Overwintering sweet potato vine is easy, and a great way to save your favorites year after year.
In this post, I will show you three different methods for keeping sweet potato vines over winter.
Ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) are gorgeous, and extremely popular decorative filler plants for annual gardens and summer containers.
But they don’t tolerate the cold, are not hardy in freezing climates. So if I left them in the ground here in MN, they would not survive the winter.
But it’s expensive to buy new ones every spring (I don’t understand why they’re so expensive!). So, since it’s very easy, I make sure to overwinter my sweet potato vine every year to save myself some cash come spring.
It does take some work, but it’s worth the effort to save these gorgeous plants. Below I’ll show you three different methods for how to do it.
Sweet Potato Vine Cold Tolerance
Though they are commonly sold as an annual bedding plants in the spring, ornamental sweet potato vines, or Ipomoea batatas, are actually tender perennials.
They’re fairly cold tolerant, and can survive the winter in milder climates of zones 9 and higher, where it only gets below freezing for a short time.
However, if you live in a cold climate like I do, sweet potato vines will not survive the winter if left outdoors. So we must overwinter them indoors.
Related Post: How To Overwinter Plants: The Complete Guide
3 Methods For Overwintering Sweet Potato Vines
There are three methods you could try for overwintering sweet potato vines. These methods will work for all varieties.
So whether you have the common chartreuse variety, variegated, purple, or some other hybrid, you can follow these same steps.
- Potted sweet potato vines can be brought indoors and kept as houseplants.
- They can be allowed to go dormant, and you can store the tubers.
- You can take cuttings, and bring those indoors for the winter.
How To Overwinter Sweet Potato Vine Indoors
Below I will discuss the three methods in more detail. If you’ve never tried overwintering sweet potato vines before, I encourage you to try each of these to see which one works best for you.
Some people find one technique easier than the others, so it’s a good idea to experiment to find your favorite.
1. Keeping Sweet Potato Vine As A Houseplant
One popular method for overwintering sweet potato vines is to bring the whole thing indoors and keep it as a houseplant.
If yours is too big for your home, you can prune it down to a manageable size before bringing it indoors.
Just keep in mind that, since it is used to being outside, it may go into shock after you bring it inside.
You may notice that it looks droopy, and it might even drop a few leaves when you first move it indoors.
But don’t worry, it should recover within a few days once it gets used to its new environment.
2. Storing Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Tubers
Just like the edible varieties, ornamental sweet potato vines also form large tubers (aka: bulbs or potatoes) under the soil.
Those tubers can be packed in a box filled with with peat moss or coco coir and stored for the winter, just like you would do with other tropical bulbs.
This is the best method to use if you don’t want to worry about caring for plants or cuttings indoors, you don’t have the space for them, or if the foliage was damaged or killed by frost before you could get it inside.
To trigger dormancy, allow the plant to be exposed to cold temperatures in the fall, or even touched by a light frost. Don’t let it freeze though, or the tuber may not store well.
Then you can just cut off the dead foliage, and leave the tubers in the pot. Or you can dig them up and store them in a box for the winter.
Either way, keep them in a dry, dark, above freezing location until spring. Get step-by-step instructions for how to overwinter bulbs and tubers here.
3. Overwintering Sweet Potato Vine Cuttings Indoors
My preferred method of overwintering sweet potato vines is to take cuttings in the fall. They root easily in water, and can be kept inside all winter.
This way, I can just discard the main plant, and I don’t have to bother bringing the whole thing indoors.
Check the water periodically to make sure it’s not slimy or evaporating too quickly. Keep it above the roots at all times so they never dry out.
If the water becomes slimy, dump it out and wash the vase with soap and water. Rinse the roots in lukewarm water before placing them back into the vase.
Otherwise pot them up into a container once the roots have formed. You can just use a general purpose soil for potting them. Learn how to take cuttings and propagate them here.
Bringing Sweet Potato Vines Indoors For Winter
Whichever overwintering technique you choose to try, it’s extremely important to bring your sweet potato vine inside at the right time. Follow these tips for the best results.
