How to Cut Sweet Potato Slips for Optimal Planting Success

How to Cut Sweet Potato Slips for Planting?

To cut sweet potato slips for planting, you have a few options.

One method is to grow your own slips by placing sweet potatoes in water for two weeks and then planting them deeply.

Another option is to let the slips grow on the potato until they are at least 12 inches long, and then cut them into sections of 2-3 leaves each.

Regardless of the method, it is important to remove the bottom-most leaves and dip the bottom 1/2 inch of the slip in rooting powder for faster rooting.

Once rooted, plant the slips in the garden after the last frost when the soil is warm.

Key Points:

  • Options for cutting sweet potato slips for planting include:
  • Growing your own slips in water for two weeks and then planting them
  • Cutting the slips from a mature potato when they are at least 12 inches long
  • Cut the slips into sections of 2-3 leaves each.
  • Remove the bottom-most leaves of the slip and dip the bottom 1/2 inch into rooting powder for faster rooting.
  • Wait until after the last frost and plant the rooted slips in the garden when the soil is warm.
  • Growing your own slips requires placing sweet potatoes in water for two weeks and then planting them deeply.
  • Cutting the slips from a mature potato means allowing them to grow until they are 12 inches long before cutting.


Did You Know?

1. Did you know that cutting sweet potato slips isn’t the only way to propagate these delicious tubers? Another lesser-known method is using the vine cuttings themselves to grow new plants. Simply cut a healthy, leaf-bearing section of the vine and place it in water until roots start to form, then transplant it to a pot or directly into the soil.

2. Sweet potato slips are incredibly resilient and can actually be grown in water alone. If you’re short on space, you can simply place a small sweet potato in a jar filled with water, making sure that only the lower third of the tuber is submerged. Within a few weeks, you’ll have a thriving vine that is ready for planting.

3. When planting sweet potatoes, it’s interesting to note that leaving the main stem uncut can lead to better growth. By avoiding cutting the main vine, the plant will develop multiple “shoots” or slips that will provide even more sweet potatoes during harvest time.

4. The shape and position of the sweet potato slip can actually affect its growth and yield. Ideally, you should cut the slips from the base of the sweet potato, as those tend to produce stronger and more vigorous plants. Additionally, selecting slips that have a slight curve in them often results in more robust tubers.

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5. Sweet potato slips have the unusual ability to grow their own roots. If you’re using store-bought sweet potatoes to cut slips, you might notice small roots forming on the slips’ nodes or leaf joints. This natural rooting process helps ensure a higher success rate when transplanting them into the ground or pots.

Obtaining Sweet Potato Slips

There are various methods to obtain sweet potato slips for planting.

  • The first option is to buy them locally from garden centers or through catalogs or online. Typically, these slips are available for around $1 per slip, and minimum orders are often 12 or 24 slips. This option provides convenience as well as the assurance of receiving healthy and certified slips from reputable sources.

  • Another method is to grow your own slips. This can be achieved by keeping sweet potatoes in water or rooting them in potting soil. However, it is important to note that the first method of keeping sweet potatoes in water tends to have lower slip productivity. On the other hand, the second method of rooting sweet potatoes in potting soil yields a modest 2-3 slips per potato but prevents the potatoes from rotting.

  • However, the most successful method, based on the author’s experience, is rooting sweet potatoes in water for two weeks and then planting them deeply. This method ensures the highest productivity and survival rate for slips, making it a preferred choice for many sweet potato growers.

Previous Experience With Slip Survival

In the author’s previous experience, they ordered 25 slips, but unfortunately, only 19 of them survived. This highlights the importance of careful handling and proper care for the slips to ensure their survival during the planting process. While some loss is to be expected, it is crucial to minimize it by providing optimal conditions for the slips to thrive.

Best Time For Planting Slips

For the author’s area, the best time to plant slips is at the end of May, with the slips typically being shipped just before Memorial Day. It is important to consider the local climate and frost dates to determine the appropriate timing for planting in different regions. By planting slips at the right time, growers give them the best chance of establishing strong roots and thriving throughout the growing season.

  • Plant slips at the end of May
  • Consider local climate and frost dates
  • Give slips the best chance to establish strong roots
  • Thrive throughout the growing season.

