Slip to Harvest Growing Guide

How to grow sweet potatoes

Plant sweet potato slips into warm soil, guide vigorous vines through summer, and cure sound storage roots for their best flavor.

Plant rooted slipsWait for warm soilCure before storage
Shop sweet potatoes →Start the guide ↓
Vintage botanical illustration of sweet potato vines with orange purple and cream storage rootsCrop family: Convolvulaceae
Planting materialRooted slipsNot seed potatoes
Soil temperature65°F or warmerWarm settled weather
LightFull sun8 hours preferred
Spacing12–18 inchesRows 3–4 feet apart
Harvest90–120 daysBefore frost

Before you begin

Sweet potatoes begin with slips and demand real summer heat.

A slip is a rooted shoot grown from a sweet potato. Plant only after frost danger has passed, nights are warm, and the soil has reached at least 65°F; cold soil delays growth and can damage slips.

Do not confuse the cropsSweet potatoes are warm-season vines, not members of the potato family. They are planted from slips rather than cut seed potatoes.

Build your sweet potatoes-growing plan

Connect timing, garden space, quantity, and harvest.

When to plantFind the local windowTransplant after frost when soil is at least 65°F and weather is settled.Check planting timing →Place in the gardenReserve the right spaceReserve a sunny bed with room for spreading vines or choose a bunch type.Open the garden planner →How much to plantEstimate planting quantitySpace slips 12–18 inches apart and calculate one plant per position.Calculate quantity →Plan the harvestEstimate harvest timingUse the variety maturity range but dig before frost touches the vines.Plan the harvest date →

sweet potatoes at a glance

From rooted slip to cured storage roots

01WarmPrepare soil02PlantRooted slip03RootFirst weeks04VineSummer spread05SizeUnderground06Cure7–14 days

Planting

Transplant slips deeply into warm, loose ridges.

Form raised ridges in loose, well-drained soil. Set slips deep enough to bury several stem nodes while keeping the leafy tip above ground.

01

Warm and shape the bed

Use ridges 8–12 inches high where drainage or heavy soil is a concern.

02

Plant slips 12–18 inches apart

Bury roots and several stem nodes, then firm gently.

03

Water in immediately

Keep newly planted slips moist until vigorous new growth begins.

Ongoing care

Build vigorous vines and evenly sized storage roots

Use these four priorities to keep plants healthy and productive through the season.

W

Water during establishment

Maintain steady moisture for the first weeks and during prolonged drought.

C

Control weeds early

Cultivate shallowly before vines cover the bed.

A

Avoid excess nitrogen

Rich nitrogen feeding makes vines at the expense of storage roots.

L

Leave vines unrooted

Lift wandering vines gently rather than letting nodes root across the row.

Season checkpoints

Follow slip recovery, vine growth, and root sizing.

Use plant development—not only the calendar—to decide what the crop needs next.

First week

Slips recover

Weeks 2–4

New vines run

Midsummer

Canopy closes

Before frost

Roots are ready

Diagnose before you treat

Common problems and practical responses

Open a symptom to compare what you see, the likely cause, and the next practical response.

Small punctures and internal tunnelsPestSweet potato weevilSmall punctures and internal tunnels

Use clean slips, rotate crops, remove volunteer plants, and harvest promptly.

Round holes and narrow tunnelsPestWirewormsRound holes and narrow tunnels

Avoid planting after sod, control grassy weeds, and rotate affected ground.

Superficial charcoal patchesGrowing issueSweet potato scurfSuperficial charcoal patches

Plant clean slips, rotate for several years, and discard infected storage roots.

Deep lengthwise splitsGrowing issueUneven moistureDeep lengthwise splits

Keep growth steady and avoid severe drought followed by heavy watering.

Harvest

Dig gently before frost and cure roots before eating or storing.

Cut vines away, loosen soil well outside the hill, and lift roots carefully because fresh skins bruise easily. Do not wash before curing.

  1. Harvest before cold injury or frost reaches the roots.
  2. Cure 7–14 days around 80–85°F with high humidity and airflow.
  3. Store near 55–60°F; refrigeration can cause chilling injury.

Urban Farmer selections

Compare three distinctive sweet potato slips

Beauregard product imageFast dependable orangeBeauregardA high-yielding favorite with red-orange skin and orange flesh.Checking availability…Shop Beauregard →Purple Majesty product imagePurple skin and fleshPurple MajestyA vivid anthocyanin-rich selection with dependable yields.Checking availability…Shop Purple Majesty →O'Henry product imageCream-fleshed bakerO'HenryA drier-textured sweet potato suited to baking and frying.Checking availability…Shop O'Henry →

Questions gardeners ask

Sweet Potatoes growing FAQ

What is a sweet potato slip?

A slip is a rooted shoot produced from a mature sweet potato and used as the planting material.

When should slips be planted?

Plant after frost when soil is at least 65°F and nights are reliably warm.

How deep should slips be planted?

Bury the roots and several stem nodes while keeping the leafy growing tip above soil.

How far apart should plants be?

Space slips about 12–18 inches apart with 3–4 feet between rows.

When are sweet potatoes ready?

Most mature in roughly 90–120 days; harvest before frost and sample-dig to check size.

Why must sweet potatoes be cured?

Warm humid curing heals minor skin injuries, improves storage life, and allows flavor and sweetness to develop.

Should harvested roots be refrigerated?

No. Temperatures below about 50°F can cause chilling injury; store cured roots around 55–60°F.

Ready to plant?

Plant warm-season slips for a colorful cured harvest.

Shop sweet potatoes →