Work in plenty of compost, avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers that produce lush vines and stunted tubes. Credit: Slips or transplants for growing sweet potatoes in a container may be purchased from the local nursery or grown yourself. Growing Sweet Potatoes In A Container. You may think that growing sweet potatoes requires a lot of space, but think again.With the use of containers and compact varieties, any gardener is able to grow sweet potatoes on their patio or balcony. The bush-type Porto Rico produces good yields of medium-sized potatoes, which are great for baking. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 No matter what size container you choose, the set up is the same. Sweet potatoes also like to remain moist, but don't like to sit in water. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Where space is limited you can even grow sweet potatoes in containers or patio bags. Follow these steps and next fall you will be able to harvest your own crop for your favorite sweet potato recipes. Now it is the time to choose the soil and make the right mixture, so sweet potatoes could be planted and grown in a good way. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. I am so excited that I had to put the title in all caps! Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers to Save on Space. Where space is limited you can even grow sweet potatoes in containers or patio bags. Sweet potatoes belong to the Ipomoea plant family, while regular potatoes are a kind of Solanum. After cured, store at about 55°F at 75–80% humidity. Irish potatoes can be grown on a small scale in various kinds of containers, in any area that gets at least six or eight hours of direct sunshine. The sweet potatoes will remain unspoiled at room temperature for up to a year if you've given them time to form a suberin coat. The sweet potato is suitable for growing in zones 3-11 as an annual, and zones 8-11 as a perennial. We share with you how growing sweet potatoes in containers for a BIG Harvest is easy. Be careful not to cut or knick the stem of the slip while you’re trimming the leaves, as this can cause the potato to sprout from an undesirable spot on the slip. Sweet potatoes grow well in containers, and the container offers additional protection against slugs and other pests that might damage the plants in a standard garden. Have fun growing them from slips to harvest. Select a variety of sweet potato that is best suited for growing in containers. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. For home gardeners, the best time to harvest sweet potatoes is immediately before or just after the first fall frost. That's the plan, and subject to change of course. These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback, 23 beautiful, uplifting, and heartfelt sentiments for your loved ones. ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter. To create the perfect environment, create long, wide, 10-inch-high ridges spaced 3½ feet apart. To cure for storage, provide warmth (80°F to 90°F) and high humidity for 5 to 10 days. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 20,120 times. Simply kick over the top tire and pick up the sweet potatoes. Via mail-order, you can purchase rooted cuttings called “slips” that are small, ready-to-grow plants. Check that the slips are leafy and over 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall. The Big Two For Sweet Potato Success – Fertility and Water. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. An Amazing Way To Grow Sweet Potatoes. Keep greenhouse plants well watered, and feed every other week with a high-potassium liquid feed. Not only do sweet potatoes grow well directly in the ground, but they also can grow in large containers or … Unlike field growing, containers present two unique challenges. The bush-type Porto Rico produces good yields of medium-sized potatoes, which are great for baking. Make sure you have a long, hot growing season as most sweet potatoes require 90 to 170 days. The best ones to grow are organic ones that I get at the farmers market, since the local farmers, at least who sell in NYC, often don't spray anything on the potatoes to prevent sprouting. Some potatoes may have grown more than others. Leave your sweet potatoes in a dry, well-lit area, and they will start to produce slips. Log in to comment on this story! Sweet potatoes are known to do better in poor, sandy soil and may in fact produce a great deal of vines at the expense of tubers in overly rich, over-fertilized soils. This is a very undemanding crop to grow; sweet potatoes are drought- and heat-tolerant and have few pests or diseases. The root comes with smooth skin color ranges between yellow, red, brown, purple, and beige. sweet potatoes (Ipomea batatas) aren’t related to regular potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) or yams (Dioscorea sp You might even find that growing potatoes in pots can add a decorative touch to patios and landscapes. However, a couple of varieties have been bred to survive the UK climate and with our hints and tips on growing them you can expect a reasonable