Marianne's Response

Potential issues with transplanting sweet potato vines from indoors to outdoors

A friend gave me some sweet potato vines which she took from a (house) plant she had, and rooted them by placing in water for a few weeks (propagating). They rooted just fine for me but each time I tried to plant the rooted slips in soil they all died. Last year it was directly in garden soil so this year I tried to start earlier in Miracle Grow soil in the house, then hoped to transplant the whole thing (root and soil) to the garden. I am also having a hard time getting them started in the house. What is the problem? Humidity? Soil? Water?

Posted by Jane Schaus on April 30, 2015

Marianne's Response

I am not sure what is going on. Perhaps you are trying to pot them up too soon before they have established roots. Also, sweet potato vines love warm soil and sunshine, and if you put them out too early when the nights are cool (below 50 degrees) they will pout and stop growing. Try keeping them indoors until mid-June when the nights are warmer. Write back and let us all know if that works. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti

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