Overview

Did you know that the sweet potato has been a staple in the American diet since the country’s inception? This versatile veggie can be enjoyed in many different ways, but some of my favorites are baked, mashed, or made into fries! In fact, the average American consumes between 3-4 lbs. of golden tubers per year. While there are yellow and purple colored varieties available on the market, the most common type found in the United States is the orange colored variety.

The sweet potato is a plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are what we know and love to eat as a “root vegetable.” This herbaceous perennial vine, bears alternate triangle-shaped or palmately lobed leaves and medium-sized sympetalous flowers. The stems are usually found crawling on the ground forming adventitious roots at their nodes. Interestingly, the flowers, buds, and leaves resemble that of a morning glory, whose flowers open before sunrise and start to wither as dawn turns into day. The edible root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose color ranges between yellow, orange, red, brown, purple, and beige.

Now that a brief overview of the well-known tubers has been done, let’s talk about growing them in Zone 9b and beyond!

Zone 9b Florida

North East Florida has heavy rains, humid summers, and pests leaving one to wonder, how can I be successful? Choosing the right crops, varieties, and planting season can make an extraordinary difference in your vegetable garden. So what types of sweet potatoes are best suited for Florida? When choosing a variety you should consider the growth habits of that particular variety. Here are some varieties that are recommended for Florida:

• Centennial
• Beauregard
• Vardaman

I have sweet potatoes of the Beauregard variety planted in my Northeast Florida Zone 9b garden. I planted them as slips back on May 12, 2024 as soon as my bush beans were finished. However, sweet potatoes can be started from shoots or cuttings anytime between March and June. I bought my slips from a trusted supplier, so if you are planning to start your own you may need to adjust your timing based on your gardening plan.

Care and Planting

Sweet Potatoes do best when soil temperatures are between 63 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit and require a long warm growing season. This is what makes them perfect for planting during Florida’s summer season.

Plant the slips or shoots in free-draining loose soil anytime between March and June. Fertilize before planting but no more when the plants are growing as it will encourage vine growth. They will go for miles and you will get no tubers. If they do start spreading, lift the vines off the ground to prevent them from rooting.

Harvesting

It will take about 4 months or 120 days for your tubers to mature. When it gets close to harvest time let the plant leaves turn yellow and die down. Finally, cure the sweet potatoes by drying them in the sun for a few days. This will allow the crop to be stored in a cool dry place for up to five months.