When To Bring Sweet Potato Vine Inside
If you want to try to save either live plants or cuttings over winter, then you should definitely bring them inside before it gets below 60°F outside.
This is usually several weeks before your first frost date in the fall.
Otherwise, cold weather will trigger the plant to start going dormant, and it may not survive after bringing it in.
But if you plan to store the tubers, you can leave it outside until the foliage dies back on its own. However, in order for the bulbs to survive in storage, you must protect them from freezing.
How To Bring Sweet Potato Vine In For Winter
If want to try overwintering sweet potato vines as houseplants or cuttings, then you should definitely debug them before bringing them indoors.
You can use the same method for the cuttings, or you can just wash them in a sink instead. Soaking them for 10-15 minutes will drown any insects that are on the leaves.
I like to add a squirt of mild liquid soap to the water to kill the bugs faster. Then simply rinse the cuttings off before putting them into the vase.
Once you have them inside, choose a sunny spot where you can keep them until spring. There’s no need to debug them if you’re storing only the tubers, and those should be kept in a cool dark location.
Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine Winter Care Tips
Caring for sweet potato vine plants indoors is a bit more difficult than it is outdoors – especially during the winter.
The three most important things you’ll need to worry about are light, watering, and pest control. Below are my tips for keeping them alive and healthy through the winter.
You can learn all about how to care for sweet potato vines here, but below are my tips for getting them through the winter indoors.
Light Requirements
Sweet potato vines do best in a sunny window, but they also tolerate lower light conditions. The cuttings should be placed in a spot that gets bright, indirect light rather than in full sun.
If you notice it’s becoming leggy and reaching for window, then add a grow light. You can plug it into an outlet timer to ensure it’s getting enough light throughout the day.
Watering In Winter
Established sweet potato vines don’t require a lot of water during the winter months. It’s best to keep the soil on the dry side so that you don’t accidentally overwater.
However, if you let them dry out too much, then it will trigger dormancy, and the foliage will start to die back. So, keep the soil slightly moist, allowing the top inch or so to dry out between waterings.
If this is a struggle for you, I recommend getting an inexpensive soil moisture gauge to help you get it perfect every time.
Controlling Bugs
In my experience, one of the biggest challenges of overwintering sweet potato vine plants or cuttings indoors is dealing with bugs.
Whiteflies and spider mites love the leaves, and the soil can become infested with fungus gnats. If you discover any of these pests, it’s best to act quickly to get rid of them.
Wash the leaves with organic insecticidal soap, or mix your own using 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap per 1 liter of water.
Neem oil is an organic product that also works great to kill bugs, and prevents future infestations.
Moving Sweet Potato Vine Back Outside In Spring
After overwintering sweet potato vine indoors, you’re likely to be anxious to move it back outside once it starts getting warmer in the spring. But you must do it at the right time in order for them to survive. So follow these tips.
When To Move The Live Plants Back Outside
Since they cannot tolerate the cold, wait to move live plants and cuttings back outside until after your last frost date in the spring. To be safe, I recommend waiting until nighttime temps are above 60°F.
If there’s a late frost in the forecast, move them into a garage or back inside the house to protect them. Don’t try covering them, or they may not survive.
When To Plant The Dormant Tubers
You can pot up stored tubers 6-8 weeks before your last frost date if you want to start them early indoors.
Otherwise, wait until the soil in your garden has warmed to 60°F. You can use a soil thermometer to check it.
If you want to try breaking their dormancy faster, soak them in warm water or a compost tea solution overnight before planting them.
Move potted tubers to a bright room 6-8 weeks before you can put them outside. Give it a good drink of water, and allow the extra to drain completely from the pot.
You can also try putting them on a heat mat to help wake them up faster.
How To Move It Back Outside
Since your sweet potato vine is used to living a protected life indoors, you’ll need to properly acclimate them back to living outside again.
