Sweet Potato (Beauregard)

📖 About This Plant

Sweet Potato (Beauregard) is the dominant commercial sweet potato variety in the United States, accounting for over 80% of US sweet potato production, which should tell you everything about its reliability and performance. Developed at Louisiana State University in 1981, Beauregard produces smooth-skinned, rose-copper-skinned roots with deep orange flesh that is moist, sweet, and richly flavored — the textbook sweet potato flavor profile that most Americans recognize. The vines are vigorous and spreading, covering bare ground quickly, and the plants are notably resistant to root-knot nematodes, a significant advantage in southeastern soils. Beauregard roots size up faster than most varieties, reaching marketable size in 90–100 days from transplanting slips — important in shorter growing zones.

📊 Quick Facts

📅 When to Plant in Your Area

🌱 Care Tips

Sweet potatoes are grown from slips — rooted stem cuttings — not from seeds or tubers. Purchase certified disease-free Beauregard slips from a reputable supplier, or start your own slips in late winter by placing a Beauregard sweet potato in a jar of water in a warm window until shoots emerge (8–10 weeks). Plant slips outdoors only after soil temperature reaches a minimum of 65°F — sweet potatoes planted in cold soil sulk and grow slowly, then catch up very little. Space slips 12–18 inches apart on raised ridges or mounded rows (8–10 inches high) to ensure the excellent drainage that sweet potatoes need. Apply a slow-release balanced fertilizer at planting; avoid excessive nitrogen after establishment, as it promotes vine growth at the expense of root development. Sweet potatoes largely take care of themselves once established — their vigorous vines suppress weeds and retain soil moisture. Harvest Beauregard in 90–100 days when the vine tips begin to yellow. After digging, cure roots at 85°F with high humidity for 10–14 days — this process heals skin nicks and converts starches to sugars, dramatically improving flavor and storage life. Cured sweet potatoes store for 6–8 months at 55–60°F.

🤝 Companion Plants

These plants grow well alongside Sweet Potato:

🌿 Related Vegetable

More vegetable that grow in similar conditions:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions