Sasha CampbellSweet potato plants are easy to grow and can be a great addition to any home garden.
But the plants growing near them can also affect how well they grow. Choosing the right companions can help you use your garden space wisely.
Today, we’ll share tips for choosing the best companion plants for your sweet potato patch.
Good Companion Plants for Sweet Potatoes
Growing this crop is a great way to get a steady supply of delicious, nutritious treats.
Choosing the right plants to grow near sweet potatoes can help you use garden space wisely. Some plants may also attract helpful insects or help reduce certain pest problems.
So what should you plant alongside your sweet potatoes? Here’s a list of vegetables, flowers, and herbs that may be useful to grow near sweet potatoes:
- Garlic
- Yarrow
- Beans
- Onions
- Summer Savory
- Chives
- Parsnips
- Marigolds
- Sweet Alyssum
- Thyme
- Corn
- Dill
- Carrots
- Turnips
- Beets
- Spinach
- Basil
- Nasturtium
- Radishes
- Oregano
Bad Companion Plants for Sweet Potatoes
Some plants may be bad companions for sweet potatoes because they grow large, spread widely, or cast too much shade. They can compete with sweet potato vines for space, sunlight, water, and nutrients.
Large, spreading plants such as pumpkins, cantaloupes, gourds, watermelons, and squash may compete with sweet potatoes for space. Tall plants, such as sunflowers, may also create too much shade.
- Pumpkins
- Cantaloupes
- Sunflowers
- Gourds
- Watermelons
- Squash
How to Grow Sweet Potatoes
When planting sweet potatoes, choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil.
Sweet potatoes are usually grown from slips rather than seeds. A slip is a young shoot that grows from a mature sweet potato.
Sweet potatoes grow best in loose, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. A pH of about 5.5 to 6.5 is generally suitable [1].
Watering
Give sweet potatoes about 1 inch of water per week when rainfall is low.
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially while the plants are becoming established. Avoid keeping the soil soggy.
Mulching with organic materials, such as straw, can also help conserve soil moisture.
Fertilizer
Sweet potatoes need nutrients to grow well. They use nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but too much nitrogen can lead to lots of leafy vines and fewer or smaller sweet potatoes.
Potassium is especially important for healthy root growth.
Before adding fertilizer, consider testing your soil. A soil test can tell you which nutrients your garden needs.
Avoid adding large amounts of fertilizer unless your soil needs it. Too much fertilizer can harm plants and waste money.
Garden Pests
Sweet potatoes can attract several garden pests.
Common sweet potato pests include sweet potato weevils, wireworms, white grubs, rootworms, caterpillars, and some beetles. The pests you see may depend on where you live.
Each pest feeds differently, so learning how they behave can help you protect your plants.
Plant Diseases
Common diseases that can affect sweet potatoes include black rot, Fusarium wilt, soil rot, sweet potato scurf, bacterial soft rot, and viral diseases [2].
Use disease-free slips, avoid damaging the roots, remove badly diseased plants, and rotate crops when possible. Use a suitable treatment only when needed, and always follow the product label.
Harvesting
Sweet potatoes are often ready to harvest about three to four months after planting, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Yellowing leaves can be a sign that harvest time is near, but they are not the only sign to look for.
Use a garden fork or spade to loosen the soil around the roots. Then, carefully lift out the sweet potatoes, taking care not to bruise them.
Gently brush off loose dirt, but do not wash them before storing. Handle them carefully, as cuts and bruises can lead to spoilage.
If you plan to store them for a long time, cure them first.
How to Cure and Store Sweet Potatoes
After harvesting, cure sweet potatoes in a warm, humid place with good air movement for about 7 to 14 days. Curing helps heal small cuts and can improve their flavor and storage life.
After curing, store them in a cool, dark, dry place. Do not put them in the refrigerator. Cold temperatures can affect their texture and flavor.
Do not wash sweet potatoes before storing them. Extra moisture can encourage rot. Instead, gently brush off loose dirt.
Store them in a well-ventilated container and check them regularly. Remove any soft or rotting sweet potatoes.
With proper curing and storage, sweet potatoes can stay fresh for several months.
Where to Buy Companion Plant Seeds
Sweet potatoes are usually grown from slips rather than seeds. However, you can grow many of their companion plants from seeds.
Online seed stores such as SeedsNow and Seed Needs sell seeds for many vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
Always check the seed packet for planting instructions, spacing, and the expected germination time.
Takeaway
When it comes to companion planting, sweet potatoes are not a one-size-fits-all crop. While some plants may be useful near sweet potatoes, others may compete for space, sunlight, water, and nutrients.
So, when choosing a sweet potato neighbor, consider its size, the space it needs, the shade it creates, and whether it may attract helpful insects.
Crop rotation can also help reduce the buildup of some pests and diseases in the soil. Avoid planting the same crop in the same spot year after year when possible.
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