How to grow Sweet Potato in Australia
Plant slips in full sun in loose, warm, well drained soil. Water steadily while vines establish, then ease off as tubers form so they do not crack or grow all leaf.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 6 litres a week, watered every 3 days
- Spacing: 50 cm
- Time to harvest: 150 days
- Time to germinate: 14 days
- Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5
- Frost tolerance: Frost tender
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to February | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to February | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | October to December | A genuine Sydney win on the frost-free coast: plant slips Oct to Dec once soil passes 17°C, harvest 15 to 17 weeks later. West: plant after last frost. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | October to December | Sow slips Oct to Nov only (soil 20°C+). May frost kills vines; requires 5 to 6 months frost-free. Risky but possible. |
| Adelaide & SA | October to December | Plant slips Oct to Dec once soil passes 18C. Harvest before winter; cold wet soil rots tubers. A long hot summer suits them. |
| Perth & WA | September to December | Plant slips Sep to Dec once soil passes 20C; later slips cannot bulk a tuber before the autumn cool. Source WA grown slips; quarantine blocks east coast plants. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable. Slips need five warm months and Tasmanian summers are too cool for tubers to bulk up. |
| Canberra & ACT | November and December | Very marginal. Plant slips Nov to Dec in the warmest bed; harvest before the April frost. Expect small yields. |
| North Queensland | September to February | Late dry/wet season. Sweet potato is tropical staple. Plant Sep to Feb; harvest dry season. Grows year-round. |
| Darwin & Top End | September to February | Late dry/wet season. Sweet potato is tropical staple. Plant Sep to Feb; harvest dry season. Grows year-round. |
Varieties
- Beauregard (Orange)
- Murasaki (Purple Skin/White Flesh)
- Hawaiian Sunshine (Purple Flesh)
Companion planting
Good companions
Harvest and storage
Harvest tip
Tubers are ready once the leaves yellow, usually after a long warm season. Lift carefully with a fork well away from the crown to avoid spearing the tubers.
Storage
Cool dry dark place, up to 1 month. Do not refrigerate.