How To Start Sweet Potato Slips: Your Comprehensive Guide
Starting sweet potato slips allows you to propagate new plants from a single sweet potato. This process involves nurturing sprouts from the potato in water or soil, resulting in vigorous young plants ready for transplanting into your garden.
The Allure of Sweet Potato Slips: From Root to Riches
Sweet potatoes aren’t just delicious; they’re also a garden staple in many warm climates. Unlike regular potatoes, which are grown from seed potatoes (actual tubers), sweet potatoes are propagated from slips. These slips are essentially baby plants that sprout from a mature sweet potato. Growing your own slips offers several advantages: it’s a cost-effective way to expand your sweet potato patch, allows you to grow heirloom varieties not readily available at nurseries, and gives you a head start on the growing season.
Understanding Sweet Potato Botany: Slips Explained
Before diving into the how-to, let’s clarify what exactly a sweet potato slip is. A slip is a shoot that emerges from the “eyes” of a sweet potato. These eyes are similar to those on regular potatoes, but instead of producing another potato, they produce green shoots with leaves. These shoots are carefully detached from the parent sweet potato and rooted, becoming independent sweet potato plants.
Selecting Your Sweet Potato for Slip Production
The journey to abundant sweet potato slips begins with selecting the right sweet potato. Here’s what to consider:
- Source Matters: Choose organically grown sweet potatoes whenever possible. Store-bought sweet potatoes can sometimes be treated with sprout inhibitors, hindering slip production. If you only have conventionally grown sweet potatoes available, thoroughly scrub them before starting.
- Variety: Different sweet potato varieties offer different flavors and textures. Decide which type you prefer, whether it’s the classic Beauregard, the vibrant Covington, or a more unusual heirloom variety. Note that some varieties might produce slips more readily than others.
- Health: Select sweet potatoes that are firm, free from blemishes, and show no signs of rot or disease. A healthy sweet potato is more likely to produce healthy slips.
Water Propagation: A Transparent Approach
Growing slips in water is a popular and visually appealing method. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Prepare the Potato: Gently wash the sweet potato to remove any dirt.
- Insert Support: Insert toothpicks or skewers around the middle of the sweet potato. These will act as supports to suspend the potato in water.
- Submerge the Bottom: Place the sweet potato in a jar or glass filled with water, ensuring that the bottom half is submerged. The pointed end of the potato should ideally be facing downwards.
- Choose a Sunny Spot: Place the jar in a warm, sunny location. Direct sunlight is beneficial for slip development.
- Maintain Water Level: Regularly check the water level and add more as needed to keep the bottom of the sweet potato submerged.
- Wait for Slips: In a few weeks, you should start to see sprouts emerging from the top of the sweet potato.
- Harvest the Slips: Once the slips are 4-6 inches long and have several leaves, carefully twist or cut them off the sweet potato.
- Rooting the Slips: Place the harvested slips in a jar of water, submerging only the bottom inch or two. Change the water every day or two. Roots should develop within a week.
Soil Propagation: An Earthy Alternative
Growing slips in soil is another effective method. Here’s how:
- Prepare the Pot: Fill a container with well-draining potting mix.
- Plant the Potato: Bury the sweet potato horizontally in the soil, leaving the top exposed.
- Water Thoroughly: Water the soil thoroughly until it is evenly moist.
- Provide Warmth and Light: Place the pot in a warm, sunny location.
- Maintain Moisture: Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged.
- Wait for Slips: Similar to water propagation, slips will emerge from the top of the sweet potato in a few weeks.
- Harvest the Slips: Once the slips are 4-6 inches long and have several leaves, carefully twist or cut them off the sweet potato.
- Rooting the Slips: Similar to water propagation, root them in water until they are ready for planting.
Transplanting Your Sweet Potato Slips: From Water to Garden
Once your sweet potato slips have developed a good root system (usually about a week after placing them in water), they are ready to be transplanted into the garden.
