How long for sweet potatoes to grow. Sweet potatoes are grown from slips, and it requires an average of 150 days to develop into sweet potatoes.
How long for sweet potatoes to grow
Potatoes do not contain seeds, and that’s why their starchy tubers are opted to grow more potatoes.
- Botanical name: Ipomoea batatas
- Common name– Sweet potato
- Family-Solanaceae
- Origin: Tropical America and the Caribbean
- Plant type-Semi-erect perennial
- Roots– Produce a swollen fleshy tuber
- Location of tuber-Tubers are produced underground from nodes
- Size of tubers-4 or 5 inches (10-12cm) to 8 inches (20cm) in length
- Tubers flesh color– Yellow or gold.
- Flowers– Pink to purple
Planting Season
- The slips are planted three to four weeks after the last spring frost.
Required Temperature for Planting
- Plant the slips when the temperature reaches up to 55°F (13°C).
- Remember to plant them after late spring frost.
Time for Sweet Potatoes to Grow
- The potato plant requires three to four months to fully mature.
- Different varieties show various periods.
- But an average value of 120 days is predicted for most plants.
Variations may occur including,
- 90 to 120 days
- 90 to 170 days
Harvesting Period
- Sweet potatoes require 100 to 150 days to get fully matured.
Plant Sweet Potato using slips
Procedure
- Purchase the potato slips from the store.
- Take the slips and start to Plant them on a warm day.
- The soil temperature must be up to 60°F.
- Break off the slip’s lower leaves while keeping the top ones untouched.
- Dig holes and Set the slips deep to cover the roots.
- Pour the soil and gently press it.
- After 90-120 days, the sweet potatoes will be on the nodes.
- Maintain a spacing of 12 to 18 inches between the slips.
- Provide adequate water to the plant.
- Ensure the addition of a high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer.
- Watering must be done generously for up to 7 to 10 days.
- Watering during mid-summer will help the plant to produce an increased yield.
- Do not go for pruning the sweet potato vines.
- Reduce the watering in the late season to avoid tuber skin cracking when stored.
Harvest Sweet Potatoes
- When the potatoes get fully matured, loosen the soil and start pulling out the fleshy tubers.
- The tubers mature after 100 days of planting.
- Another sign that shows mature tubers is when the leaves and vines start to turn yellow.
Procedure
- After 100 days of planting, go to the location and loosen the soil.
- Loosen it about 18 inches and 4 to 6 inches deep. Cut the plant leaves and vines to loosen the soil with ease.
- It will prevent the tubers from any damage and injury.
- Hold the plant and pull the plant’s primary top crown in, upward direction.
- After that, remove the soil and pull out the tubers using your hands.
- Avoid pulling it harshly as sweet potatoes are a bit sensitive compared to others.
- Remove the soil and dirt from the tubers.
- Remember not to wash them, only dust them.
- You need to apply the same procedure on all the plants and complete it before the first fall frost.
Pests and Diseases
- Flea beetles
- Stem rot (Fusarium wilt)
- Sweet potato scurf
- White rust
- Whiteflies
Recommended Varieties
The fastest-growing sweet potatoes are the ones with orange flesh. Other varieties possess white, yellow, or even purple flesh.
Note that
- Orange-flesh varieties cook moist.
- White and yellow sweet potatoes become creamy on cooking.
- Purple sweets cook dry and starchy.
Varieties include
- Beauregard
- Centennial
- Jewel
- Stokes
- Vardaman
Conclusion
Sweet potatoes are grown from slips, and it requires an average of 150 days. Potatoes do not contain seeds, and that’s why their starchy tubers have opted to grow more potatoes.
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