Can a Sweet Potato Plant Be Grown Indoors?

Sprouting Indoors

Sweet potatoes grow from the tuberous root system, or the potato part of the plant. Sprout the potato in a glass of water indoors to begin producing the long ornamental vine. Fill a glass one-half to two-thirds full with water. Insert toothpicks around the middle of the sweet potato tuber. Set the tuber in the glass with the narrow end submerged in the water. The sweet potato tuber will begin sending out roots within two weeks if provided with adequate light and warmth, and as long as the bottom remains in the water. It's ready to pot once it send up the first stems from the top of the tuber.

Although a sweet potato vine grows for a short time in a glass of water, it requires potting in soil if you want to keep it as an indoor houseplant. Use an 8- to 10-inch-diameter pot that has a drainage hole in the bottom. Any quality potting mix provides a sufficient soil for the plant. You must carefully transplant the tuber into the soil, taking care not to break the roots. Set the tuber so the top is 1 inch beneath the soil surface. If you prefer bushy growth, leave all the shoots in place at the top of the tuber. If you prefer a vine, remove all but the strongest shoot.

Sweet potato vines require full sunlight to grow and flower at their best. Set the pot in a sunny window in a warm room. The plant doesn't tolerate cold temperatures, so avoid locations near air vents or outdoor drafts during the winter months. You can also grow the sweet potato in a pot outdoors during the summer months, but you must bring it indoors before the first fall frost. Sweet potato vines also grow well in hanging baskets placed near a sunny indoor window. The vines will spill over the side of the basket as the plant grows.

Keep the soil moist, but avoid over-watering. Generally, the sweet potato vine requires irrigation when the top inch of soil begins to feel dry. Place a tray beneath the pot to catch the excess moisture that drains from the pot so it doesn't make a mess indoors. Empty the tray after each watering. The vines benefit from light fertilization once monthly in the spring and summer growing season. Use a water-soluble plant food formulated for flowering indoor plants. Trim back the tips of the vine by up to one-third of their length if they become too large.