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How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

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March 13, 2017 Ashlea 58 Comments

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Did you know that you can grow an entire harvest of sweet potatoes from a single sweet potato? My friend Jamie does it every year and this year I’m right there with her. For optimal results, you’ll want to start this project with a single sweet potato – store-bought is fine! – around mid-March. Look at the size of that potato!!

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

 

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes

This process is so much easier than you might think.  Have you ever grown new houseplants from clippings? That is exactly what you’re doing here, except with a sweet potato. Yep, sweet potato slips is all you need for an entire harvest of sweet potatoes.

Just six simple steps from beginning to harvest…

1. Take a sweet potato and drop it in a glass of water around mid-March. Soon it will start to grow slips.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

2. Watch for slips to start to grow as well as roots. Each of the potatoes should produce about 20 slips. Once the slips are approximately 3-4 inches long, twist them from the potato and drop them in water. Baby food jars work perfectly, or something similar would suffice as well.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

3. Wait for those slips to grow roots and once those roots are established (as in photo) they are ready to plant. In Kansas we typically wait until around June 1st (or whenever the weather is consistently warm) to plant them outside.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

4. When planting, space them about 3 feet from each other as they are a vine that spreads. Treat them like any other plant in your garden and water as necessary.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

5. The vines will produce flowers in September shortly before harvest. Once the leaves start to turn yellow (typically September to October) they are ready to harvest. Note that it is best to dig them up if there is a chance of frost in the forecast.

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

6. Once harvested, let them cure for 10 days outside in a shady place. I put mine in an open air garage.  Yes, 1 potato has produced all of these!!

How to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Sweet Potato Slips

So, will you be harvesting your own sweet potatoes from a single sweet potato this year? Growing sweet potatoes is so much easier than it seems, and it costs less than a buck to try, so why not?

More home tips before you go:

How We Bought a Propane Grill for Just $4 + Tax
How to Remove the Bitterness from Cucumbers
17 Frozen Food Hacks to Get the Most Out of Your Freezer
Tips for Finding Deals on Organic, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian and Vegan Foods
How to Make Balsamic Glaze
Why Every Household Needs a Low Inventory List
Is Your New Home in a Floodplain? + How to Check for Free

Frugal Living, Home how to grow sweet potatoes, sweet potato, sweet potato slips, sweet potatoes

Comments

  1. Bonnie says

    September 16, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    My three containers are coming right along. I just notice a few little potatoes above the soil on the top of the pot. Do I add more soil? We are about three weeks before first frost. So. New Hampshire
    Reply
  2. Meghan says

    July 8, 2020 at 8:11 pm

    This was exactly what I've been looking for! Thank you for such a great set of instructions. Excellent!
    Reply
  3. Portuguese Lori says

    June 6, 2020 at 9:42 pm

    I have Sweet Potatoes on my counter and they do develope little purple vines with little keaves.I will try ur ideas gladly!
    Reply
  4. Krista B says

    May 10, 2020 at 9:51 am

    Does it matter which end goes into the water?—the original stem end where it grew from or the true end of the potato? Or do the slips start anywhere on the potato?
    Reply
  5. Trisha says

    March 27, 2020 at 5:24 pm

    i am interested in knowing how you store all of the sweet potatoes after you harvest so that they do not go bad? Thanks
    Reply
    • Lisa says

      April 1, 2020 at 10:55 pm

      I second that!
      Reply
  6. Cheryl says

    June 1, 2019 at 8:36 am

    What type of soil and fertilizer?
    Reply
  7. Bev in Alberta, Canada says

    October 27, 2018 at 1:26 am

    Hi, I live in Canada.we are in our fall time here. End lot October. Can I start this now??
    Reply
    • Peg says

      December 24, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      If landed in a large container you should be able to bring the in the house to finish them off. I live in Prince George, so I am going to try some this year.
      Reply
  8. Barb Yant says

    June 18, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    I have lots of roots on my sweet potatoes but no green growing. Why???
    Reply
  9. Grammy says

    April 20, 2018 at 10:39 am

    Be sure to purchase organic sweet potatoes, as the regular ones are treated with a sprouting prohibitor.
    Reply
  10. Arwen Eastman says

    April 16, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    How long will they keep after you harvest? That looks like an awfully lot of potatoes....
    Reply
  11. TJ says

