Sweet Potato Vine Care: A Complete Guide

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is a flowering vine that is commonly used as a potted plant in container gardens. These fast-growing plants are considered both annuals and perennials and have an easy care routine.

Known for their distinct leaf shapes, they are strictly grown for their ornamental purposes as spillers in containers or as groundcover, even though they are of the same species as edible sweet potatoes.

The sweet potato vine plant care is easy, as these plants just need a tropical climate to thrive. This plant can grow vigorously and reach a height of up to 10 feet. In this guide, we have shared some sweet potato plant care tips to help you grow this beautiful trailing plant at home.

Basic Sweet Potato Vine Care

Some of the basic and main care requirements for sweet potato vine are –

• Water regularly, but make sure not to overwater the plant.
• Plant them in a place with full sun or partial shade.
• Use a nutrient-rich and well-draining soil.
• Prune the plant regularly to keep its growth in control. You can use the pruned parts to propagate the plant.

Sweet Potato Vine Care

Now let’s explore how to care for the sweet potato vine in more detail –

Water

Sweet potato vine is a drought-tolerant plant. Watering them frequently will result in more vigorous growth. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. The plant will show signs such as wilting leaves, indicating a lack of water.

Sunlight

The sweet potato vine is a sun-loving plant, but can also thrive in partial shade and full shade. However, more sunlight would result in more vibrant foliage. So, for better sweet potato vine care, choose a sunny location for this plant.

Soil

For the sweet potato vine plant, a well-draining and consistently moist soil mix that is also rich in nutrients is required. If grown in containers, make sure they have drainage holes. This plant is susceptible to root rot, so make sure not to overwater it.

Temperature and Humidity

The sweet potato vine loves a tropical climate and therefore would need shade in warmer climates. The ideal temperature for this plant is 75℉ (23℃). This plant does not tolerate frost and prefers sunny days with warm nights.

Moreover, make sure that the soil of your plant doesn’t dry out, especially in warmer climates.

Fertilizer

If you want your sweet potato vine plant to grow vigorously, feed it with a balanced fertilizer every week during the growing season. However, keep in mind that fertilizer will contribute to the already vigorous growth of this plant, and you’ll need to trim it more often to keep the growth in check.

Or you can use a slow-release fertilizer and apply it only once for regular nutrient absorption.

Pruning

Regular pruning is required to keep the growth of this plant in check. Moreover, pruning also promotes more and healthier growth, which is important for good sweet potato vine care. While pruning, make sure to use sharp and sterilized garden tools. Remove any damaged or diseased vines from the plant for a neat and healthy look.

Potting and Repotting

You can easily grow and care for the sweet potato vine plant in containers. Here’s how you can repot your plant –

• Use a tall 12-inch clay or plastic pot with drainage holes and fill it with a soil mix well-suited for the sweet potato vine plant.
• Place the plant in the container after removing it from its previous pot. Loosen the roots slightly for better integration.
• Place the plant at the same height in the new container as it was in its previous container.
• Pat the soil down to eliminate air bubbles. And water the soil thoroughly.

This plant hardly needs repotting as it only lives for less than 2 years. The sweet potato vine plant thrives well in pots as it can tolerate various conditions and is highly adaptable to changes. However, potted plants would require more water than plants growing in the garden.

How To Propagate The Sweet Potato Vine

Cutting is the best way to propagate the sweet potato vine plant. Take the cuttings before the first frost in Autumn, as this plant dies in winter from frost damage. Here are the steps you can follow to propagate this plant –

• Take a healthy cutting from the plant. It must have several leaf nodes.
• Remove the leaves from the bottom of the cutting and submerge it in water for a few days until roots start to form.
• Place the cutting in a sunny location. The sweet potato vine can survive winter indoors in a sunny location.
• Regularly change the water and keep the water level the same. Replace the water in the jar with fresh room temperature water every week.
• Once the roots are at least 3 inches long, place the plant in a container filled with potting soil. The plant should be hardened before it is transplanted into the garden.

You can also propagate this plant with a tuber. Here’s how to do it –

• Before the first frost, dig up the tubers and dry them.
• Store the tubers in a cool and dry place for the winter.
• Check the tubers for any sign of disease and cut off any blackish or wounded areas.
• Cut the tuber into separate parts, making sure each part has one “eye” and possibly several shoots and roots.
• Plant each tuber part in a small pot with moist potting soil.
• Place the pots in a location with bright light, but avoid full sun.
• The plant can be moved to a bigger pot or into the garden after roots form and a seedling sprouts.

Common Plant Problems

Even though the sweet potato vine care is easy, several common plant problems can make that task difficult, such as –

• Discoloration – Leaves turning yellow can be a sign of root rot or a fungal infection. If not checked and treated in time, the leaves can turn brown, wilt, and fall. Avoid overwatering to prevent these problems. Moreover, leaves or vines turning black can be a sign of frost damage.
• Leaves Wilting and Curling – This problem is caused by a lack of watering. Keep the soil consistently moist.
• Pests – Several pests, such as aphids, caterpillars, golden tortoise beetles, and sweet potato looper, can infest your plant and drain its nutrients, causing further damage.
• Diseases – Due to high moisture needs, this plant is susceptible to various fungal plant diseases; therefore, keep changing the plant location to avoid these diseases. Moreover, make sure there is ample air flow around the plant.

Conclusion

The sweet potato vine plant is a beautiful and easy-to-grow plant that is perfect for gardens and containers. This plant can be used as ground cover, a trailing plant, or a spiller in containers. Moreover, the easy sweet potato vine plant care makes this ornamental plant a must-have for every beginner gardener. Therefore, make sure to add this amazing plant to your list and download the Plantora App to learn more about plant care and how you can grow various plants easily.