Sweet potato vine comes in different colors and works well with flowering plants.
A vigorous annual or tender perennial, it thrives in thesummer heat.
Typically used as spillers in containers, sweet potato vines also make fantastic groundcovers.
Credit:BHG / Kelli Jo Emanuel
However, they won’t be nearly as tasty.
Plant them in rich, well-drained soil.
you’re free to plant sweet potato vines on asturdy trellisto add privacy to your garden.
Credit:BHG / Kelli Jo Emanuel
Weave the vines through the trellis to encourage vertical growth since they will naturally want to spread out.
Tie the vines to the trellis with a string if needed.
Remove the plant from the container, taking care not to damage the delicate stem.
Credit: Justin Hancock
If rootbound, loosen the roots.
The hole for planting sweet potato vines should be twice as big as the container it comes in.
Place the plant in the hole at the same depth it was in the original container.
Credit: Justin Hancock
Pat the soil around its base and water thoroughly.
Plant them between 10 to 36 inches apart.
Different types require different spacing.
Credit:BHG / Kelli Jo Emanuel
The plant is grown primarily for its superb foliage and tropical feel.
Some older varieties may grace your garden with sporadic lavender blooms, but this is uncommon.
The more sun they get, the more vibrant their colors will be.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
The soil should be well-draining and enhanced with organic matter.
Temperature and Humidity
Keep sweet potato vines from getting overheated or letting their soil dry out.
Where it’s very hot, they benefit fromsome shadeduring the day.
Credit: David Speer
They thrive in areas with high humidity and tolerate average humidity.
They don’t do well in low-humidity areas.
Sweet potato vines like warm evenings and days around 75oF.
Credit: Laurie Dickson
Water it well and plant the vines.
A single utility is sufficient.
Pruning
Consistent pruningwill encourage sweet potato vines to grow more vigorously.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Cut the branches no more than one-third, about 1/4 inch above leaf nodes.
Remove dead or dying branches to enhance the plant’s health.
They tend to spread, so pruning can keep overgrowth in check.
Credit: Janet Mesic Mackie
Potting and Repotting Sweet Potato Vines
Sweet potato vines are excellentcontainer plants.
Sweet potato vines adapt well to pots because they tolerate all kinds of light.
you could grow them on a covered patio, in a sunny garden, or indoors.
Credit: Tom Rosborough
Pests and Problems
Sweet potato vines are susceptible to leaf fungus.
Leaf fungus is known to overwinter in garden soil.
Other pests include aphids and caterpillars.
It grows 10 inches tall and spreads 4 feet across.
It grows 10 inches tall and spreads 4 feet across.
‘Marguerite’ Sweet Potato Vine
Ipomoea batatas’Marguerite' is a lovely selection with golden-chartreuse foliage.
Companion Plants for Sweet Potato Vine
Angelonia
Angeloniais also called summer snapdragon.
This tough plant blooms all summer long.
Some varieties are scented.
While most gardeners treat angelonia as an annual, it’s a tough perennial in Zones 9-10.
The mounded-dark-green foliage is always clean and fresh.
Grow them in a warm, sunny spot with moist, well-drained soil all summer.
Zones 2-11
New Guinea Impatiens
New Guinea impatiensprovide brilliant color for shady spots.
The foliage is also often colorful.
They’re a bit more sun-tolerant than common impatiens.
Plant nursery starts in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
Keep soil moist and fertilize lightly but regularly.
Tropical-Look Garden Plan
Make a bold garden statement with dramatic flowers and foliage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
Take a cutting from a vine and place it in water.
For the most part, yes, though some gardeners have experienced deer munching on their plants.
Prune them and keep them watered and they’ll grow and thrive in a hanging planter.
