Sweet potato

Short description of the species

Botanical name

Sweet potato

Latin name

Ipomoea batatas

Family

Convolvulaceae

Plant height

0.3-0.4 m

Plant width

creeping stem character and spreading to inter-row

Exposure

sunny

Temperature requirement

warm-requiring

Keeping

easy

Water requirement

relatively low

Soil requirement

light to medium-heavy (heavy soil = tuber deformations)

Soil pH

6.5 – 7.2

Edible part

tubers, leaves

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Interesting

Sweet potatoes are characterized by lower starch content than potatoes, thus, they are easily digestible. In our conditions, tubers are used; however, young leaves are using as leafy vegetables in some world parts.

accessibility

Usage

tubers – baking, boiling, side dish (purée), grilling, chips production; leaves – gradual harvest and processing similarly as spinach

Growing technology and harvest 

Propagation 

• vegetative – sprouts from tuber eyes are taking and planting to the substrate 

Spacing 

• 1.20 x 0.30-0.40 m 

Harvest 

• 90-120 days from planting 

• September/October 

Important dates 

• growing from seedlings 

• hillock growing system (similarly like carrot) 

• recommendation of mulching – black non-woven textile (or straw etc.) 

Storage 

• health, un-damaged tubers (precise sorting after harvest) 

• dry and dark rooms 

• temperature = 10-15 °C 

• relative air humidity = 75-80% 

• lower temperature = tuber damage (change of pulp consistency) 

Use 

• tubers – baking, boiling, side dish (purée), grilling, chips production 

• leaves – gradual harvest and processing similarly as spinach 

Diseases and pests 

• fungus diseases: black rotting (Ceratocystis fimbriata) and other rotting types (bacterial; dry; Fusarium)  

• pests: wireworms (mostly), field mouse, gasteropods