Winterizing A Sweet Potato Vine Overwintering Ornamental Sweet Potatoes

To overwinter the tubers, cut the vines to ground level, then dig them up before the first frost in autumn. Dig carefully and be careful not to slice into the tubers. Brush the soil lightly off the tubers, then store them, not touching, in a cardboard box filled with peat moss, sand or vermiculite.

How do you store ornamental sweet potato tubers?
Can you bring sweet potato vine in for winter?
How do you care for ornamental sweet potato vines?
Does sweet potato vine come back every year?
What temperature can sweet potato vines tolerate?
How cold can sweet potato vines tolerate?
How long does a sweet potato vine last?
Does sweet potato vine spread?
How do I make my sweet potato vine bushy?
Should sweet potato vines be cut back?
How do you prune ornamental sweet potato vines?
Is ornamental sweet potato vine poisonous to dogs?

How do you store ornamental sweet potato tubers?

The tubers must be kept lightly moist or they dry up and will not sprout again. Remove tubers from the container and separate them away from each other. Take off any greenery that still remains. Pack the tubers in some well moistened peat moss or newspaper and place in a cool, dark place.

Can you bring sweet potato vine in for winter?

To store sweet potato vine tubers over winter, allow the plant to be exposed to cold or frost to trigger dormancy. Don't allow it to freeze though, or it could damage the tuber. Then you can just leave the tubers in the pots, or you can dig them up and store them in boxes for the winter.

How do you care for ornamental sweet potato vines?

The plant grows best in moist, well-drained soil; if the ground stays too wet for too long, sweet potato vine may rot and die. If you grow it in containers, be sure the pots have drainage to allow excess water to escape.

Does sweet potato vine come back every year?

A Warm Season Annual

To grow a sweet potato vine as an annual, allow it to die back in the winter and then replant in the spring after the last frost date. If you prefer to save the tubers for replanting next season, cut back the stems at the soil line in the fall and dig up the roots.

What temperature can sweet potato vines tolerate?

Plant ornamental sweet potato vines in a garden bed once the nighttime temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring. The vines can be planted year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8b through 11 where the temperatures remain above 70 degrees throughout the year.

How cold can sweet potato vines tolerate?

Just a few days of temperatures near 40 degrees Fahrenheit is too chilly for sweet potato vines and can kill them. That's why it's important not to plant sweet potato vines outdoors until the soil is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

How long does a sweet potato vine last?

The garden and ornamental varieties are stored in the same way. Cured for five to 10 days at 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 to 90 percent humidity, and then stored at 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight weeks prepares the roots for long term storage.

Does sweet potato vine spread?

Ipomoea batatas 'Illusion'

Smaller growing and a bit less vigorous than other varietals, these sweet potato vines are described as having a thread-leaf foliage and are more mounding than other types. They spread about 3 feet.

How do I make my sweet potato vine bushy?

Cut back vine tips that have exceeded their boundaries. Make cuts roughly 1/4 inch above leaf nodes to encourage new growth. Prune off broken or sickly vines. The more of the vine that is pruned off, the more aggressively the plant will try to regrow.

Should sweet potato vines be cut back?

The vines of sweet potatoes tend to ramble far and wide, which is why many home gardeners don't raise them. If vines are wandering out of bounds, try turning them back into the vegetable garden. It's best not to trim vines; they help feed the potatoes.

How do you prune ornamental sweet potato vines?

To trim specific areas, use a pair of shearing scissors and cut stems back to around a quarter inch from the node. This will encourage new growth. The sweet potato vine responds effectively to pruning, growing with some force in areas it has been cut back.

Is ornamental sweet potato vine poisonous to dogs?

Symptoms of Sweet Potato Vine Poisoning in Dogs. Sweet potato vine is known for its toxic ingredients, with similar characteristics to LSD. Ingestion of the vine may have a poisonous effect on dogs. The vines are highly toxic and can adversely affect the kidneys, brain, heart or liver.