Sweet potatoes not only look beautiful as an ornamental plant, but with conscientious care they also bring a high-yield harvest. Cultivation turns out to be quite undemanding, so you only have to invest a little time in maintaining the plant. Whether you grow your sweet potato in a bed or in a tub, you can read here which care measures are necessary in each case.
Sweet potatoes are relatively easy to care for, provided the location is right
Important measures
Your sweet potato will feel at home in a sunny location with warm temperatures. Still, some precautions will improve their growth:
- the correct amount of water
- the cutting
- the fertilizer application
pour
The watering should depend on the outside temperature and location. However, since sweet potatoes should be stored in a very sunny place, they generally have a relatively high water requirement. Put a layer of mulch on the substrate. This prevents the irrigation water from evaporating quickly. However, waterlogging must not form. Although this does not damage the plant so much that it dies, it does significantly inhibit growth.
To cut
The sweet potato belongs to the wind plants and accordingly spreads over large areas. Nevertheless, a pruning is not necessary. Many gardeners enjoy the sprawling shoots, which are wonderful for growing on house walls. If you disturb the long shoots, you can still cut them off without worrying. Alternatively, stick a wooden stick into the ground for the plant to climb up.
Fertilize
To promote growth, regular fertilizer application is beneficial. You should give your sweet potato horn shavings (€32.93) or complete fertilizer every three weeks. Limit yourself to the period from March to September. If you keep your sweet potato in a bucket, liquid fertilizer is better. Here, too, the dose is given every three weeks.
Does hibernation make sense?
Sweet potatoes are annual plants and will not come back after they shed their leaves in the fall. They are also very sensitive to frost. However, there is little point in bringing the plant indoors over the winter. If you still want to cultivate a sweet potato next year, take cuttings from the plant before the onset of winter, which you then germinate in a water bath and plant again in the ground the following year.