SEARCH
MENU
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
Creative & Frugal Home & Garden Ideas

Empress of Dirt

  • Grow
  • Make
  • Ideas

New here?

Dig in!

Start here

How to Propagate Sweet Potatoes to Grow New Slips

Published on May 22, 2023 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
Read full disclosure statement here.

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on Email

Use these step-by-step instructions to propagate a sweet potato in water or potting mix. This produces “slips” (stems and leaves) providing new plants for the garden. The vines also make interesting houseplants.

Many fruits and vegetables can be propagated at home to grow new plants. This shows a simple way to grow avocado from seed.

Two methods for propagating sweet potato slips.

Sprouting Sweet Potatoes

Propagating sweet potatoes in a container to grow new slips.

Just one sweet potato can create a lot of new sweet potatoesโ€”ongoing for years to come.

In the past decade or two, this carbohydrate-rich root vegetable has enjoyed a new wave of popularity, likely due to sweet potatoes offered as an alternative to traditional french fries or baked potatoes in restaurants and food trucks.

While not a type of potato, sweet potatoes (edible Ipomoea batatas cultivars) are just as versatile and sweeterโ€”as the name implies.

Because we cannot grow sweet potatoes as perennials year-round in cold climates, we adapt by growing them as annuals (a single season crop). Planted after the risk of frost has passed, faster-growing varieties can produce a substantial harvest by early fall.

The easiest way to get started is to buy or create your own โ€œslips.โ€

Slips are simply stems and leaves that grow from existing sweet potatoes to form new plants.

Start with a sweet potato from the grocery store and use the instructions below to grow your own slips.

The best time to get started is 2 to 3 months before your last frost in spring, so, by the time the weather warms, your slips are ready for transplanting outdoors.

Just one sweet potato can produce a lot of slipsโ€”a dozen is not out of the question. And each of those in turn can become a new plant that produces several pounds of sweet potatoes.

Cured and stored after harvest, youโ€™ve got sweet potatoes for the winter and extras for creating new slips for the planting season to come. And on it goes.

If you’re not a vegetable gardener, you can still use the methods shown below to grow a fabulous vining houseplant.

Contents

  • How to Propagate Sweet Potatoes
  • Create Slips
    • Water Jar Method
    • Potting Mix Method
  • Root the Slips
  • Transplant the Slips
  • Frequently Asked Questions

How to Propagate Sweet Potatoes

There are a lot of different ways to do this but each method is basically doing the same thingโ€”providing warmth and moisture to induce sprouting. 

I have done so many experiments to see which method works best and there are definitely some clear winners which I have provided instructions for below.

Three Basic Steps

  1. Create slips | Make the sweet potato produce slips indoors, 2 to 3 months before last frost.
  2. Root the slips.
  3. Transplant the rooted slips outside after last frost.

Two Methods

Sweet potato sprouting in jar of water.
Water jar method
Sweet potatoes sprouting in potting mix.
Potting mix method

The most common method youโ€™ll see involves suspending the sweet potato in a jar of water. This works fine. Itโ€™s also a good choice if you just want a cool-looking houseplant.

Another method which I have come to prefer is to bury the sweet potato horizontally in moist potting mix. I like this method because sometimes the slips and roots form at the same time so it skips a step.

Which type of sweet potatoes can I propagate?

  • Choose any sweet potatoes from the grocery store or farmerโ€™s market.
Supermarket sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes purchased from a local supermarket

The only way to know for certain whether a sweet potato will propagate is to try it.

Our options are likely limited to whatever local stores sell.

Other than a sign saying Sweet Potatoes and perhaps listing the country of origin, it’s rare for the cultivar name to be listed in stores. If we had that information, we could look up the expected days to maturity to know whether it’s a good fit.

  • Locally-grown sweet potatoes are the safest bet because we know they are ready to harvest within our growing season.
  • Sweet potatoes from other climates may need longer to matureโ€”more time than our short growing season offersโ€”but, again, the only way to find out is to try it.

Some sweet potatoes may also be treated with growth inhibitors to prevent spontaneous sprouting in the store. I have not encountered this but I have only tested locally-grown sweet potatoes which likely donโ€™t require it. My guess is some sweet potatoes grown overseas may be treated to allow longer travel and storage times.

To improve your odds, try propagating several at once, using both methods shown, and include different varieties if available. Even from the same sack of sweet potatoes, Iโ€™ve had hits and misses. Some are prolific growers while others take their sweet time or do nothing at all.

So, grow many and hope for some. And you can always give extras to friends.


Plants propagating in jars.