crop in many parts of the UK Southern Living is a registered trademark of, These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021, 7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020, 50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime. Sweet potatoes are a bit different because you plant “slips” in place of seed potatoes. Place about four inches of soil in your container, place your sweet potato slips on top, then add about three more inches of soil to secure them. Plant the Slips in Containers . Sweet potatoes crop best at temperatures between 21-26°C (70-80°F). How to plant. I LOVE sweet potatoes. Lay down the slips across the mound with the roots at the lowest end of the soil. If you don't have a drill, you can use a sharp knife to cut holes into the bottom of the bucket, but be very careful not to cut yourself. To have potatoes in the end is just icing on the cake! Sweet potatoes can be grown in 5 gallon containers. Use a premium potting mix designed for vegetables, and add about 30% compost. The sweet potato propagation process takes a couple of weeks but your yam plant will make a spectacular centrepiece in your home. Harvesting sweet potatoes grown in tires is so easy. Once these plants have begun to grow robustly indoors, they will be ready to transfer to large mixed containers with other plants. A sweet potato will start to grow "slips", which are stems with leaves. If they have, you might be able to ask them where you can get untreated sweet potatoes. Since last year I harvested five pounds of sweet potatoes from one pot, I decided to try that method again with the Mericlone slips. This root crop has hundreds of varieties, some bred for their showy vines and others for the tasty potatoes (Fig. Anyone else growing sweet potatoes in plastic containers? They are not particularly fussy but do prefer an acid or neutral soil. 1. Growing container potatoes is also a great project for kids. (Regular potatoes belong to the nightshade family). Plant the sweet potato in a container of potting soil when each vine has as least four to six leaves. References. I make them into fries, curries, vindaloo, and sometimes I just bake them in the microwave for a quick lunch. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. X We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you are growing sweet potatoes in Grow Bags, fill the bags with Container Mix, and then add a shovelful of compost and about half a cup of granular organic fertilizer. The same techniques that apply to growing potatoes in the ground apply to growing them in containers. This process causes a thin protective layer to form on the outer skin of the potato known as suberin. Sweet potatoes are native to the sub-tropics and grow best in temperatures above 70°F / 20°C and in humid conditions. Could you please tell me if it okay to recycle the compost into the garden after the potatoes have cropped as there is such a lot of compost in six containers and seems a shame to waste it." As the stems grow upward, continue to add more of you soil mix until the level reaches the top of the container. Choose a compact variety for container-growing, such as Bush Puerto Rico or Vardaman. Harvest your own crop for the best ever sweet potato casserole. I found another 15 or so more sweet potatoes underneath the tote! Unlike field growing, containers present two unique challenges. You will need a large container at around 40 – 50 cm deep and 40 cm in diameter. Simply scatter the fertilizer over the tilled ground at planting time, or lay a trickle of fertilizer in the bottom of the trench you are planting into. If you want to grow your sweet potato vines as decorative plants, find a small three- or four-inch seedling pot with good drainage. If you don't want to use your hand, you can also use a small garden spade to dig the holes. If you don't have room for a full garden but want to grow sweet potatoes, you might consider container gardening as an option. In the North, cover the raised rows with black plastic to keep t… 1). As their popularity increases, more and more intrepid gardeners are trying their hand at growing their own. The plant bears a heart shaped or palmately lobed leaves with flowers. It can be more difficult to manage the water needs of potatoes in containers. Sweet potatoes will grow in poor soil, but deformed roots may develop in heavy clay or long and stringy in sandy dirt. Download a printer-friendly version of this page: Growing Sweet Potatoes … Containers created specifically for potatoes, such as this Garden Vegetable Grow Bag, are easy to work with and are quite inexpensive compared to plastic or ceramic. Learn more... Sweet potatoes make for a nutritious and filling side dish to most meals. To keep the temperature regular, you may need to place the jar in a sunny window and replace cooler water with warm water 2 times every day. Generally speaking, the yield is smaller but you can still get plenty of delicious sweet potatoes. I LOVE sweet potatoes. