How to grow sweet potatoes with minimal effort
Lazy Gardening? Here’s How to Grow Sweet Potatoes with Minimal Effort
Sweet potatoes are the ultimate set-and-forget crop. They thrive in tricky conditions, fill garden beds with lush greenery, and at the end of the season, reward you with delicious, homegrown tubers. If you're keen to grow them but don’t fancy spending hours in the dirt, you’re in the right place.
Why Sweet Potatoes Are Perfect for Low-Maintenance Gardening
Some plants demand constant attention, but sweet potatoes aren’t one of them. They don’t need frequent watering, obsessive pruning, or a scientist’s knowledge of soil composition. They love warmth, tolerate dry spells, and grow like wild. If you want an effortless crop, this is it.
Start with the Right Spot
Sweet potatoes thrive when they get plenty of sun. Find a spot in your garden that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day. They love sandy, well-draining soil but aren’t fussy—if your soil isn’t perfect, they’ll still find a way to grow. Raised garden beds or large containers work just as well if ground space is limited.
Planting: Keep It Quick and Simple
Forget about seeds—sweet potatoes grow from slips, which are small rooted cuttings. You can grab them from a garden centre or sprout your own from a store-bought sweet potato.
- Buy a sweet potato. Choose one that’s firm and healthy.
- Sprout it. Place it in water, half-submerged, and watch the roots and shoots appear after a few weeks.
- Snip and plant. Once the shoots are about 10-15cm long, twist them off and plant them directly into the soil.
Watering: Less Is More
Newly planted slips need a regular drink to establish roots, but once they settle in, sweet potatoes handle dry spells like pros. Water them deeply once a week and you’re set.
Weeding? Let Them Do the Work
No one likes spending hours pulling weeds. Thankfully, sweet potatoes grow sprawling vines that act as a natural mulch, blocking weeds from taking over. After a few weeks, they’ll cover the ground, leaving little space for pesky plants to pop up.
Hands-Off Harvesting
The best part? There’s no mystery about when they’re ready. Once the vines start to yellow and die back—usually after four to five months—it’s time to dig up your treasure. Use a garden fork to gently lift the tubers from the ground. Let them dry in a warm spot for a few days to toughen up their skins, and they’ll last for months.
No-Fuss Sweet Potatoes, Year After Year
Missed a few during harvest? No worries! Any leftover tubers in the soil usually sprout again when the weather warms up, giving you a fresh crop without lifting a finger.
Ready to Give It a Go?
If you’ve been searching for a crop that practically grows itself, sweet potatoes are the answer. Head to Strathalbyn H Hardware, grab what you need, and get planting. Before you know it, you’ll have a thriving patch with barely any effort!
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