Did you know it’s actually really easy to grow your own sweet potatoes at home? All you’ll need are some Sweet Potato Slips to get started!
Then… have even more fun when you try this genius hack for Growing Green Onions in Water!
Sweet Potato Slips
Have you been wondering How to Grow Sweet Potato Slips for Planting?
It’s actually so easy!
All you’ll need are sweet potatoes, toothpicks, jars of water, and some patience… and in about 2 months time you’ll have loads of sweet potato slips ready to plant out in your Garden!
Trust me, growing sweet potato slips indoors is going to be so satisfying!
Simply follow my step-by-step instructions for how to grow your own sweet potato slips in water, so you can start planning for your very own abundant sweet potato harvest today…
Related: 55 Easy Gardening Tips and Tricks for Beginners!
How Do You Make Sweet Potato Slips?
It’s actually so easy!
Just like propagating, you’ll grow slips and roots in water off of your sweet potato, and then plant outside!
How Long Does It Take to Grow Sweet Potatoes from Slips?
It can take up to 2 months to have strong, healthy slips that are ready to plant outside.
It’s a bit of a slow process, but definitely worth it in the end!
What You’ll Need to Grow Sweet Potatoes
Round up these simple supplies to get started…
- Sweet Potato (organic is preferred, as they’re the most likely to sprout)
- 16 oz. Wide Mouth Mason Jar
- 3 Toothpicks
- Filtered (non-chlorinated) Water
How to Grow Sweet Potato Slips in Water
Here’s what you’ll do…
1. Insert 3 toothpicks a little less than 1/2 of the way down from the top (pointy end) of your sweet potato.
2. Make sure you place your toothpicks spread out a bit at the same level, in a circle around your sweet potato. (The toothpicks will allow the sweet potato to rest on a mason jar without being fully submerged in water.)
I like to try to root multiple sweet potatoes at the same time, because as is typical with propagation, not all will root.
3. Rest your sweet potato on the jar with the top (pointy end) facing up.
4. Now fill the jar with water. About 50% of the sweet potato should be submerged in water, and the rest will be dry at the top.
5. Place your jar in a warm, sunny windowsill.
6. Every 2 days, remove your sweet potato, discard the water, add fresh water, and place your sweet potato back into the resting position on the jar.
Typically in the first week, you’ll see roots start to grow from the bottom of the potato.
Then by week 3 or so, you should start to see some tiny little slips developing as well. As the roots stay submerged in your jar, the slips will grow up out of the jar, and will look like little plants with leaves.
7. Once your slips are about 8 inches long, you’ll want to carefully remove them from your potato, remove the lower leaves, and place in a jar filled with at least 3 inches of fresh water.
Now it’s time to root your slips in water!
Put your slips in a warm sunny window, and wait.
Once your slips develop their own substantial set of roots, they will be ready to plant outside in your garden!
You can often end up with 10+ slips to plant from just 1 sweet potato!
That’s a lot of free plants!
How to Plant Sweet Potato Slips
Are you ready to plant your new sweet potato slips? It’s so easy!
Here’s what you’ll do…
1. Sweet potatoes love the warmth, so wait until temperatures are above 70 degrees to plant.
2. Grow in well draining soil, in an area that will receive full sun.
3. Plant each slip about 4 – 6 inches deep.
4. Slips should also be planted at least 12 – 18 inches apart, with about 3 feet between rows so the vines can spread out and run.
5. Plant each slip deeply, burying most of the slip and just leaving the top leaves showing above ground.
6. Fertilize 1 month after planting with an organic fertilizer.
7. Typically within 90 – 120 days you should have mature sweet potatoes! (The vines & leaves may begin to start to turning yellow as a sign.)
8. Sweet potatoes are extraordinarily sensitive to frost, so make sure to harvest them all before your first frost.
How Many Sweet Potatoes Will You Get From One Slip?
It can vary, but typically one sweet potato slip will give you a minimum of 5 potatoes to a maximum of 10 potatoes.
That’s a pretty great return!
How To Use Sweet Potatoes
Crockpot Sweet Potatoes Recipe
This healthy recipe couldn’t be simpler, and these Crock Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes deliver so much amazing flavor.
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Whether you’re looking for a cozy cold weather dinner side or a delicious holiday side dish, this Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes recipe really delivers big flavors minus the effort!
Homemade Baby Food Sweet Potato Recipe
Sweet potato is such a yummy Stage 1 First Food for Baby, and this easy recipe will show you how to make baked sweet potato puree, plus will show you how to store baby’s food!
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So now that you know how to start your own Sweet Potato Slips for growing sweet potatoes in your backyard garden, finish planning your garden with some help from these creative ideas…
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So have YOU ever tried starting your own Sweet Potato Slips or growing sweet potatoes at home?
Leave a comment & share!
Sweet potato vines are always so pretty to me, Heidi! I had no idea they were this easy to grow. We eat them all the time! I’m super excited to try your technique. Hugs, CoCo
I agree, CoCo… the vines really are beautiful! Have fun growing some of your own!
love sweet potatoes….
thank you for sharing tips to grow it.
You’re very welcome!
I never knew it was so easy to grow sweet potatoes at home!
It would be fun growing them!
Hugs and blessings, Heidi.
Thanks, Veronica! They really are so easy to grow! 🙂
This is so cool! Would love to try this and make my favorite sweet potato casserole with what I produce!
Now that sounds delicious, Kathrine!!
Wow, this is incredible! I had no idea how easy it was to grow sweet potatoes at home. I love the idea of growing your own food. Thank you for sharing HeidI!
You’re very welcome ~ nothing tastes as delicious as homegrown food. 🙂
This is brilliant! I had no idea that you could start sweet potatoes like this. Will need to get started now to be able to plant these in the spring. Hey did you know that you can eat sweet potato leaves? They are fabulous in a stir fry with garlic.
Oh wow… I didn’t realize you could eat the leaves, too! That’s such a great tip – thanks for sharing!
Great tips on how to grow sweet potatoes. Never knew you could do that. We do have celery growing froma cutting and rosemary. Will have to try the sweet potatoe. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.
You’re very welcome… have fun growing your sweet potatoes!
Oh c’est chouette il faut que j’essaye c’est tellement bon les patates douces
Bonne journée
Le jardinage est si merveilleux 🙂 Bonne journée
Oh wow, Heidi, I didn’t know you could do this! I love sweet potato fries, much prefer them to normal chips. I’m definitely going to try this, can’t wait to harvest my own, thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Lisa! These would be perfect for your garden! 🙂
Love all the tips you give for growing sweet potato slips! I have one for lunch everyday, so this would be super beneficial for me!
Oh that’s perfect, Michelle! Sweet potatoes really are SO delicious!