Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is a easy growing root tuber vegetable that loves warm weather of tropical and subtropical countries. It is a native to Central and South America. People consume where both the root tubers and tender shoots. (these can be stir fried and used as greens. Tender leaves can be cooked or mixed with Dosa batter and made into healthy leaf stuffed Dosas).
Sweet potatoes, which are related to the morning glory and belong to the family Convolvulaceae, and may be growing in different forms as trailing vines and ground covers with roots at each nodes. Some short "Bush" varieties are also available. There are different varieties of Sweet potatoes with varying tuber colour, skin colour Leaf colour, shape The orange-fleshed varieties are most common. But white or light yellow are also available. The yellow and orange coloured varieties are rich in carotinoids and antioxidents).
Some are ornamental too with leaves and stems light yellowish green or deep purple and are used in Landscaping. They too produce edible tubers which are rich in Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes grow on all types of well drained soils and likes acidic to neutral pH of 4.5-7.IN Poor soils this can be grown with proper nutrients topped up.
How to grow sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are grown from plant cuttings called ‘slips’ This can be produced either from older plants or by inducing the tubers to sprout by keeping them covered by moist sand or making it stand in water with its 90% above water for a few days.
Once the slips are hardened they can be transferred to a prepared bed or a large pot which is stuffed with well composted farm yard manure and wood ash or leaf mould and vermin compost. While it grows allow it to root in as many nodes as possible as they all will turn into tubers. These rarely flower and may have seeds too but it is of no value in re-growing as the slips are always used in growing this.
If planting on a prepared raised bed plant each slip 12 inches apart and that will soon grow and cover the bed. When the vines mature and older leaves turn yellow, stop watering, preferably 3-4 weeks, before harvesting. This will allow the tubers to form well and grow in size.
Pests: This is a hardy plant which needs no much care but some insect pests like the golden tortoise beetle attack the leaves and eat off the leaves.
Harvesting sweet potatoes
The pots can be emptied and the tubers separated. If in raised beds, the sides can be dug.
Sweet potatoes, which are related to the morning glory and belong to the family Convolvulaceae, and may be growing in different forms as trailing vines and ground covers with roots at each nodes. Some short "Bush" varieties are also available. There are different varieties of Sweet potatoes with varying tuber colour, skin colour Leaf colour, shape The orange-fleshed varieties are most common. But white or light yellow are also available. The yellow and orange coloured varieties are rich in carotinoids and antioxidents).
Some are ornamental too with leaves and stems light yellowish green or deep purple and are used in Landscaping. They too produce edible tubers which are rich in Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes grow on all types of well drained soils and likes acidic to neutral pH of 4.5-7.IN Poor soils this can be grown with proper nutrients topped up.
How to grow sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are grown from plant cuttings called ‘slips’ This can be produced either from older plants or by inducing the tubers to sprout by keeping them covered by moist sand or making it stand in water with its 90% above water for a few days.
Once the slips are hardened they can be transferred to a prepared bed or a large pot which is stuffed with well composted farm yard manure and wood ash or leaf mould and vermin compost. While it grows allow it to root in as many nodes as possible as they all will turn into tubers. These rarely flower and may have seeds too but it is of no value in re-growing as the slips are always used in growing this.
If planting on a prepared raised bed plant each slip 12 inches apart and that will soon grow and cover the bed. When the vines mature and older leaves turn yellow, stop watering, preferably 3-4 weeks, before harvesting. This will allow the tubers to form well and grow in size.
Pests: This is a hardy plant which needs no much care but some insect pests like the golden tortoise beetle attack the leaves and eat off the leaves.
Harvesting sweet potatoes
The pots can be emptied and the tubers separated. If in raised beds, the sides can be dug.
