Sweet potato production

Sweet potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but be aware of certain pests, and also retain adequate soil moisture, writes Bill Kerr.

- Bill Kerr

Once a sweet potato crop fully covers the ground, wee weed growth is usually suppressed, and you only need to check for pests occasionally. Ensure that the soil moisture is adequate and constant. If the crop is at an advanced stage and the soil becomes too dry before getting very wet again, the sweet potato roots can develop skin cracks, making them look unattractive.

The plants' leaf colour will indicate when a nitrogen (N) top dressing is required. An early sign that N is needed is the appearance of light-coloured patches on the leaves.

Other than this, sweet potatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. You can expect a yield of about 60t/ha. It can thus be very rewarding by virtue of low risk, ease of growing, and high yield. You don't have to harvest sweet potatoes during a critical window, unlike many other vegetable crops. Just check the size of the roots from time to time, and start harvesting when the majority have reached the optimum size for marketing.