How to Get Sweet Potato Slips: A Comprehensive Guide

If you're looking for a low-maintenance crop that's easy to grow and packed with nutrients, sweet potatoes are an excellent option. And the best part? You don't need to buy seeds every year. Instead, you can propagate sweet potatoes from slips – small sprouts that grow out of sweet potatoes. In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to know about how to get sweet potato slips.

What Are Sweet Potato Slips?

Sweet potato slips are small sprouts that grow from the sweet potato tuber. These slips can be used to propagate new sweet potato plants. To get slips, you need to provide the right growing conditions for your sweet potatoes.

When to Start Growing Sweet Potatoes

The ideal time to start growing sweet potatoes depends on where you live. In general, you should start growing sweet potatoes when the soil temperature is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 degrees Celsius). For most areas, this means starting in late spring or early summer.

If you live in a warm climate, you can plant sweet potato slips earlier in the year. If you live in a cooler climate, you may need to wait until later in the year to plant your sweet potato slips.

How to Get Sweet Potato Slips

There are several ways to get sweet potato slips. Here are three methods:

Method 1: Buy Sweet Potato Slips Online

You can buy sweet potato slips online from various garden retailers. This method is convenient because you don't have to worry about starting the slips yourself. However, it can be more expensive than other methods.

Buying Sweet Potato Slips Online

Method 2: Grow Your Own Sweet Potato Slips Indoors

Growing your own sweet potato slips indoors is a cost-effective way to get slips. Here's what you need to do:

1. Place a sweet potato tuber in a jar or glass filled with water.
2. Make sure that about one-third of the potato is submerged in water.
3. Put the jar in a warm, sunny location.
4. Change the water every few days.
5. After a few weeks, the potato will start to sprout slips. When the slips are about six inches long, you can remove them from the potato and plant them outside.

Growing Sweet Potato Slips Indoors

Method 3: Grow Sweet Potato Slips Outdoors

If you live in a warm climate, you can grow sweet potato slips outdoors. Here's what you need to do:

1. Choose a healthy sweet potato tuber.
2. Bury the tuber in soil, leaving about one-third of it exposed.
3. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
4. Place the container in a warm, sunny location.
5. After a few weeks, the potato will start to sprout slips. When the slips are about six inches long, you can remove them from the potato and plant them outside.

Growing Sweet Potato Slips Outdoors

How to Plant Sweet Potato Slips

Once you have your sweet potato slips, it's time to plant them. Here's what you need to do:

1. Choose a sunny location with well-draining soil.
2. Plant the slips about 12-18 inches apart.
3. Water the slips regularly, but make sure not to overwater them.
4. As the sweet potatoes grow, they will produce vines. Train the vines to grow along the ground or trellis, as desired.
5. Harvest the sweet potatoes when the leaves start to turn yellow and die back.

Planting Sweet Potato Slips

Getting sweet potato slips is easy, whether you choose to buy them online or grow them yourself. By following our guide, you'll be able to grow your own sweet potatoes and enjoy their delicious taste and nutritional benefits.

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