Related: 20 Easy Plant Propagation Tutorials for Gardeners


Step 1 – Create Slips

Water Jar Method

Propagating a sweet potato in a jar of water.
Propagating sweet potato using the water jar method

Supplies

  • Sweet potatoes | Make sure they are nice and firm, not mushy or dry. If they’re good enough to eat, they are good for propagation.
  • Glass jar | Choose a jar large enough for the sweet potato to be suspended vertically with half of it above the water surface. Also allow extra room below the sweet potato for roots to form in the water.
  • Plastic cocktail forks or strong toothpicks

Is there a top or bottom?

Sweet potato with tapered end.
Tapered or pointy end
Sweet potato with no obvious top or bottom.
Sweet potato with no obvious top or bottom

Some sweet potatoes have an obvious tapered or slightly pointed end which is the base. If yours has one, aim that end down into the water.

If both ends are rounded like the one pictured (above right), just guess. You can always flip it later.

In my experience, sweet potatoes will mainly produce roots in water and shoots in the air. You can see this in the next photo. The sweet potato was kept horizontally, partially submerged in water. Shoots formed across the entire upper side.

Slips and roots growing on a sweet potato.
This sweet potato is growing slips over much of the surface

Steps

  • Place sweet potato vertically in jar, resting the cocktail forks on the lip of the jar. If the sweet potato has a tapered end, aim that end down into the water.
  • Fill jar with warm water to just below cocktail forks
  • Place jar indoors in indirect light with consistent warmth (70-85ยฐF or 21-29ยฐC).
  • Change water every few days.

Itโ€™s not unusual to see some growthโ€”little roots and/or buds that will become shootsโ€”within the first week.

First sign of roots growing from the base of a sweet potato.
Roots Day 5
New roots growing from the base of a sweet potato.
Roots Day 7

In 4 to 6 weeks you will likely have a few inches of roots and shoots (slips).


Pothos vine with lots of leaves.

Related: How to Grow Pothos From Cuttings


Potting Mix Method

Propagating sweet potatoes in moist potting mix in a container.
Sweet potatoes laying horizontally in moist potting mix

Supplies

  • Sweet potatoes | Make sure they are nice and firm, not mushy or dry. If they’re good enough to eat, they are good for propagation.
  • Potting Mix for Vegetables | Make sure it’s made for food crops.
  • Container | Choose a container that is wider than sweet potato is long and several inches deep โ€“ preferably with drainage holes. You can also use takeout food containers if you’re careful not to over-water. Sweet potatoes rot if left in standing water.
  • Large plastic food bag | Or, tall, clear humidity dome/lid (optional) โ€“ if humidity in the room is low (below 50%)
Propagating a sweet potato for new slips in potting mix.
Slips growing from sweet potatoes half buried in potting mix

Steps

  • Add 1 to 2 inches of moist potting mix to container. Moisture level is right if you can form a ball of potting mix that holds its shape but it’s not so damp that water drips out when squeezed.
  • Gently rinse the sweet potato under clean water, careful not to disturb any buds if there are any already.
  • Lay sweet potato on its side (horizontally) in the moist potting mix.
    Alternative method: slice the sweet potato lengthwise and plant each piece cut-side down.
  • Add additional moist potting mix until sweet potato is nearly or completely covered. Both ways work. I left it showing so you can see what’s happening in the photos.
  • Add lid or humidity dome or place everything in large plastic food bag with one end slightly open for air circulation. Itโ€™s best if the cover never touches the sweet potato or any new growth.
  • Place indoors in indirect light with consistent warmth (70-85ยฐF or 21-29ยฐC).
  • Check every other day and water potting mix if drying out.

It’s the warmth and contact with moisture that causes the sweet potato to start producing fine white roots and buds which will become shoots (slips). These usually start appearing within a week or two.

Sweet potato growing slip stems and leaves.
Sweet potatoes with slips growing (soil removed to show root growth)

In 4 to 6 weeks you will likely have a few inches of roots and shoots (slips). Itโ€™s also possible that your slips have already formed roots in the potting mix. If this is so, you can keep everything as-is until itโ€™s time to transplant outdoors or transplant the slips to small individual pots.

Why are crystals growing on my sweet potato leaves?

Sweet potatoes sometimes form calcium oxalate crystals on their leaves. If they form densely enough, the leaves and stem will gradually die off, presumably because it blocks photosynthesis.

Because it’s a metabolic condition and not a disease, it won’t spread from plant to plant, but you still don’t want it.

When I see it, I discard the entire sweet potato and start fresh.Calcium oxalate crystals on sweet potato leaf.


Avocado fruit and seed growing roots and a young avocado tree growing indoors.