    April 1, 2018 at 11:26 pm

    Put the sweet potato in a glass of water and it's rotting on me. Not sure that it's gonna give me any slips before I have to toss it.
    Reply
    • Rita Gorman says

      April 11, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      Yes, same with me. I have soaked my for 3 weeks now and still no sign of any slips!! Starting to rot a bit now!,
      Reply
      • godard says

        September 30, 2018 at 2:24 pm

        Il faut renouveler l'eau de trempage souvent.
        Reply
    • Ditas Enriquez says

      April 28, 2018 at 11:43 am

      I just leave my sweet potatoes on the kitchen counter and the slips begun to grow. When the slips have roots, I just twist them off and put them in water. I notice the roots grow more. I will plant them now. I still eat the sweet potatoes that had rooted slips. Nothing bad happened to me. Same thing with regular potatoes.
      Reply
  12. Danae says

    February 7, 2018 at 12:35 am

    I live in the Pacific Northwest so it looks like I saw this just in time! I’ll get my sweet potato in water tomorrow :) Do I just tear off the slip? I’ve seen other articles that say you have to cut the sweet potato into pieces...?
    Reply
  13. Gslt says

    December 25, 2017 at 2:24 pm

    My sister gave a sweet potatoe with many sids , I planted the whole sweet potato and vines came out no flowers ever I had a harvest of 1 squinty one , now I know I have to put each seed in water before I plant them
    Reply
    • Jan says

      March 14, 2018 at 2:03 pm

      I planted a whole potato last year and I had a lot of potatoes. The vines were all over the place but I only had potatoes under the original vine. I had at least 20 and some of them were huge. This year I will separate the slips so I can have more. The potatoes were delicious.
      Reply
  14. Betty says

    October 8, 2017 at 10:34 pm

    I live lancaster California can I plant some sweet potatoes in October it's still hot out here
    Reply
  15. Brian says

    September 13, 2017 at 10:22 am

    How much water? Does the soil need drainage? What about amending the soil? Are they just not that picky? In shady areas, do they just grow slower?
    Reply
  16. Nsidibe Udokpan says

    August 30, 2017 at 3:47 pm

    Hi, Great and informative Am in Nigeria-tropical climate, we are in rainy season with heavy rains that may end around end of September to middle of October and the dry season with sun will start. I have some sweet potatoes can I start the planting process now?
    Reply
  17. Nerrida says

    August 21, 2017 at 1:22 am

    Hello, I am in western Australia. What month should I plant
    Reply
    • Valerie Leppard says

      May 31, 2019 at 3:05 pm

      Try mid September unless it’s cold. You need it to be about 20 degrees centigrade or better. Best of luck.
      Reply
  18. Kathy says

    July 24, 2017 at 2:42 am

    Can sweet potatoes be grown in containers.
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      July 25, 2017 at 8:19 am

      Yes if needed. The roots do need plenty of room so be sure to space them out.
      Reply
    • ritawhalen says

      April 29, 2018 at 10:24 pm

      I s 18 x 21 inches and I want to grow some sweet potatoes in them . I will try to plant some slips and see how it goes. I love sweet potatoes. how many should I try to put in it.
      Reply
    • Ahmad says

      August 25, 2018 at 12:21 am

      Yes, actually I prefe to grow them in containers for easy harvesting.
      Reply
      • Gwen says

        November 20, 2018 at 9:01 am

        Sweet potatoes are a vine and for each place thevine hits the ground a new potatoe forms unlike regular rustic potatoes that you plant one potatoe and exactly where you planted that potatoe 40 more are there at harvest time. As long as you have the vine hit multiple spots in the pot you’ll be fine
        Reply
  19. Valerie S. says

    July 23, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    I have two sweet potatoes from the grocery store!! I let them sit on my counter for two weeks, and now they have slips all over them!! I'm going to plant them even though it's July!! Here in Central Oregon we have summer from about July 1st to late September!! It won't hurt to try anyway!! And there's always next year!! But after I remove the slips, can I still eat those sweet potatoes??
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      July 25, 2017 at 8:19 am

      Hmmm not sure about eating those, but I don't see why you couldn't if they are still good!
      Reply
    • Joe Mason says

      March 13, 2018 at 10:00 am

      The taste and chemical composition of the sweet potato changes during sprouting and should not be eaten.
      Reply
  20. Melanie says

