Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico'
Sweet Potato
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Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Description
Copper-colored skin; moist, reddish orange flesh with delicious flavor. Great for baking. Compact habit, ideal for small gardens.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Blooming
The flowers of Morning Glories usually last a single day, unfurling in the morning and fading later in the day. Moonflowers (I. alba) however bloom in the late evening. The blooms of Ipomoea may attract butterflies, moths, and occasionally hummingbirds.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Growth
Sweet potatoes are perennials grown as warm season annuals. Does best with an air temperature of 80°F (27°C). Needs at least a 4 month growing season with warm days and nights.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Planting
Propagate sweet potatoes from small plants called slips. Plant 2 weeks after the last frost date in your area, when the air temperature is 65°F (18°C) or higher. Create a raised bed. Amend soil with compost before planting. Space 12-18" apart in rows 4 ft apart for vining types, 2.5 ft apart for bush types.In cooler areas, it is possible to lay black plastic cover over the raised bed 2 weeks prior to planting in order to warm the soil. Then, plant slips through holes poked in the plastic. Space well.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Pest
Mice will sometimes eat sweet potatoes. Best to grow disease resistant varieties. Avoid root rot diseases further by rotating crops every 3 years, removing crop debris in fall, growing in raised beds, and keeping the soil slightly acidic.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Interesting facts
Thick storage roots are rich in Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are often confused with yams. Yams belong to an entirely different plant family and are usually not grown in North America.
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas 'Porto Rico') - Soil and irrigation
Slightly acidic soil is best. Water regularly during the growing season for good results, but only needs moderate water at other times. Do not water sweet potatoes the last 3 weeks before harvest.