The light indoors is much less intense than the sun outside. So if you put them into the full sun straight away, they will likely get sunburn.
So place it in a shady spot for a couple of weeks, and slowly move it to the sun so it can adapt.
If the leaves begin to scorch, move it back to the shade for a few more days. Soon you’ll be able to put it in its full sun location.
Overwintering Sweet Potato Vine FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about overwintering sweet potato vine. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, ask about it in the comments below.
Do ornamental sweet potato vines come back every year?
Ornamental sweet potato vines will come back every year if you live in a warm enough climate (zones 9+). However, they will not survive outside through the winter in colder climates.
How do you store sweet potato vine tubers for the winter?
To store sweet potato vine tubers for winter, carefully dig them up so you don’t accidentally damage them. Then remove all of the leaves and stems and let them cure (dry out) for a day or so. Pack them in a box so they aren’t touching, fill it with peat moss or coco coir, and store it in a cool, dry location until spring.
How long can you store sweet potato vine tubers?
You can store sweet potato vine tubers for 6-8 months, if done properly. However, don’t try to store them much longer than that. It’s best to plant them every year, otherwise they will eventually dry out and die.
Will sweet potato vines survive winter outside?
Sweet potato vines will survive the winter outside if you live in zones 9 or higher. For harsher climates, they must be brought indoors in order to survive.
How much cold can sweet potato vines tolerate?
Sweet potato vines can’t tolerate very much cold, they will start to die back once them temperatures get consistently below 60°F. However, the tubers in the ground are hardier, and can tolerate brief periods of below freezing temps.
What is the lowest temperature sweet potato vine can tolerate?
The lowest temperature sweet potato vine can tolerate is 15°F, but only for a very brief period of time. The plant will die back once it gets below freezing, however the tubers can still survive underground.
Overwintering sweet potato vines takes a bit of work. But now that you know how to save them, you can experiment with the three methods to find the one that’s easiest for you. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to keep them year after year, and save yourself some cash!
If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!
More Posts About Overwintering Plants
- How To Overwinter Coleus Plants Indoors
- Winter Care Of Caladium Bulbs
- How To Overwinter Pepper Plants Indoors
- How To Overwinter Tropical Hibiscus Plants Indoors
- Overwintering & Storing Canna Lily Bulbs – The Complete Guide
- How To Overwinter Brugmansia Plants Indoors
Share your tips or your favorite method for overwintering sweet potato vines in the comments below.
Peggie Laws says
I grew a variegated pink in a window box this summer. I dug it up yesterday and found two tubers. Should I cut these off the roots? Can I cut these next spring like a regular potatoe? Wish me luck. Sunshine will be scarce for many months!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you can overwinter sweet potato vine tubers. Here’s a post that has detailed information about overwinter tender bulbs and tubers… Overwintering Tender Bulbs If they are small, I wouldn’t cut them up before planting. Just plant the whole tuber in the spring.
Joyce Cotner says
I often put some of the vine in water with cut flowers because it’s so pretty trailing down the side of an arrangement. I noticed that it was rooting, so I cut several bundles at the end of the season. I put them in different containers of water and in different areas of the house with different light sources. It was successful for several years. Then one year the pests won. But I’m currently starting the process again.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, what a fun surprise! Yes, houseplant bugs love this one, and they can be hard to get rid of. Good luck on overwintering your new batch of sweet potato vine cuttings! 🙂
kathy wallen says
Thanks Amy, I took cuttings of sweet potato vine last year. All went well until about Feb when became diseased and died. I will soak them this year and hope that solves it.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh bummer, sorry to hear your sweet potato vine cuttings didn’t make it through the winter! I’m willing to bet they became infested with spider mites or some other bug that killed them. You could also try potting them up into potting soil after the roots grow, and see if they do better for you that way. Good luck!
