How deep do sweet potatoes grow?

[catjac1975]

When I tried it my slips rotted. Is there a secret?

I put 5 sweet potatoes from last years crop into a glass of water each back in March. I would break off the sprouts when they got about 5-6 inches long. I then put them into another glass of water and left them there to develop more roots. When I got about 100 plants I put them into my hills. This was the first time I had raised my own slips and they are doing wonderful. Next year I will start a little earlier so to have more plants since we got another 75 from a friend that grows his in a covered bed of soil each year. I furnished about 50 of those to someone else. This was easy to do and I enjoyed growing my own in my sunroom.

 

[retiredwith4acres]

I didn't have a problem with rotting. I used 32 oz. plastic fast food drink cups, put four toothpicks around the middle of the potato to rest on the rim and keep half out of the water and put the end into the water so only half of the potato is in the water. (run on sentence but you get the jest)

 

[skeeter9]

I will definitely start earlier next year and grow my own slips. It looks very easy.

So, how deep down do the roots/tubers grow?

 

[baymule]

Thanks for all the sweet potato knowledge! I am planting for the first time this year (sweet potatoes) and just clipped some sprouts from grocery store bought taters for my slips. I planted them where I dug the red new potatoes cause the soil was already nice and deep. We'll see what happens! Good luck to ya'll on your sweet potatoes! :tools

 

[Ridgerunner]

A couple of years ago, I started some sweet potatoes in a cup of water. When I set them out in the garden, one slip was pretty long so I cut it into and stuck the top half in the ground. It stayed wet for a week or so and that top lived and produced sweet potatoes. I often don't have roots on the slips when I set them out. Those things are hardy.

One secret to starting the slips from a potato is to keep it warm. Sweet potatoes are a warm weather crop. Put them on top of a refrigerator or a high shelf where the air is warmer since hot air rises, or put them on a heating pad. I find that really helps.

 

[catjac1975]

They can grow just below the surface or be a foot down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Our soil is extremely hard/compact. It's like trying to dig in granite. I'm thinking of planting the slips in some kid of raised bed, but I just want to make sure it's deep enough because there's no way the tubers can grow in our "soil". So do you think if I gave them a foot or so of soil that would be enough?

What you are apparently after is how deep to make your soil on top of your compact soil in the raised bed. I've never grown them that way so I can't speak from experience on what you will see. I'd think 12" would be enough, though the more the better.

I create a hill maybe 12" to 14" tall to put the slips in. Most of them time, most of the tubers grow right in the center under where I planted them, but I have had them send roosts out 3 feet or more and grow tubers in the dirt well off that hill. The main purpose of the hill for me is to make it easier to dig them.

They can get really huge, which I agree is not the best, They are too hard to peel and slice, plus one huge one is more than a meal. I've read that if the weather is dry the tubers get big. If it is wet when they are forming, they will be long and skinny. My experience says this is probably correct.

The roots go pretty deep looking for water but the tubers are usually not that deep.

 

[Jacobtaylar]

Potato generally grow a bit deeper than you thought. Here the soil will also play a part. As which kind of soil is related the potato growing and is the best you need to found it. Another great idea is the hydroponics so think about it.

 

[ducks4you]

I threw 6 in from the grocery store. They are planted about 6-8 inches deep in loose, composted soil. I'll let you know if any of them makes it.

 

[jakesebastin]

Why do not you go for the hydroponics grow. That will be very much beneficial to you and will be giving the perfect results. Here the medium of growing will be artificial so you do not need to worry about the medium.