Ipomoea batatas
Family: Convolvulaceae

Indigenous to the tropical Americas and the East Indies, sweet potato is widely cultivated in warm and temperate parts of the world for its edible, tuberous roots. This vegetable is becoming more widely used. It can be served baked with a roast dinner, or boiled and mashed. It can be made into soups, fritters and chips, and is served in a variety of interesting ways with other vegetables and meats. It is a valuable source of vitamin A and also contains vitamin C.

Cultivation

The sweet potato is an herbaceous perennial, but is grown as a summer annual. It is a fast-growing climber. In cool climates, this vegetable is generally grown in a warm, humid greenhouse, ideally in a soil border or bed, but it can also be grown in grow bags or large pots and tubs. The tubers should be planted in spring, about 7 cm (3 in) deep and 30 cm (12 in) apart. If growing in a soil border or bed, tubers are generally planted in raised soil ridges. Alternatively, and a better option in cooler climates, plants can be raised from seed sown in spring and germinated at 24°C (75°F). Plant out young plants when about 15 cm (6 in) high. Sweet potatoes grown from tubers can be harvested within three to four months. Those grown from seed will be ready in about five months.

Climate

Outdoor cultivation in warmest parts of zone 9.