Growing Sweet Potatoes
Planting
- Select clean, healthy vines that are 25-30cm long with 3 nodes, for planting.
- To preserve vines for later planting, keep vines near a water point or leave some tubers in the ground during the dry season.
- Plant 2-3 cuttings per mound or along ridges at a spacing of 75cm by 30cm.
- Cover two-thirds of the nodes with soil and leave a third of the vine above the soil.
Management
- Weed your sweet potatoes twice in the first two months.
- Weed by hand periodically until the crop is harvested.
- Check the soil’s moisture to prevent over watering.
- To support tall growing varieties, poles should be established around the plants.
- Mulch with dry grass to help conserve moisture.
- To control pests and diseases, plant early, plant clean cuttings, do crop rotation and keep the field clean at all times.
Harvesting
Sweet potatoes are ready within 3-5 months depending on cultivar and environmental conditions. Some varieties are ready within 2-4 months.
Click here to download a detailed guide on growing sweet potatoes.