Christine says
Going outside tomorrow to get some clippings here in Atlanta. Never thought about rooting them because they are not expensive here, but I am going to try it this year.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m not sure why they’re so expensive to buy here. But, since sweet potato vine cuttings are so easy to overwinter, I don’t have to worry about buying new plants every spring. LOL! Plus, it’s hard for me to watch them die when frost comes in the fall. So, I can’t resist taking some cuttings inside. 🙂
Ellen says
It’s been 2 weeks since I clipped my harvested potato vines and they are rooting really nice. Plus the sweet potatoes I am curing now had grown some really small slips so I pulled those off also and put them in water and they seem to be doing really well. So I am set for the next planting next week or week after. I am trying to cure the last batch I picked which was 38 lbs. Not bad for a first try. But it’s hard not to start eating them before they are fully cured. They just need a little brown sugar since all the sugars aren’t set in yet. They are still delicious without all the waiting.
Ellen says
I planted 15 slips I got from 1 organic sweet potato. I got a great crop of sweet potatoes and I also had a lot of very good tasting vines. They’re like eating spinach when cooked. Now I learn that I can also cut the vines and reroot those and get more plants to start all over again and here in Florida we have 2 seasons. So from this $1.00 potato, we will get lots of good tasting food. Thanks for the tip to reboot the vines.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Now that is a fantastic return on your investment! LOL. Sweet potato vines are so easy to grow and propagate. You’ll probably never need to buy seed potatoes again.
Tony Krenning says
Very informative post! I currently have ‘Blackie’ growing in some hanging baskets and planters. It makes a beautiful spiller, and the occasional bloom is always welcome! I will definately try overwintering cuttings after reading this, thanks for the info!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks! Great, I hope they will grow awesome for you through the winter!
Laura Moore says
Okay so this is my first year with sweet potatoes and I was wondering how do I know when to crop out the potatoes when they are ready
Amy Andrychowicz says
Once the vines die down is the first sign, but be sure to harvest them before a hard frost (regardless if the leaves have died back on their own or not).
carolyn g wilkinson says
my name is Carolyn Wilkinson, I saw this sweet potato vine in Va Beach, Va went me and my husband were riding. I first saw it I fell in love with it. I searched every where for this flower vine. I found it at the MCDONLD’s flower shop in Hampton Va. and I planted in my flower box u should see it now. I did bring some in the house and put it in water. some of it died. I put the rest back outside in the flower box. you should it now getting very large. I think I’ll try it a again for next year.now that I have read this ad. thank you.
carolyn g wilkinson says
oh yes I will. LOVE them they are so pretty. even the church around corner have them all over the place. they have to cut them so often because they grow in bushes.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I love them too, they are so beautiful! You’re welcome.
dorothy says
We live in zone 5. Two years ago I bought one sweet potato at a store that sell organic food..asked for one that had not been sprayed with something to inhibit sprouting..I put large tooth picks in the middle on two sides and sat it in a bottle of water..after it grew several sprouts I cut the sprouts off and put them in water to roots..we planted the sprouts when the ground warmed in the spring and had a good crop of potatoes..We had some to freeze. I saved several end of the vines and rooted them, planted them this year, and tomorrow will see if I have another crop..all from one sweet potato for $1 two years ago. This may keep going for years….such fun. Remember that they do like a warm window to sprout and warm weather to grow.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, that’s fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing your story about how you save sweet potato vines over winter every year! It is so much fun, I love growing them too! I hope you’ll dig up a great crop this year too!
Christine says
Great series of article about rooting plants. I done this in past with other house plants.
I currently have an avocado seed that is growing roots and leaves. How do I plant the long roots into a pot?
My other question is about placing a sweet potato in water. My Mother did this and she had a leafy plant. I do not recall how she did this. Any suggestions? And the resulting growth, would I be able to plant it outside?
Thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks! You can trim the roots of the avocado a bit if they are super long, or use a larger pot.
I’ve never tried rooting a sweet potato in water. But I have seen people use a special vase or prop it up using skewers or toothpicks so the sweet potato is suspended just above the water (not touching the water). You could plant it outside once it roots, just keep in mind that the foliage will probably burn in the sun at first. To avoid that, you could plant it into a pot first, then put it outside in the shade and slowly move it into the sun over several days.
