Sweet potatoes are usually only available in stores as cuttings in seed pots, but rarely as large plants. All the better that you have free choice when planting the young plants. The climbing plant can be impressively staged. Nevertheless, you should pay attention to a few aspects during cultivation so that your batata can develop well.

Sweet potatoes are very heat-loving

preparation

Careful planning is necessary so that your sweet potato develops the beautiful long shoots that are superficially responsible for its appeal. Notice the size the plant is taking on. If you want to plant your sweet potato on the edge of your property, you should first make sure that the plant does not overgrow the neighbors. You also have to decide between a pot or outdoor cultivation. Ultimately, there is also the question of whether you should buy a ready-made specimen from the tree nursery or dare the somewhat laborious variant of growing with seed tubers. The middle ground is growing from a tuber from the supermarket or a cutting. However, the latter requires the presence of a plant from which you take the cutting. Sweet potatoes will thrive in bright locations either in the substrate or in a water bath after just a few days.

The choice of location

The sweet potato comes from the tropics and therefore loves sunny, warm locations. A partially shaded spot is also conceivable, but not ideal. On the other hand, balconies, terraces or beds that face south are perfect.

tips

A greenhouse also provides sufficient heat. Alternatively, a fleece is recommended, which at the same time offers the advantage of getting the plant used to the intense sunlight. This is necessary at the beginning, especially with young plants.

demands on the soil

With regard to the soil conditions, the batata requires a very nutrient-rich substrate. You can create the best conditions by working some compost into the soil before planting. In addition, sandy soil is recommended, which should definitely be well drained to prevent waterlogging. If you keep your sweet potato in a bucket, conventional potting soil is perfectly adequate.

The right time

Do not put your sweet potatoes outside before the nightly frosts have subsided, regardless of whether they are young plants or cuttings you have grown yourself. At sub-zero temperatures, growth stagnates or, in the worst case, the sweet potatoes die. The time after the ice saints in mid-May is used as a guide. By the way: You should start raising cuttings as early as January.

planting partner

The faster the batata roots, the slower it grows in the ground in the first few months. A mixed culture is suitable for bridging this time and beautifying the bare bed. Choose vegetables that you can harvest after a short time, for example

  • salad
  • radish
  • or spinach

At the same time, the roots of these transitional plants protect against soil erosion.

planting guide

Have you cleared the bed of weeds and roots? Then it can go. How to plant a sweet potato:

  1. loosen the soil well
  2. If necessary, remove the young plant from the nursery pot and remove excess soil from the root ball
  3. place earth embankments 20 cm high and 60 cm wide with a minimum spacing of one meter
  4. plant the sweet potatoes at least 30 cm apart in the ground

Info: The dam method has proven particularly effective when planting sweet potatoes. On the one hand, you reduce the risk of waterlogging, on the other hand, the earth heaped up heats up faster.

Alternatives to planting in beds and creative design options

Sweet potatoes not only produce edible tubers, but also beautify your garden with a great flower and long shoots. Here are some garden design ideas:

  • in the hanging basket
  • as a tendril on walls, walls or railings
  • in the raised bed
  • for vines on old caravans, car tires, etc.
  • as a privacy screen

Category:

Vegetable garden