How to Grow White Sweet Potatoes at Home

Plan your growing process around early April to May, depending on the outside temperatures. For optimum growth, the temperature should be at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut a sweet potato runner, or "slip," from a current sweet potato plant and make sure it's at least a foot long. If you're purchasing a runner, buy it from a reputable gardening supplier that certifies its runners to be free of diseases. Remove the leaves from the runner, except for the small leaves at the tip.

Place the runner in a hotbed. Cover it with at least 2 inches of light soil, then another inch of light sand after the shoots begin to pop up. Continually water the hotbed during the sprouting period, but make sure there's no standing water. Keep the soil at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit through the sprouting period. Remove the sprouted plants in six weeks or when they've become 6 to 8 inches long.

Plant the sprouted runner in a wide, raised ridge that's at least 8 inches high. Keep multiple ridges 3 to 4 feet apart to allow space for sweet potato plants to grow. Keep plants 12 to 18 inches apart for the best growth potential. Cover the ridge with black plastic mulch to speed up the plants' growth.

Water your sweet potato plants to keep the soil from drying out completely, but don't waterlog the soil. Your plants require little maintenance during the cultivation period; however, check your sweet potato ridges for weeds. Do not water your sweet potato plants three to four weeks before harvesting, which will protect the roots.

Harvest sweet potatoes during the first frost in fall for the best results.