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Regrow store-bought sweet potatoes

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Learn how to regrow sweet potatoes from slips by following our step-by-step guide covering propagation, planting, care and harvest.

Did you know you can grow the humble sweet potato from a store-bought sweet potato that is sprouting? With food prices on the rise, growing your own produce can help stretch your budget further. 

Spring is the perfect time to try growing this nutritious, hardy, and versatile vegetable from rooted sprouts (known as 'slips'). With a little bit of care, you can grow a generous and deliciously sweet crop that is ready for harvest in about 16-18 weeks.

Master regrowing sweet potatoes from a sweet potato using our step-by-step guide below.

What you'll need

To regrow store-bought sweet potatoes you'll need:

  • sweet potato plant slips (one sweet potato can grow multiple slips)
  • a large pot (at least 30 centimetres deep, or garden space for a sprawling vine (a raised garden bed is ideal)
  • good quality garden soil or potting mix
  • compost
  • water
  • seaweed fertiliser.

How to grow sweet potato slips

If you don't have a sprouting sweet potato in your cupboard or potato bin, you can grow your own slips for planting.

  1. Place a sweet potato in a jar of water. Submerge at least half.
  2. Leave for a few weeks to allow shoots to sprout.
  3. Once the shoots are 10-15cm long, carefully twist them off the sweet potato and follow the steps below.

How to regrow sweet potatoes from slips

Here are 2 simple options (perfect for beginners) for regrowing sweet potatoes from plant slips.

Option 1

  1. Remove the sprouted section (slip) from the store-bought sweet potato.
  2. Place it in water to develop roots. You'll need a warm, sunny spot. 
  3. Plant in your pot or garden.

Option 2

  1. Cut away the slip with a small piece of sweet potato attached.
  2. Plant directly into your pot or garden.

Tips for planting sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes thrive in warmer weather with an optimal growing season in Brisbane from September to March. Grow them along the ground or vertically over a support to save space.

They prefer well-drained soil, with plenty of organic matter. In Brisbane's subtropical climate, raised beds or mounds are ideal for planting as they help with drainage. If you're planting in the ground, choose a sunny spot and prepare the soil by mixing in compost or well-rotted manure.

Space your slips at least 30 centimetres apart, with about 80-90 centimetres between rows. 

Caring for your sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are relatively low maintenance, but do require care to ensure a good harvest.

Water the plants regularly, but avoid waterlogging the soil.

Mulching around your plants helps retain moisture and suppresses weeds.

Sweet potatoes are light feeders, but an occasional application of a seaweed fertiliser can boost growth.

Brisbane's climate can be prone to pests like aphids and caterpillars. Keep an eye on your plants and use organic pest control methods if needed.

Harvest your sweet potatoes 

In Brisbane, sweet potatoes are usually ready for harvest 4-6 months after planting. Your crop is ready is when the leaves turn yellow and die back. 

Carefully dig around the plants to avoid damaging the tubers. If you’re growing your sweet potatoes in pots, simply tip the container over and sift through the soil to find them.

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Fun fact

Did you know you can eat sweet potato leaves and shoots?

Once your sweet potato vine is growing, you can pick some of the leaves and shoots to use in salads or stir fries in place of Asian greens.

Learn to grow other vegetables from scraps

You can regrow plenty of other vegetables from scraps at home, including spring onions, celery, garlic and ginger.

For more inspiration, read our:

For more of Council's gardening videos, head to our Gardening YouTube playlist.