Starting Sweet Potato Slips – A Tutorial

In order to have sweet potato slips ready to plant when the soil is warmed up, you need to start your sweet potatoes 7-8 weeks before your average last frost date.  I still have sweet potatoes from last year’s garden, so I chose one of those to use.  If you don’t have any, you could use some from the grocery store, but you need to make sure the variety will grow in your climate.   I chose the J shaped one there in the front.  It looks like it would be hard to wrap foil around to bake.

You are going to put them into a flat tub or pan.  I use an inexpensive aluminum pan from the Dollar Store.  Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side down into the tub.

Pour dirt over the top, but make sure you leave the very tops of the sweet potatoes exposed.  Water to moisten the soil.

Put the whole thing into a large plastic bag and put in a warm place.  I put it on top of the refrigerator.  You need to check them regularly.  After the sweet potatoes sprout, you will remove the plastic bag and put the sweet potatoes in a sunny place or under grow lights.