How to Grow Edible Sweet Potatoes in Containers

Choose a planting container that is at least 12 inches in depth and 15 inches in diameter. If it doesn't contain holes in the bottom for drainage, create them with a drill.

Fill the container with a light, porous potting mix in which to grow the sweet potato. Make your own by combining 4 parts of sphagnum peat moss and coarse perlite with 1 part of vermiculite. Throw in 1 tbsp. of ground dolomite limestone and mix the ingredients well.

Install the support structure for the vine, if you will be using one. A cage or teepee type structure works well or you can allow the vines to trail over the side.

Remove the sweet potato slip from the nursery pot. Dig a planting hole in the center of the soil that will allow the sweet potato slip to be buried up to within 1 inch of the bottom set of leaves. Press the soil around the slip.

Create a solution of 1 tbsp. 15-30-15 fertilizer in 1 gallon of water. Pour it over the sweet potato plant immediately after planting.

Water the sweet potato until the soil is completely soaked and excess water runs from the bottom of the pot. If there is no rain, water every day for the first week after planting. Water every other day during the second week and in the third week decrease the frequency to every three days. Keep decreasing the frequency of watering over subsequent weeks until you are watering once a week. Stop watering the sweet potato three weeks before harvest.

Fertilize the sweet potato with a water soluble formula when the plant produces vines. Use a 10-10-10 analysis at the rate of 1/2 tbsp. per gallon of soil. Water after fertilizing the plant.