Related: How to Grow an Avocado from Seed (Easy Method)


Step 2 – Root the Slips

Rooting sweet potato slips in water.
Rooting slips in jar of water
Growing sweet potato slips in small pots.
Slips rooted in potting mix

Rooting the Slips

Thereโ€™s no firm rule about how big or long the slips should be at rooting time.

I always seem to have some sweet potatoes that are slow growing while others send up shoots that are several feet long within weeks.

You have two options: root the slips in water or potting mix.

If your slips already have roots, you can skip this step and transplant directly outdoors if the timing is right.

Supplies

  • Sweet potato slips
  • Small pots with drainage holes (3 to 4-inch wide, one pot for each slip)

    or
  • Small water jars or a shallow pan of water
  • Potting mix

Steps

To root in potting mix:

  • Fill each pot with moist potting mix and gently press down to remove air pockets.
  • Gently pinch, cut, or twist off each slip right where it joins the sweet potato.
    If your slips already have roots, plant them carefully to avoid breakage.
  • Plant slip in pot with any roots below soil level and stems and leaves above soil level. Contact with the moist potting mix will cause root growth.
  • Place pots indoors in indirect light with consistent warmth (70-85ยฐF or 21-29ยฐC).
  • Water as needed, never allowing potting mix to dry out.

To root in jars:

  • Place lower stems in water. Any foliage must be above water.
  • Place jars indoors in indirect light with consistent warmth (70-85ยฐF or 21-29ยฐC).
  • Change water every few days.

Advanced tip: Sweet potato slips can produce roots at every leaf node. If you have long stems with lots of leaves, you can cut them into multiple slips.

  • Keeping track of the tip and base of the stem, make cuts between nodes. It’s good to have an inch of stem below the node and an inch or more above the node.
  • Each piece is now a new slip. Bury at node level with the base end in the potting mix. Roots and leaves will eventually form.

Apple, apple seeds, and apple tree seedlings.

Related: How to Grow An Apple Tree From Seed (Easy Tutorial)


Step 3 – Transplant the Slips

Sweet potato slip with roots growing from the stem.
Sweet potato slip with lots of roots

Transplanting Sweet Potato Slips Outdoors

If you started this process a few months before your average last frost, you should have rooted slips ready for transplanting outdoors by the time the risk of frost has passed.

While it’s nice to have at least an inch or more of established roots, if you got a late start, you can still transplant your slips directly outdoors or root them in pots outdoors.

It’s always smart to harden plants off first, allowing them to gradually adjust to outdoor conditions.

For growing the actual sweet potatoes, they can grow in-ground or in large, deep containersโ€”the larger the better. I like container growing because it deters the mice and voles and I can move things around as needed but it can also mean smaller yields.

Steps

  • Prepare your outdoor growing space and plant your slips.
    • Warmth, well-draining soil, and full sun are important.
    • Anticipate how much sweet potato vines can grow and sprawl. Like watermelons and pumpkins, they tend to head in the direction of the first sun of the day. 
  • If growing in-ground, space your plants 18-inches apart.
  • Water regularly until the plants are well-established with lots of new growth.

Harvest, Curing, & Storage

Harvesting sweet potatoes in the garden.
Newly harvested sweet potatoes in garden

Itโ€™s harvest time in early fall when the foliage starts to yellow or the risk of frost is coming. Either way, you need them out of the ground before soil temperatures dip below 50ยฐF or 10ยฐC.

Sweet potatoes require curing before eating or storage. This is done by placing the tubers in a warm room (85ยฐF or 29ยฐC is ideal) with high (90%) relative humidity for a week or two. During this time, the starches convert to sugars.

After curing, the skins have hardened and you can gently brush off any dirt and store them in a cool, dark location (55ยฐF or 12ยฐC is ideal) with high humidity (80-85%) for several months.

Most of us do not have ideal conditions, and simply do the best we can. If it works, it works.


Using lemon seeds to propagate new lemon trees.

Related: How to Grow Lemon Trees from Seed (& Other Citrus Fruits)


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to propagate sweet potatoes?

The best time to start indoor sweet potato propagation is two to three months before your average last frost in spring. This allows enough time for the sweet potato to create new slips which then need to produce roots before itโ€™s time to transplant them outside in the summer garden.

My sweet potatoes in storage produced slips. Can I grow them?

Yes, you can grow new sweet potato plants from slips that started in storage. When they are at least a few inches long, gently twist them off, and root them indoors in potting mix or water. When they have at least an inch of roots, transplant into the garden if the risk of frost has passed.

Is a sweet potato a potato?

No, common potatoes and sweet potatoes are different plants and not closely related. Both are edible root vegetables but come from different botanical families.

Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) belong to the Convolvulaceae family, also known as the bindweed or morning glory family.

Common potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) belong to the Solanales family, also known as the nightshade family.

