Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie'

Sweet potatoes grow from slips - the shoots that sprout from the tuber. Slips can be bought, or can be grown from a tuber. If growing from a tuber, cut the tuber in half (crosswise),and place the cut face down in damp vermiculite, and place in a warm place, such as an airing cupboard, or propagator, and allow the sprouts to form. Remove the shoots (or slips) with a sharp knife when they are 2"-3" long., and pot them in to pots of cutting compost, and leave them to form roots in the greenhouse, or in a propagator.

When the slips have developed roots, harden them off gradually, and then plant them out in light, free-draining soil, by making holes 2"-3" deep and carefully placing the plant in the hole, with the leaves above the level of the soil, and carefully fill the hole over the roots, then firm in. Water well.The plants need heat of around 70 deg.F to thrive, so in cooler climates, grow them in the greenhouse.