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The Sweet Potatoes Plant: A Complete Guide and Care Tips
Sweet potatoes are a delicious and nutritious vegetable that has been a staple in many cuisines around the world.
They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making them an excellent addition to any diet.
However, growing sweet potatoes can be a bit tricky for beginners who haven’t tried it before.
In this article, we will provide you with everything you need to know about growing sweet potatoes successfully.
Varieties of Sweet Potatoes Plant:
There are two main types of sweet potato plants: vining and bush varieties.
Vining varieties produce long vines that can grow up to 10 feet long when trained along trellises or other supports.
Bush varieties are ideal for small gardens since they don’t take up as much space as their vining counterparts.
- Bush Varieties: Bush Porto Rico is one popular variety that produces high yields of medium-sized tubers with copper-colored skin and bright orange flesh.
- Vining Varieties: Beauregard is an excellent vining variety that produces large tubers with deep-orange flesh.
How to Grow Sweet Potatoes:
Before starting your sweet potato plant journey check out these tips first:
- Select the Right Location: Sweet potatoes require warmth so choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
- Planting Time Matters: You should plant your slips after all danger of frost has passed in the spring when temperatures have warmed up enough for the soil temperature to reach at least 60°F (15°C).
- Sweet Potato Slips: You can purchase sweet potato slips (young plants) from your local garden center or online.
Be sure to choose healthy-looking slips with sturdy stems and lots of leaves.
- Planting Process: Plant the slips in a hole about 3-4 inches deep and water well.
Hill up the soil around the base of each plant after a few weeks to keep them upright, then continue hilling every few weeks until harvest time.
Sweet Potatoes Plant Care Tips:
In order to ensure that your sweet potatoes grow properly and produce large yields, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind during their growth period.
- Fertilization: Sweet potatoes will benefit from regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer but be careful not to overdo it.
Excessive nitrogen fertilization will result in lush foliage but small tubers, so it’s important to find the right balance for your plants.
- Irrigation: Sweet potatoes need regular watering especially during hot, dry weather conditions because they have shallow roots which makes them susceptible to drought stress.
- Weed Control: Weeds compete with sweet potato plants for nutrients and moisture so make sure you regularly weed around your crop.. You can also use mulch as an alternative weeding technique since it also helps conserve moisture within the soil .
- Pest Control: Aphids are common pests that tend feed on sweet potato plants’ sap causing wilting , distortion of leaves curling etc .
Also be on look out for rodents like rats who eat into matured tubers another option is using traps as preventive measure.
Harvesting and Storing Sweet Potatoes:
Sweet potatoes are usually ready to be harvested about four months after planting.
You’ll know they’re ready when the leaves start to yellow and die back, or when the vines have completely withered away.
When it’s time to harvest, gently dig up the tubers using a garden fork or spade and brush off any loose soil.
Be careful not to puncture or bruise the tubers as this can cause them to spoil during storage.
Cure your sweet potatoes by leaving them in a warm, humid place for 7-10 days then store in cool dry area around 55°F (13°C) with good ventilation.
Conclusion:
Growing sweet potatoes can be a lot of fun, especially if you follow these tips outlined above on planting, caring for, harvesting and storing sweet potato plants.
With proper care throughout their growth period , you’ll reap delicious rewards of healthy home grown produce come harvest season!