Selecting Quality Sweet Potatoes

When obtaining sweet potatoes for the purpose of growing slips, it is recommended to choose those without cracks, bruises, and black skin. These visible signs of damage can indicate potential problems or diseases that may affect the slips’ growth and overall health. By selecting high-quality sweet potatoes, growers can ensure that the resulting slips will have the best chance of developing into healthy plants.

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Sweet potatoes can often be found at farmer’s markets during the fall season. To store sweet potatoes for future use, it is advisable to place them on a shelf in an unheated basement. This storage method helps maintain the sweet potatoes’ freshness while preventing them from sprouting prematurely.

Rooting And Growing Slips

To initiate the rooting process, sweet potatoes should be placed in water up to their middle for approximately two weeks. It is important to note that the end attached to the main root is the portion that should be facing upwards during the rooting process. This ensures that the slips develop from the correct side of the sweet potato, maximizing their chances of successful growth.

During the rooting and slip-growing phase, it is essential to keep the sweet potatoes in a warm and humid area. However, slips can grow even at lower temperatures, although it may take longer. Maintaining optimal conditions for rooting and slip growth helps promote healthy development and better survival rates.

Once the sweet potatoes have several 1/4″ roots, they can be removed from the water and planted individually in slightly larger pots using commercial potting mix. This transplantation process provides more space for the slips to grow and allows for better root development.

Alternatively, slips can be left to grow on the potato until they reach a length of 12″ or more. A couple of weeks prior to planting in the garden, each long slip can be cut into sections of 2-3 leaves each. Removing the bottom-most leaves and dipping the bottom 1/2″ in rooting powder can expedite the rooting process. These prepared slips can then be inserted into deep, slender pots filled with potting mix.

Planting And Harvesting Slips

The rooted slips should be planted in the garden after the last frost when the soil is warm. Timing is crucial for successful planting, and in the author’s location of Poughkeepsie, NY, planting is typically done during the last week of May and early June. By observing the local climate and frost patterns, growers can determine the ideal timing for planting slips in their respective regions.

After removing the big slips for planting, the remaining slips on the sweet potatoes will continue to grow rapidly. Typically, the next batch of slips will be ready for harvesting in just 5-7 days. This continuous growth cycle allows growers to have a consistent supply of slips throughout the planting season, ensuring a productive and successful crop.

Note: The rooted slips should be planted after the last frost when the soil is warm.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the “mother” sweet potatoes, which were used to grow the slips, can be consumed after the slip-growing process is complete. This ensures that no part of the sweet potato is wasted and allows growers to enjoy the fruits of their labor in a delicious and sustainable manner.

  • Plant the rooted slips in the garden after the last frost when the soil is warm
  • The next batch of slips will be ready for harvesting in just 5-7 days
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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cut sweet potatoes for slips?

To cut sweet potatoes for slips, you have two options. First, you can remove a slip by grasping it at its base where it emerges from the potato and giving it a gentle twist. The second option is to allow the slips to grow on the potato until they reach a length of 12″ or more. When you’re a couple of weeks away from planting in the garden, cut each long slip into sections containing 2-3 leaves each, starting from the base. This will ensure that you have multiple slips ready to be planted.

How do you plant sweet potato slips in pots?

To plant sweet potato slips in pots, start by preparing a container mix enriched with compost, sand, and potash-rich fertilizer. Fill your pot with approximately four inches of soil, then carefully place the sweet potato slips on top. Gently cover the slips with about three more inches of soil to secure them in place. After planting, ensure to water the slips adequately for proper growth.

Will sweet potatoes grow from cuttings?

Yes, sweet potatoes can indeed be grown from cuttings, also known as slips. It can be a fascinating experience to grow your own slips from store-bought sweet potatoes. Typically, a single sweet potato will yield around three to five slips.

Do sweet potato slips grow in water or soil?

While the traditional method for growing sweet potato slips involves suspending the sweet potato in water, it is not the only option. Sweet potato slips can also be grown directly in soil. By planting the sweet potato in soil, you can expedite the process and reduce the waiting time to produce slips. Additionally, soil-grown slips can benefit from the natural nutrients present in the soil, leading to healthier and more robust growth. So, if you are short on time or prefer a quicker method, planting sweet potato slips directly in soil is a viable alternative to using water.

References: 1, 2, 3, 4

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