The best time to grow sweet potatoes is in the spring. The plant is propagated with slips which are pieces of rooted vine which grow from the potato buds or eyes. To get the vines started you have to put the sweet potato into a container with water in it allowing only the top to be exposed over the water. To hold it in place you could place toothpicks in it so that it does not slide into the container but is held in an upright position. For this the mouth of the container should not be much larger than the sweet potato itself. Within a few weeks you will find the stems which are like vines growing from the sweet potato. As these stems are very fragile you will have to tie them with a stake. Once the vines are pinched off you can replace them in the water or put them into the soil to grow. This will produce more sweet potatoes which can be dug up later.

Sweet potatoes grow best in sunny areas which are bright and need to be cared for the way you would look after house plants. Fertilizer should be applied once a month to the plants. The plants should be placed in soil at least a foot apart and better still on a ridge which is raised 8 inches high. This helps in drying better and staying warmer. The surrounding areas can be covered with black plastic mulch which helps in storing the warmth from the heat of the sun which is required for the growth of the plant. The rows should be made at a distance of at least 3 feet as the vines grow and spread a lot. The plants should not be watered a few weeks before they are being taken out as this will damage the roots.