- Prepare the Garden Bed: Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. Amend the soil with compost or other organic matter to improve fertility.
- Dig a Hole: Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the roots of the slip.
- Plant the Slip: Gently remove the slip from the water and plant it in the hole, burying the stem up to the first set of leaves.
- Water Thoroughly: Water the newly transplanted slip thoroughly.
- Spacing: Space the slips 12-18 inches apart in rows that are 3-4 feet apart.
- Provide Support (Optional): If you live in a windy area, you may need to provide support for the newly transplanted slips until they become established.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Using Seed Potatoes: Remember, sweet potatoes are not grown from seed potatoes like regular potatoes.
- Overwatering: Overwatering can lead to rot. Ensure the soil is well-draining and avoid letting the sweet potato sit in standing water.
- Insufficient Light: Sweet potatoes need plenty of sunlight to produce healthy slips. Place them in a bright, sunny location.
- Harvesting Slips Too Early: Wait until the slips are at least 4-6 inches long before harvesting them.
- Not Rooting Slips Before Transplanting: Always root the slips in water before transplanting them into the garden. This will increase their chances of survival.
Sweet Potato Slip Timeline: A Week-by-Week Breakdown
| Week | Activity | Expected Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare sweet potato and initiate propagation | No visible changes |
| 2 | Monitor for sprouts | Small buds may start to appear |
| 3 | Slips begin to grow | Slips are 1-2 inches long |
| 4 | Harvest slips | Slips are 4-6 inches long and ready to harvest |
| 5 | Rooting harvested slips in water | Roots develop within a week |
| 6 | Transplant slips to garden | Newly planted slips begin to establish |
Conclusion: From Slip to Spud, Reap the Rewards
Growing your own sweet potato slips is a rewarding experience that allows you to cultivate a bountiful harvest of these nutritious and delicious tubers. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can successfully propagate your own sweet potato plants and enjoy the fruits (or rather, roots) of your labor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I use any sweet potato to grow slips?
While most sweet potatoes can be used, organic varieties are preferred as they are less likely to be treated with sprout inhibitors. Look for firm, healthy potatoes without blemishes.
How long does it take to grow sweet potato slips?
Typically, it takes 3-6 weeks to grow sweet potato slips, depending on the variety, temperature, and available sunlight.
How many slips can I get from one sweet potato?
A single sweet potato can produce dozens of slips over several weeks. The yield depends on the size and health of the potato.
What if my sweet potato starts to rot?
If your sweet potato starts to rot, remove any rotten sections immediately. Ensure good air circulation and avoid overwatering. If the rot is extensive, it’s best to start with a new potato.
Can I grow slips in the winter?
Yes, you can grow slips indoors during the winter, provided you have a warm and sunny location or a grow light.
Do I need to fertilize the slips while they are growing?
Generally, fertilization is not necessary during the slip growing phase. The slips will draw nutrients from the sweet potato itself.
How do I know when the slips are ready to be harvested?
Slips are ready to be harvested when they are 4-6 inches long and have several leaves. They should be easily twisted or cut off the parent potato.
What should I do if my slips don’t root in water?
Ensure the water is clean and changed regularly. Provide adequate light and warmth. Some slips may simply not root, so it’s wise to grow more than you need.
Can I replant the original sweet potato after harvesting the slips?
The original sweet potato can be replanted, but its effectiveness will diminish over time as it depletes its energy reserves. It’s generally more efficient to start with fresh potatoes for future slip production.
What kind of soil is best for growing sweet potato slips?
Use a well-draining potting mix for starting slips in soil. Avoid heavy, clay-based soils that can become waterlogged.
How often should I water the sweet potato while growing slips?
Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Check the moisture level regularly and water as needed. For water propagation, ensure the bottom portion of the potato always remains submerged.
Are there any specific varieties of sweet potatoes that are easier to grow from slips?
Some varieties, like Beauregard, are known to produce slips readily. Research different varieties to find one that suits your climate and growing conditions.