Sweet potatoes are a rewarding, heat-loving crop that flourishes during the long Texas growing season. These plants produce edible tuberous roots, which are botanically distinct from true tubers like the Irish potato. The intense Texas sunshine and warm soil provide the ideal environment for these roots to convert starches into sugars, delivering a bountiful and sweet harvest.
Timing Site Selection and Soil Preparation
Sweet potatoes are highly sensitive to cold. Slips, the small plants grown from a mature potato, should only be transplanted after the last spring frost when soil temperatures consistently reach 65°F at planting depth. The planting window spans from late April through June across the state, with Central and South Texas gardeners often planting earlier than those in North Texas.
The planting site must provide full, direct sun for at least six hours daily. Sweet potatoes prefer well-draining soil, with a loose, sandy loam being the ideal texture for root expansion. Heavy clay or compacted soil will cause the roots to become misshapen and stunted.
Raised mounds or ridges, approximately 8 to 12 inches high, help ensure excellent drainage and allow the soil to warm up quickly. Sweet potatoes prefer moderate fertility, and excessive nitrogen should be avoided. Too much nitrogen encourages the growth of lush, sprawling vines at the expense of the underground roots.
Establishing Slips and Seasonal Maintenance
Slips should be planted deep enough to cover the stem up to the first set of leaves. Space them 12 to 18 inches apart on the prepared mounds, with rows separated by three to four feet to accommodate the sprawling vines. Planting the slips late in the evening helps reduce transplant shock, and they should be watered immediately after being set into the soil.
Consistent watering is necessary, especially during the first month as the slips establish their root systems. Water deeply and infrequently to encourage the development of robust, deep roots that can withstand dry mid-summer spells. Applying a thick layer of organic mulch, such as straw, helps maintain a steady soil temperature and conserve moisture during the hottest periods.
The vines will spread across the ground, and if they contact the soil, they will root at the nodes. This secondary rooting diverts energy from the main storage roots. To prevent this, the vines should be lifted or turned away from the soil occasionally, breaking any new rootlets that have formed.
For pest management, the sweet potato weevil and wireworms can damage the roots. Crop rotation is the most effective control, so sweet potatoes should not be planted in the same spot year after year. Monitoring for pests and using organic controls like neem oil for early infestations helps protect the crop.
Harvesting and Curing the Crop
Sweet potatoes require a long growing period, reaching maturity between 90 and 120 days after planting. A reliable sign that the roots are ready for harvest is when the leaves and vines begin to turn yellow. Harvesting must occur before the first hard frost, as cold temperatures near the soil surface can damage the roots and compromise their storage life.
To prevent bruising, the roots must be dug up with care, using a garden fork placed 12 to 18 inches away from the main stem before gently lifting the soil. Allow the roots to dry briefly on the soil surface for no more than an hour before brushing off excess dirt. The roots should not be washed at this stage.
Curing is a process that heals minor skin damage and converts starches into sugars. Curing requires the roots to be kept at 80–85°F and 85–90% relative humidity for four to fourteen days. This environment promotes the formation of a protective cork layer beneath the skin and extends the storage life. Once cured, sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark location where temperatures remain between 55–60°F, allowing them to keep for several months.