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Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
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- General Information
- Buy
- Plant
- Sow Seeds
- Fertilize
- Water
- Prune
- Mulch
- Protect
- Pest/Disease Inspection
- Treat for Pest/Disease
- Transplant
- Propagate
- Harvest
- Special requirements
General Information
Related to morning glories, the various cultivated forms of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) are all heat-loving perennials which are usually grown as annuals. One group is grown for ornament, including some with blackish or chartreuse foliage that are often used as color accents in decorative container plantings. But the other three types of Sweet Potato are grown as vegetables -- one type (Sweet Potato Spinach) is grown for its leaves, and the other two types are grown for their edible tubers. Of these, one type has tubers with firm, white flesh; but the most popular type in the USA (particularly in the South) has soft, sugary, orange-fleshed tubers that are often (but erroneously) called "yams". It is this type of Sweet Potato that is is a staple of the traditional Thanksgiving menu in the USA. Sweet Potatoes need a long, warm growing season to produce a good crop, with warm, well-drained, sandy soil being ideal. Plant in late spring, when soil temperatures have warmed to 70 degrees F., and harvest before frost. In cool-summer climates, cover rows with plastic tents or other row-cover material to increase heat and promote vigorous growth. To avoid the build-up of disease organisms in the soil, don't grow Sweet Potatoes in the same location 2 years in a row.
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Buy
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Plant
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Sow Seeds
When can you plant these seeds? When's the best time? Can you start them indoors and move them out? Do they have any special requirements?
Fertilize
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Water
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Prune
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Mulch
Does this plant need to be mulched? Are there specific types of Mulch which are better for this plant? How much?
Protect
When and how should you protect this plant from birds, deer, rabbits? Does this plant need be covered, or wrapped or painted or moved?
Pest/Disease Inspection
What are the common problems this plant will face and when should you look for them to appear?
Treat for Pest/Disease
How do you treat the common problems for this plant? What products or concoctions or natural means do you use? Any special requirements?
Transplant
When's the best time to dig up and transplant this from one spot to another? (This is different than planting). Any special requirements?
Propagate
When's a good time to divide, take cuttings, layer or propagate this plant. Any special requirements?
Harvest
When's a good time to harvest this plant? What's the best way to harvest? Are there special requirements or features?
Special requirements
Any other requirement for this plant? Is there anything that doesn't fit into the other care categories?