Both belong to the Solanales order.

Are sweet potatoes and yams the same thing?

No, while the word โ€œyamโ€ is sometimes incorrectly used for โ€œsweet potatoโ€ they are not the same thing. Yam is the common name for several different plant species in the genus Dioscorea in the Diosoreaceae family. Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) belong to the Convolvulaceae family. For flavor, sweet potatoes are sweeter than yams.

Are the roots from ornamental sweet potato vines edible?

No, ornamental sweet potato vines do not have edible roots. They are cultivars bred for their lush, leafy vines and have small, unpleasant-tasting tuberous roots. Both edible sweet potatoes and sweet potato vines belong to the same species, Ipomoea batatas, but have different appearances and uses.

Resources

Find Your Frost Dates & Hardiness Zone

Plant Hardiness Zones | United States flag United States | Canadian flag Canada
These are listed on seed packets and plant tags to guide your choices.

Average Frost Dates | Use this calculator at Almanac.com. Enter your city and state or province to find your first and last frost dates and number of frost-free days.

Ecoregion | Learn about local native plants, animal species, and environmental conditions to make garden choices that benefit your ecosystem.

Learn More: Understanding Frosts & Freezing For Gardeners

Ebook

Kitchen Propagation Handbook ebook cover.

Kitchen Propagation Handbook
7 Fruits & Vegetables To Regrow As Houseplants

by Melissa J. Will

Learn how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.

About This Ebook | Visit Ebook Shop

This ebook is a digital file (PDF format) you save to your device. It is not a physical product.

Buy Now
$6 US

PayPal, Credit Card, Apple Pay

More Propagation Tips

  • How to Propagate Sweet Potato Vines
  • How to Grow a Peach (or Plum) Tree From the Pit
  • How to Winter Sow Seeds (Milk Jug Method)

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt โ™›

Sweet potato growing slip stems and leaves.
Print Instructions Pin It
5 from 1 vote

How to Propagate Sweet Potatoes

Step-by-step instructions for propagating sweet potatoes indoors. This method uses small containers and potting mix. The slips (stems and leaves) that grow can be transplanted outdoors as new plants.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Steps15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Makes: 6 slips
Author: Melissa J. Will
Cost: $10.00

Equipment

  • 1 Organic potting mix – suitable for food growing
  • 1 Wide container – drainage holes recommended
  • 1 Food bag or humidity dome – large, clear

Supplies & Materials

  • 1 Sweet potato

Instructions

  • Carefully rinse sweet potato in warm water.
  • Add 1 to 2 inches of moist potting mix to container.
  • Lay sweet potato on its side (horizontally) in moist potting mix.
  • Cover rest of sweet potato with moist potting mix.
  • Add humidity dome or place container in large, clear food bag.
  • Place indoors in indirect light with consistent warmth (70-85ยฐF or 21-29ยฐC).
  • Check every other day and water potting mix as needed.
  • When slips (new stems and leaves) are at least 2-inches long, gently twist them off the sweet potato to root them in water or potting mix. Once the slips have roots, they are ready for transplanting outdoors.

Notes

Timing: If you intend to plant your sweet potato slips in the garden to grow new sweet potatoes, it is recommended to start the propagation process 2 to 3 months before your average last frost in spring. This way, the slips should be ready for transplanting when the risk of frost has passed.ย 
There are many ways to propagate sweet potatoes for new slips and this is just one way.
See the article for propagating in a jar of water.
The potting mix moisture level is right if you can form a ball in your hand and it holds its shape but it’s not so damp that water drips out when squeezed.
The sweet potato should start showing signs of growth (roots and/or shoots) in the first 7 to 14 days.
Not all sweet potatoes will propagate. Some have been treated with growth retardants to prevent this from happening in storage or stores.
If you can, start several at once to ensure at least a few succeed.ย 
You can also continue growing the slips indoors as short-lived houseplants.ย 
Want More?Get your free Empress of Dirt Creative Newsletter
Propagating sweet potatoes in a container to grow new slips.
Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on Email

Free Newsletters

Signup for creative & frugal home and garden ideas!

This site is spam-free and you can unsubscribe anytime.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
More:ย Contact/About
New here? Dig in!ย  |ย  Our Podcast

Handy Resources

  • Year-at-a-Glance Garden Task List
  • Create Your Garden Profile
  • Soil-Mulch-Potting Mix Calculator
  • Garden Name Generator
  • Printable Garden Planner
  • Favorite Garden Quotes
  • Botanical Plant Names 101
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

Some articles on this site contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Affiliate and Ad Disclosure | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 ยท Empress of Dirt Creative + Frugal Home & Garden Ideas

Rate These Tips

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required