Most people think that growing sweet potatoes requires an ample amount of land to plant potatoes, but this is not true. If you believe that, you are mistaken, because sweet potatoes can be grown in a container. When you use a container, avoid using plastic or metal containers; ensure that the pot has more than four holes; and use the best soil for sweet potatoes in the container.
There are numerous methods for growing sweet potatoes in containers that are similar to growing sweet potatoes indoors.
Below are five tips that will allow you to grow them in containers:
1. Prepare the Container
This is the first step to consider when growing sweet potatoes in containers. It’s best if you prepare the container you’ll be using ahead of time. Use a suitable container that has the preferred material and the size required. Use the right and best soil for healthy potatoes.
When you don’t know what size container sweet potatoes require, they need large containers to spread their vines and produce large tubers. The type of container depends on the number of potatoes you want to plant.
Sweet potatoes need well-drained soil with equal amounts of loam and sand to moisten the dirt. This will allow the potato tubers to grow to an ideal size.
2. Slip Nursery
You will be required to make a slip nursery in the soil. Starting slips need 8–11 weeks before the planting period, which gives them time for sprouts to grow about 5 inches and develop their roots. You can get 10 to 17 slips from one sweet potato. Cover it with moisture-retentive potting mix and nestle the whole potato in the soil.
Place the container in direct sunlight to keep the soil moist. Keep the water fresh while the sprouts root, and discard any that don’t appear healthy. Ensure the water in the nursery is about 70–85 degrees Fahrenheit and receives enough sunlight. Watering should be done every week until they sprout for about four inches.
3. Temperature
Since sweet potatoes like hot weather and humid conditions, place your container in a sunny place and move them outside to an area that receives sun for about 5-8 hours daily. Don’t place the container under the shade areas.
4. Watering and Fertilizing
Sweet potatoes need at least an inch of water every week to avoid drying up the soil. Moisture keeps the potatoes healthy. Watering the base of the plant will prevent them from having fungal growth on the vines.
If you want your potatoes to grow bigger, water them deeply every few days and consider the weather and how frequently and heavily it rains.
You should use good-quality potting soil, add compost when planting, and use a balanced mix of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
When using a container to grow sweet potatoes, ensure the soil is mixed well. The best ground for planting potatoes is sandy loam. The mix will do better when it contains sand, fertilizer, and compost. This will allow the potato tubers to grow big.
5. Pruning and Harvesting
Pruning is only done when the sweet potato leaves and vines become too large for the container. It will also be necessary to remove any unhealthy leaves. You can train and control the vines to climb a trellis to grow sweet potatoes.
When it is time to harvest, you will know when the vines turn brown and the first frost arrives. Because the containers do not protect potatoes from freezing, you must wait until they become too cold. Please don’t use a garden fork to dig the tuber because it can damage the potato’s skin; use your hands instead. Brush off the excess soil, but don’t wash them.
Place the potatoes in a warm environment and let them cure for around 10–14 days. After curing, please place them in a ventilated box and store them in a cool, dry place.
What Is the Best Container to Grow Sweet Potatoes
The best container is a mason jar, which works well because of the shape of the sweet potato. The depth of the container should be around 12 feet, and I know most farmers need to be aware of how deep a container they need for sweet potatoes.
Do Sweet Potatoes Grow Well in Containers?
It is with no doubt that sweet potatoes grow well in containers. When growing potatoes in containers, it will be easy to protect them from critters that love to eat them, making them do well.
How Big of a Container Do I Need to Grow Sweet Potatoes?
The container size should be at least 20 gallons to allow the potato plant to spread its vines and develop large tubers. The container should be around 12 feet deep and at least 3 feet wide, with drainage holes.
When the container is smaller than this, it may result in a small yield. You can plant 4–7 sweet potatoes in 20 gallons to provide enough space.
The smallest amount of gallons in which you can grow potatoes is 4 (four gallons), in which you must plant only two sweet potatoes. At the same time, 10 gallons can accommodate more than two potatoes but at most five (2–5) sweet potatoes. One sweet potato plant can produce 5–10 potatoes.
Problems Faced When Growing Potatoes
When growing sweet potatoes in containers, many problems are encountered.
The following are examples of five problems faced:
1. Siol insects
2. Aphids
3. Occasional pest
4. Leafhoppers
5. Colorado potato beetle
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