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. After the threat of frost is gone, choose a spot for your container that gets full sun throughout the day. The sweet potato is a sweet flavored large starchy root vegetable which is a source of many nutrients.A sweet, potato plant is a perennial plant in its native environment, but if you grow sweet potatoes in containers it is an easy process, but the plant is usually grown as an annual. While tempting, it is not always a good idea to rely on sprouts grown from store-bought sweet potatoes. Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. A container filled with potatoes and soil can be very heavy, especially if the soil is wet. First, they need supplemental water, especially for a water hungry crop like sweet potatoes. Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers:The sweet potatoes not related to potatoes family. Plant. A lack of acreage should never discourage you from growing your own vegetables. Once cured, sweet potatoes … To double check that the sweet potato is suitable to use, ask the farmer or booth worker if they’ve sprayed the potatoes with BudNip or other sprout inhibitor. Whether you decide to plant in beds or in grow bags, choose a spot that provides full-sunlight for most of the day. Growing sweet potatoes can require a lot of space however, with the use of containers and compact varieties any gardener is able to grow their own. Plant sweet potatoes 30cm (12") apart, leaving 75cm (30") between each row. Sweet potatoes grow best within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and above. So their growing requirements are quite different. Some containers – like grow bags – may increase the risk of evaporative water loss. Grow sweet potatoes in full sun on fertile, well drained soil. But did you know you can also grow sweet potatoes in containers? Growing Potatoes in Containers – How to Grow Potatoes in Bags or Pots [GrowVeg] Share this Story. Plant slips directly in the soil, planter, hanging basket, bucket, or a pot. Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers. Fill the container and create a raised area on one side of the container with the soil. Sweet potatoes have to be one of the more fun kitchen-food plants to grow in the home. Sweet potatoes are planted in May or June as soon as they are available. Vardaman, named after a famous sweet potato town in Mississippi, is also ideal for its bush habit and reined in vines. By using our site, you agree to our. This is natural. Many of the sweet potatoes have been treated to reduce sprouts, and you won't know the specific type of sweet potato you have purchased. Jan 20, 2015 - I am so excited that I had to put the title in all caps! This is essential for the proper development of your potatoes – especially for growing larger potatoes and keeping the potato tops size in check. One sweet potato should produce around 12-slips, slice them off, and store them in a well-lit, dry area of your kitchen. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. I LOVE sweet potatoes. Research source First, they need supplemental water, especially for a water hungry crop like sweet potatoes. I have one plant of each variety in five large pots containing a good mix … WATCH: Kathy G This Sweet Potato Casserole Has An Incredible Praline Topping. Last April I dug into the bottom of my fridge and found a small sweet potato… This article has been viewed 20,120 times. I make them into fries, curries, vindaloo, and sometimes I just bake them in the microwave for a quick lunch. Use a pair of gardening gloves to avoid getting soil under your fingertips. The sweet potato is a large, sweet-tasting root of the morning glory family. Sweet potatoes are best grown from cuttings, which are not, in fact, rooted and technically called 'slips'. Container potatoes are also a really fun project to do with kids.The plants grow fast and produce a good yield for the space required. We have grown sweet potatoes in containers with good success. In this video, I show you how to grow sweet potato in containers or pots. Slips are small sprouts that are grown from pre … Leave all of the stems exposed. This is great for those who don’t have a large space to grow, but still want to join the Dane County Sweet Potato Project in growing sweet potatoes for the community. These bags are designed specifically to provide aeration to the roots, adequate drainage and even side pockets to sneak a small spud here and there. Simply buy a small organic sweet potato from your local grocer and place the tip in water. Sweet potatoes are known for their habit of sprawling, but this type has short and compact vines. The Big Two For Sweet Potato Success – Fertility and Water. I’ve had a lot of success with growing sweet potatoes in a container and hanging basket. