Ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) are frost-tender vines with vibrant leaf which climbs or trails. The plants grow from a fleshy underground wax called a tuber. Sweet potato vines are hardy at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, and at these zones you can leave them at the ground all year. When overwintering sweet potato vines inside, it is possible to dig up the tubers and replant in the spring.
Sweet Potato Vine Tubers
Tubers are much like bulbs. Both are a fleshy area of the stem which grows and rises underground. Roots grow from the tuber to the soil along with the stem rises out the very top, above the soil line. The fleshy tuber stores nutrients, water and genetic material for your plant. Every growing season, the plant produces new tubers. A easy means to distribute sweet potato vine plants will be to split the tubers and replant them from the soil. Each section will grow a new plant.
Overwintering Tubers
In areas outside their plant hardiness zone, sweet potato vines can be grown as annuals. In winter, cut the foliage at the soil line and then dig the tubers from the ground. A garden fork or shovel work well for digging beneath the tubers but it’s critical to be certain not to damage the tubers when they will not store well. Brush of the dirt and they are ready to store. In areas within the climate variety, the tubers may be left at the bottom year round.
Storing Tubers
Store sweet potato vine tubers at a dry, insulating medium. Sand, peat moss or vermiculite work well. Gently clean the tubers to remove the majority of the soil. Avoid rubbing, washing or scraping your skin. Damaged skin allows decay to develop and may ruin the tubers. A bucket or barrel makes a good spot to put away sweet potato vine tubers for your winter. Make certain there’s enough of this packing medium so every one is insured rather than touching. Store the tubers in a cool, dry area for the winter.
Planting
Spring is the time to plant sweet potato vines. After removing the tubers from storage, then dip them into sections and plant them directly in the soil. Each department should have an “eye” on it. The eye is an indentation where a new shoot will grow. When planting sweet potato vines from tubers, make sure the eye is facing upwards. After covering each part with 1 inch of soil, keep the area moist and await new shoots over the next couple of weeks.