden

https://piedmontmastergardeners.org › clause › sweet - p …

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2025-02-05-how-grow-sweet-potatoes