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Tweet. For people with very small gardens or just a patio or porch, growing potatoes in containers can be interesting and productive. Here are the necessary steps to grow sweet potatoes (Botanical Name: Ipomoea batatas) in containers: [1] I love sweet potato vines because they are pretty and grow quickly, but are an invasive summer vine. Growing in Containers. Plant sweet potatoes 30cm (12") apart, leaving 75cm (30") between each row. A hanging basket is a good choice for this plant’s vining habit. One thing to note here is that sweet potatoes prefer a bit moisty soil. Crystal Weddington/EyeEm, How To Grow Sweet Potatoes In A Container. Growing Sweet Potatoes In Containers: The following information is about Growing Sweet Potatoes In Containers.. Here are the necessary steps to grow sweet potatoes (Botanical Name: Ipomoea batatas) in containers: The plant bears a heart shaped or palmately lobed leaves with flowers. In Texas, the most common food varieties planted are Beauregard, Centennial, Jewell, and Vardaman; the most popular is Beauregard. The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Whereas sweet potatoes are a long season crop that grows on trailing vines, potatoes are grown early in the season and do best in cooler temperatures. The sweet potato is a large, sweet-tasting root of the morning glory family. Pots spilling with sweet potato vines are particularly attractive. Disadvantages of Containers. The botanical name of sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas. Select a variety of sweet potato that is best suited for growing in containers. The only pests that generally bother sweet potatoes are slugs and you eliminate that danger when growing the plant in containers. Old jam jars are a perfect size for most potatoes. Sweet potatoes grow well in containers, and the container offers additional protection against slugs and other pests that might damage the plants in a standard garden. For people with very small gardens or just a patio or porch, growing potatoes in containers can be interesting and productive. The sweet potato is often considered a garden plant, but it can actually be used as a house plant or grown in containers in most USDA Zones. koffeeklatchgals on June 15, 2016: I haven't tried growing sweet potatoes before. Potatoes are grown using a "hilling" technique in which the stems are gradually buried by heaping additional soil around the plant as it grows upward. Dry sweet potatoes for several hours in the sun, then move them to a well-ventilated area and keep at 85–90°F for 10–15 days. Some of the varieties used are bush rather than regular vining sweet potatoes, while others are dwarf versions of … Once those slips start to develop, they'll each have their own root system. Excess water has to drain from the container or the plant's roots will rot. The misconception that sweet potatoes can only be grown in warm countries isn’t entirely true, since they can be grown in containers and kept indoors to keep the soil warm. Harvesting potatoes in a container is like a treasure hunt for kids: just turn over the container, and let them sort through the soil for delicious rewards! Potatoes flower attractively before the growing season ends. As an experienced gardener, you know that all containers are not created equal. Here’s a quick step-by-step to planting and growing them in your own garden. We know that we can grow some vegetables in hanging baskets on our deck, and that straw and hay bales make fantastic growing vessels for herbs, tomatoes, and other vegetables. Using a laundry basket as your potato container is obviously a super simple, not to mention cheap solution – all you need to do is add a little bit of newspaper over the holes as you grow, and those holes make getting water all the way down to the bottom easy-peasy, but there are lots of cool DIY potato growing instructions all over bogland, and they are totally worth drooling over. Leave in a sunny spot and watch it grow roots and leaves. I make them into fries, curries, vindaloo, and sometimes I just bake them in the microwave for a quick lunch. Growing sweet potatoes in the backyard are easy and fun, and this is a great way to enjoy super-sweet tubers that tastes so much better than those you’ll find at the local supermarket. Get our Newsletter Subscribe. 1 Growing sweet potatoes — a great storage crop for those looking to be food self-sufficient — is simple in many climates if you follow our tips. Whether it is in the garden or in containers, the process for growing potatoes is a little different than it is for other vegetables. You can follow the process above and then plant the tuber in the ground or you can grow sweet potatoes from a seedling. Sweet potatoes are not related to potatoes, and they are grown very differently. The temperature must stay above {[convert|50|F|C}} if you're leaving the bucket outside. The best part about gardening is that there is usually more than one way to grow something. Overwinter plants in a frost-free greenhouse or windowsill. Growing Sweet Potatoes in Containers to Save on Space. (A 10-foot row will produce 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes.) This is a good time for harvest. % of people told us that this article helped them. If you are growing sweet potatoes in Grow Bags, fill the bags with Container Mix, and then add a shovelful of compost and about half a cup of granular organic fertilizer. They are not particularly fussy but do prefer an acid or neutral soil. