You can propagate sweet potatoes by cutting them lengthwise, placing them in moist soil, and waiting for shoots to grow. You can also grow sweet potatoes from slips, which are small rooted pieces of the vine.
From a whole potato
- Wash the potato
- Cut the potato in half lengthwise
- Place the cut side down in a tray of moist potting mix or sand
- Cover with more mix
- Place in a warm, sunny location
- Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet
- After about a month, break off shoots that are 5–6 inches long
- Place the shoots in water in a sunny location until you’re ready to plant
From slips
- Break off a slip from a sweet potato vine
- Place the slip in a container of water with the pointed end down
- Keep the top 1/3 of the potato exposed by placing toothpicks into the sides
- In a few weeks, a vine with several stems will begin to sprout