🥔 Sweet Potato
Ipomoea batatas
vegetables
tuberous root (root vegetable)
☀️ Sun
Full sun (6, 8+ hours); very heat-loving , thrives in temperatures 75, 95°F
💧 Water
Medium; 1 inch per week; drought-tolerant once established; reduce water 3, 4 weeks before harvest to prevent tuber cracking
🗺️ Zones
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
🧪 Soil pH
5.5, 6.5 (slightly acidic)
🪴 Soil Type
Loose, well-drained sandy loam; tolerates poor soil better than most vegetables; too much nitrogen produces excessive vines at expense of tubers
🚿 Drainage
Excellent drainage essential; raised ridges 8, 12 inches high ideal; clay soils cause misshapen roots
📏 Spacing
Slips 12, 18 inches apart in rows 36, 48 inches apart; vines spread 4, 8 ft
⏱️ Maturity
90-120 days (from slips); 100-150 days from planting slips to harvest
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Tuberous roots (skin is edible)
🍽️ Leaves and young shoots (highly nutritious , commonly eaten in Africa, Asia, and the American South as a cooked green)
🍽️ Vines (fodder)
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (6)
Beans fix nitrogen; sweet potatoes are less nitrogen-demanding but benefit from the boost; minimal root competition
Attracts parasitic wasps and hoverflies that prey on sweet potato pests
Suppresses nematodes (especially root-knot nematodes that attack sweet potatoes)
Aromatic oils repel sweet potato weevil and flea beetles; low ground cover
Quick-growing intercrop; harvested before sweet potatoes need the space
Repels sweet potato weevil; improves growth
⚠️ Keep Apart (4)
Allelopathic
Okra and sweet potato compete heavily for nutrients, water, and root space , mutual growth inhibition.
Both are aggressive sprawlers competing for space; squash can shade out sweet potato vines
Both attract similar pests; tomatoes can promote fungal diseases near sweet potatoes
💊 Medicinal Uses
Medicinal Properties
- Extremely high in beta-carotene (vitamin A) , one of the best plant sources; orange-fleshed varieties used to combat vitamin A deficiency globally
- Rich in vitamin C, manganese, copper, and B vitamins
- Lower glycemic index than white potatoes; contains adiponectin which may help regulate blood sugar
- Leaves: very high in lutein, vitamins, and polyphenols; studied for antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties
📝 Growing Notes
Sweet potatoes are NOT related to regular potatoes or yams , they're a morning glory relative (Convolvulaceae). Grown from 'slips' (rooted sprouts), not seed pieces. Requires 90, 120 frost-free days. Cure after harvest: 85°F, 85% humidity for 7, 10 days , converts starches to sugars and heals skin for storage (6+ months). Do NOT refrigerate raw sweet potatoes. Leaves are edible and more nutritious than spinach!
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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