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Share. Soil Requirements. Growing sweet potatoes in water is easier than you think. The only pests that generally bother sweet potatoes are slugs and you eliminate that danger when growing the plant in containers. This type of soil will increase the growth of the leaves, but stunt the growth of the potato. The ones I get at the supermarket never seem to ever give off any slips! I found another 15 or so more sweet potatoes underneath the tote! Whether grown in the garden or as container grown sweet potatoes, these vegetables prefer warm days and nights and are planted from slips or transplants. Sweet potato slips can be purchased from online garden sources, local garden centers or hardware stores. Grow sweet potatoes in full sun on fertile, well drained soil. The Grow Bags are reusable and can be stored away for the next season. When it comes to sweet potatoes which are grown in pots, they prefer soil, which has a sandy composition and that provides good enough draining. The sweet potatoes, since I am really really looking forward to them, will be watered with compost tea twice a week. You can snap those off the mother sweet potato and plant those individual slips into the ground or in a large container in the home. The sweet potato is often considered a garden plant, but it can actually be used as a house plant or grown in containers in most USDA Zones. Starting Your Slips Choose a sweet potato. Use a well-draining pot large enough to accommodate it comfortably. When the sweet potato leaves turn yellow, growth has stopped and the roots have matured. In the garden, mix some well-aged compost into each planting hole and then plant slips 12-18" apart, burying the stem with soil right up to the first pair of leaves. Choose a compact variety for container-growing, such as Bush Puerto Rico or Vardaman. They don’t require a lot of maintenance, don’t suffer from too many pests or diseases, and yield lots of healthy, delicious food […] I've grown them in 3 gallon nursery cans of pure potting soil (peat moss, perlite, vermiculite) and they did very well and produced a nice crop. When your sweet potatoes are ready to harvest, you simply lift the bag and dump the contents into a wheelbarrow making the harvest extremely easy. A slip is an “eye” on a sweet potato that has sprouted. Not only do sweet potatoes grow well directly in the ground, but they also can grow in large containers or bags. Sweet potatoes are tasty, healthy, and easy to grow. Under ideal conditions, sweet potatoes can be stored in an Orchard Rack, which is made for storing all kinds of "keeper crops." If the weather is dry, let them sit on the ground for several hours before bringing them in. "I am growing Charlotte potatoes in containers and have read that the same compost should not be used to grow potatoes in the containers again. Since last year I harvested five pounds of sweet potatoes from one pot, I decided to try that method again with the Mericlone slips. Potted sweet potatoes prefer well-draining, sandy soil with added compost. Pull the toothpicks out of the potato and cover it completely with soil. Sweet potatoes need about 12 weeks of good warm weather to grow and produce good sized tubers. Check with local agricultural groups for their planting calendars to get a good idea when to plant the potato slips. How to grow sweet potatoes in pots or containers Although the sweet potato is an exotic, tropical root crop from South America, it is becoming an increasingly common sight in our local supermarkets. It can be grown by placing a cut sweet potato in water. Last April I dug into the bottom of my fridge and found a small sweet potato… How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in a Container – Producing Slips. The root comes with smooth skin color ranges between yellow, red, brown, purple, and beige. LOVE. With a container garden, you are able to control the amount of water to prevent dehydration, and ensure proper drainage to prevent root rot. So their growing … Sweet potatoes are a marvelous crop to grow in your garden. wikiHow's. As long as you have good drainage and follow the growing tips below, you can grow sweet potatoes pretty much anywhere. I have one plant of each variety in five large pots containing a good mix … Mar 7, 2019 - I don't know about you, but I am so excited to get this growing season underway! Sunlight and water are difficult to spread evenly between all 6 of the slips. May 25, 2013 - I am so excited that I had to put the title in all caps! If you want to grow sweet potatoes in containers, then we recommend that you use a 1.5-gallon pot for two slips. This is a very undemanding crop to grow; sweet potatoes are drought- and heat-tolerant and have few pests or diseases. Sweet potatoes need a loamy soil with a pH between 5.0-6.5. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Grow-Sweet-Potatoes-in-Containers-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Sweet-Potatoes-in-Containers-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Grow-Sweet-Potatoes-in-Containers-Step-1.jpg\/aid10355061-v4-728px-Grow-Sweet-Potatoes-in-Containers-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"