How to Grow Sweet Potatoes in a Flowerbed

Spread a 1-inch layer of compost in the flower bed one week before planting. If you need to improve drainage, till the soil to a depth of 10 to 12 inches.

Use seedlings or transplants to start your flower garden. Wait to plant the seedlings until one month after the last frost of spring. Space the seedlings 12 inches apart. If you have enough room in your flower bed for multiple rows, space the sweet potato rows 36 inches apart. This will give the vines ample room to grow and flower.

Water the soil lightly after planting the seedlings. Keep the soil moist, but do not flood or saturate the flower bed.

Apply a 5-10-10 fertilizer to the soil two weeks after planting. Use 2 cups of fertilizer per 10-foot row of sweet potatoes.

Spread a 1-inch layer of mulch over the top of the fertilizer. Moisten the soil.

Lift the vines gently off of the ground periodically and check for any weeds that sprout in the area. Pull any weeds that you find immediately. Once the vines completely cover the ground, there is little chance of any weeds sprouting in the area.

Make an 18-inch circle around each plant with a garden digging fork, then pull up on the crown and scoop up each tuber with your hands to harvest the sweet potatoes. Most varieties will be ready to harvest between 95 and 110 days after planting.