Organic Fertilizer to Grow Sweet Potato

Types

• Organic fertilizers are byproducts of living things. Composted leaves, bone meal and tree mulch are examples of organic fertilizers. A common form of organic fertilizer is animal manure, which is often used to fertilize sweet potatoes in commercial production. Many garden supply centers carry a selection of organic fertilizers. They vary in the amounts of nitrogen, phosphate and potash they contain; labels on organic fertilizers are standardized so that the concentration of these nutrients always appear in the same order.

Advantages

• One of the main advantages of fertilizing sweet potatoes with organic fertilizer is the introduction of organic matter into the soil, which greatly improves its quality, particularly its ability to drain easily while retaining nutrients. Sweet potatoes thrive in a fertile, well-drained, loamy soil. Other advantages include the slow release of nutrients over a longer period of time as the organic materials break down, easy availability and low cost.

Nutrient Requirements

• Test the soil where you will plant your sweet potato crop to determine nutrient needs. Contact your local county extension office for information regarding soil test samples and analyses. While sweet potatoes require high amounts of phosphorus and potassium, they need only small amounts of nitrogen. Too much nitrogen can result in excessive vine growth and distorted tubers. In the absence of a soil test, Purdue University suggests a fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 applied at a rate of 3 pounds per 100 square feet.

Applying

• You can apply organic fertilizer by hand by digging it into soil, or mechanically, using a fertilizer spreader. Purdue University suggests applying half the fertilizer to the soil 10 to 14 days before planting, either directly under the raised ridge sweet potatoes will planted in or a few inches to either side of it, and the second half as a side-dressing once new growth has commenced.