Sweet Potato Slips — What They Are & How to Grow Them
Sweet potato slips are the small vine sprouts that grow from a sweet potato — and they are how sweet potatoes are propagated for planting. Unlike most vegetables grown from seeds, sweet potatoes are grown by planting these slips, making growing your own sweet potato harvest a fun and rewarding project.
How to Grow Sweet Potato Slips at Home
Place a healthy sweet potato halfway submerged in a glass of water, using toothpicks to hold it in place. Set in a warm, sunny spot. Within 2–4 weeks, leafy vine sprouts (slips) will emerge from the potato. Once slips are 4–6 inches long with visible roots, twist them off the sweet potato and place in water for a few days until roots develop fully. Plant in warm soil after the last frost.
How Many Slips Does One Sweet Potato Produce?
One sweet potato can produce 3–5 slips (sometimes more), depending on its size and how warm and bright its growing conditions are. Organic sweet potatoes work best since non-organic ones are sometimes treated with sprout inhibitors. The slips can be planted 12–18 inches apart in loose, well-draining soil in full sun.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant sweet potato slips?
Plant slips 2–3 weeks after the last frost when soil temperatures consistently reach 60°F or above. Sweet potatoes need 90–170 days of warm growing season.
Can I eat the sweet potato after growing slips?
Yes, but the flavor and quality may diminish as the potato diverts energy to producing slips. It is best used for slip production only at that point.
How long does it take to grow sweet potatoes from slips?
Sweet potatoes are typically ready to harvest 90–120 days after planting slips, usually in late summer or fall.