    May 30, 2017 at 6:31 pm

    Thanks for the idea. I'm SO EXCITED to be transplanting mine outside today!!!!
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      May 31, 2017 at 6:28 pm

      Woohoo!!! We just did ours two days ago!
      Reply
      • Carolyn Wiltshire says

        January 22, 2020 at 4:58 pm

        I don’t know what hemisphere of the planet you live in, but could you explain in seasons rather than months. Southern Hemisphere September or northern hemisphere September ? May be better to say, the end ofAutumn or the beginning of Spring etc. I’ll just put a sweetie in a glass of water and see what happens. Thank you.
        Reply
  21. Ofelia santana says

    May 25, 2017 at 9:11 am

    Hi, one month ago i had the potatoes in water when it was big with leaves i planted on my garden it has lots of flowers, my question is since i plant the whole sweet potatoes do i will have potatoes??
    Reply
  22. Kira says

    May 21, 2017 at 11:51 pm

    Is it too late to start this in May/June?
    Reply
  23. Kira says

    May 21, 2017 at 11:50 pm

    It is now Mid May is it too late to complete this?
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      May 22, 2017 at 10:43 am

      No I think you can get started anyway! It depends on your climate, but we are in Kansas and it would be just fine here. :)
      Reply
  24. Malta says

    May 21, 2017 at 11:11 am

    Can I plant in large containers?
    Reply
    • Janet says

      July 24, 2017 at 6:08 pm

      Yes, you can. I put 3 in a very large pot.
      Reply
  25. Benny says

    May 19, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    Trying to grow in a tower. Keeping fingers crossed
    Reply
    • Margit says

      February 3, 2018 at 1:25 pm

      Benny can you explain in detail how you plant your sweet potatoes in a tower? Margit living in Cape town South Africa
      Reply
  26. Pauline says

    May 1, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    Thanks for the idea. I am in tropical Queensland and look forward to trying this out
    Reply
  27. Kyra says

    May 1, 2017 at 7:06 pm

    Can they be planted in the shade or do they need full sun? Thank you!
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      May 1, 2017 at 9:45 pm

      Hey! Indirect sunlight is fine. Let me know how they do!
      Reply
  28. Bradley says

    April 28, 2017 at 9:54 am

    Do they grow like a regular potato so we have to fill them to bigger hill will make more ?
    Reply
    • Gwen says

      November 20, 2018 at 9:08 am

      No they do not grow like regular potatoes. Sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory family and sends off a vine. For every place the vine comes in good contact with the ground another sweet potato will form. 1 sweet potatoe per contact with ground so do not move the vines around a lot or you may get a very small yield
      Reply
  29. alan says

    April 20, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    Hi, i live in the south border of BRECON NATIONAL PARK of wales uk i,m an avid gardener and only use traditional heirloom seeds . I,m trying this april 2017 .i,ll keep you a praised alan
    Reply
    • Ashlea says

      April 20, 2017 at 5:29 pm

      Yes! Definitely keep me posted!
      Reply
  30. Country Barb. says

    March 29, 2017 at 9:44 am

    IS THIS FOR REAL? IF JUST ONE POTATO PRODUCED ALL THOSE YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE POTATO FOR ALL THOSE SLIPS.
    Reply
    • Brandi says

      April 4, 2017 at 5:52 am

      Each sweet potato will produce up to 20 slips. This is feasible from one potato. Haters gonna hate.
      Reply
      • jen says

        April 18, 2017 at 9:07 am

        I love this and your response! I have my sweet potato in a glass and can not wait to see it start to sprout. I have a raised bed that is currently a weed bed. It will soon be my sweet potato bed. :D
        Reply
      • Spiros says

        March 16, 2020 at 8:38 pm

        Potatoes gonna potate
        Reply
  31. Estella says

    March 28, 2017 at 3:06 am

    Wow! I definitely am going to give this a try! *Reaches for sweet potato...*
    Reply
    • AVA says

      March 28, 2017 at 3:53 am

      thank you so much I will give it a try
      Reply

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Welcome!

beard

Hi! I’m Ashlea, the Kansas mom, and wife, that runs this crochet, food, and heart (CHD) blog.  I am a frugal, yarn loving crochet addict that enjoys good food and fine wine – or an occasional whiskey. 😉 Read more about me here and see my favorite Amazon products here.

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