Sweet Potato Plants | How to Grow, Care For, and Harvest Them at Home

Introduction: Grow Your Own Sweet and Nutritious Crop

Sweet potato plants are a warm-climate favourite that are not only productive but also beautiful, with trailing vines and attractive heart-shaped leaves. In the UK, they’re increasingly grown in greenhouses, raised beds, and containers during the warmer months. With the right conditions and care, growing sweet potatoes at home can reward you with a healthy harvest and stunning foliage.

Why Grow Sweet Potato Plants?

🌱 Nutritious & Delicious – Packed with fibre, vitamin A, and natural sweetness
🌿 Beautiful Foliage – Adds colour and structure to your garden or patio
🪴 Great for Containers or Greenhouses – Ideal for small-space gardening
🥔 Homegrown Taste – Fresher, sweeter, and chemical-free

What You Need to Know About Sweet Potato Plants

Botanical name: Ipomoea batatas
Grown from: Slips (sprouted shoots from mature tubers)
Climate: Warm, frost-free (greenhouse or sunny sheltered position in UK)
Time to harvest: 4–5 months after planting

How to Grow Sweet Potato Plants – Step-by-Step

1. Start with Slips

Sweet potatoes aren’t grown from seeds or whole tubers like traditional potatoes. Instead, they’re grown from slips — sprouted shoots from a mature sweet potato.

You can buy slips online or sprout your own by placing a sweet potato half-submerged in water.
Once shoots grow to 10–15cm with a few leaves, gently twist them off and root them in water or plant directly into compost.

2. Planting Time (UK)

Start indoors: February–April (sprouting slips)
Plant outdoors: Late May–June, after all risk of frost
Harvest: September–October, before the first frost

3. Choose the Right Spot

Sunlight: Full sun (at least 6 hours per day)
Soil: Loose, well-draining, sandy or loamy soil enriched with compost
Position: Greenhouse, raised bed, or large container with warmth and shelter

Growing in Containers or Beds

Use containers at least 30cm deep with good drainage
Plant slips 30–40cm apart, allowing vines to spread
Water regularly, especially during hot weather, but avoid waterlogging
Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds
Feed monthly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser

Care Tips for Healthy Sweet Potato Plants

Train vines to climb or trail to save space and improve air circulation
Pinch tips to encourage bushier growth if space is limited
Protect from slugs and snails, especially young shoots
Watch for signs of yellowing – may indicate overwatering or poor drainage

Harvesting Sweet Potatoes

Harvest when leaves start to yellow, usually around 4–5 months after planting
Use a fork to carefully lift tubers from the soil
Be gentle — sweet potatoes bruise easily
Allow to cure for 1–2 weeks in a warm, dry space to develop sweetness and improve storage

Storage

Store cured sweet potatoes in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place
Do not refrigerate raw sweet potatoes — the cold can affect texture and taste
Properly stored, they can last for several months

Popular Sweet Potato Varieties for UK Growers

Beauregard – Fast-maturing and reliable in the UK
T65 – Compact and well-suited to containers
Evangeline – High-yielding with very sweet flavour
Georgia Jet – Good for shorter growing seasons

Companion Planting Ideas

Plant with beans, spinach, or marigolds
Avoid planting near pumpkins or squash — they compete for space

Conclusion

Growing sweet potato plants at home is not only rewarding but also surprisingly manageable in the UK with the right setup. Whether you’re filling a greenhouse, training vines up a trellis, or tucking a few slips into a raised bed, these vibrant plants will reward you with nutritious roots and lush greenery. With a little patience and care, you’ll be harvesting your own delicious sweet potatoes in no time.