Suzy Godfrey says
Wow! never heard about doing this! I’ll be pinning.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, thanks!
Tina Ellen Hart says
I loved this article and am struggling here in the UK to grow the slips, I think i will have to buy some from a specialist which will be expensive. My question is do you eat the leaves of your sweet potatoes, I was wondering if you could use the as salad over winter which would keep the vines short
Amy Andrychowicz says
I don’t know if the leaves are edible or not. I have heard that the “potato” is edible, but I don’t think it tastes very good (I’ve never tried it, and you should definitely verify that before trying it)… that’s why it’s just used as a decorative vine.
Anne Brown says
Sweet potato leaves from edible potatoes can be eaten. Saute like spinach. Not sure about ornamental leaves. You might have to find a local botanical garden or government extension service to confirm for you.
Brother Placidus says
I tried overwintering four cuttings of the vine, two “Marguerite” and two “Blackie.” They all did fine for most of the winter, except for one that a friend managed to kill pretty quickly. However, transitioning back outside even very slowly seemed to do in the “Blackie” cuttings. They just dried out despite waterings and shriveled, never to be seen again. I had one of the “Marguerite” survive and has been transplanted outside. It’s been a slow process, but at least it’s free for next year.
One thing I’ve tried to find info on online and never could find an exact answer… can the vine be grown from the tubers the next year? Can they be chitted like a regular sweet potato?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sorry to hear your cuttings had a hard time with the transition back outside. I would recommend potting them up and allowing them to adjust to living in soil before moving them outdoors. Also, make sure to transition them slowly back to being in the sun outside. Going straight from growing indoors all winter to full sun can burn their leaves and end up killing them. Yes, you can overwinter sweet potato vine tubers and grow them again next year.
Ron Mitchell says
Afternoon Amy…….I grow edible sweet potatoes and get slips from the tubers to plant out into the spring garden. Early March I take one of my tubers from the previous year (one that is sprouting) and break off the slips, placing them into a vase with water. Roots develop fairly quickly and when frost is past, I put it out into the garden in late May, straight from the vase. Naturally I have heated up the soil using a plastic cover. I cut a hole and plant away. Could I use your method instead, bringing in part of the vine now? I don’t think edibles/ornamentals are that much different?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’ve never tried it myself, but I’ve heard of lots of people who grow edible sweet potato vines in the same way so I think it would work.
Janet says
I found this extremely useful. I am about to attempt overwintering my first sweet potato vine this year. Here goes, fingers crossed.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh great, glad to hear it!! Fingers crossed that your sweet potato vine will thrive through the winter – good luck!
Jane Mitchell says
Hi, I’m in California and the weather is so much more forgiving here. There must be lots of different kinds of Sweet Potato vines. I put a sweet potato with an eye on top of any flower pot and get a beautiful Purple vine… so abundant and any piece that falls off roots easily in a pot. I see the pretty green vine you have in the plant stores…but since cheap is important, I just use the potato. One potato can make over 20 plants, just use one eye per pot. I love your newsletter, keep up the good work!! Jane in California
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow Jane, sounds so easy! Yes, you can grow sweet potato vines year round in CA – I’m so jealous! 🙂 Thanks for your nice comments about the newsletter, so sweet of you to say!
Anissa says
How do you know if the plant will be purple or the bright green? I have bright green and want some purple next season. Can’t find it anywhere (I don’t want seeds)
Amy Andrychowicz says
The green and the purple are two different varieties of sweet potato vine. So if you want a purple one, then look for them for sale at your local garden center in the spring.
Mike the Gardener says
Great article! Wonderful information on here. Definitely sharing this.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks Mike!
Cj says
Where do you cut the vine for cuttings?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can cut sweet potato vines anywhere, and they will root. Just be sure to allow for about a 3-4″ stem for best results.