🌱 7 Secrets to Growing Giant Sweet Potatoes
Unlock bigger, more flavorful sweet potatoes by following these well-researched tips. From planting to storage, every step matters!
1. Start with Strong Slips (Sprouts)
The sweetest potatoes start from quality slips. Grow your own by rooting an organic sweet potato in water or soil—place it in bright light and wait 4–7 weeks for sprouts 2.
2. Warm Soil is a Must
Sweet potatoes thrive in soil that's consistently above 60 °F (16 °C). Ensure your ground has warmed up before planting your slips to prevent stunted growth 3.
3. Space Them Well
Provide each plant plenty of room—12–18″ between slips with 3′ between rows. This allows vines to spread and tubers to grow large 4.
4. Harvest at the Right Time
Don't rush harvesting—typically 100–110 days after planting, or when leaves start yellowing. Early harvests lead to small yield, while late ones risk damage from frost 5.
5. Cure for Sweetness and Storage
After harvesting, cure tubers at ~30 °C for 4–10 days with high humidity; this enhances sweetness and toughens skins 6.
6. Store Properly
Store cured potatoes in a cool (12 °C), humid (85–90 %) place with air circulation. This can preserve them for up to a year vs. just 2–3 months without proper care 7.
7. Avoid Soil Compaction & Pests
Loose, well-draining soil helps roots expand freely. Watch for pests like sweet-potato weevil—storing below 20 °C or hot-water dipping can reduce infestation risk 8.
Photo: Homegrown sweet potatoes ready to harvest.
Conclusion
By choosing quality slips, warming your soil, providing space, harvesting at the right time, curing, and storing carefully—you’ll consistently produce large, sweet, and long-lasting sweet potatoes.
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