Ipomoea sweet potatoes: description, varieties, planting and care

Ipomoea sweet potato (sweet potato) is a culture that is often used as an ornamental plant. Sweet potatoes began to be planted at home and in household plots relatively recently.

He is quite unpretentious in leaving. He loves open air and light. A distinctive feature of morning glory is the shade and exotic shape of the leaf blades.

Description of morning glory sweet potato

The culture belongs to the Vyankov family. Locals appreciate their taste and nutrition. The herbaceous plant is characterized by stunting, its height does not exceed 30 cm. The bush spreads in breadth by 1.5-2 m.

Flowers are light lilac, white and pink. Due to their funnel shape, they resemble gramophone finishes. Their diameter does not exceed 5 cm. Inflorescences are formed from several single buds. It should be noted that during the cultivation of domestic varieties of morning glory sweet potatoes, special attention is paid to such a feature as decorative leaves.

Distinctive features also include:

• fusiform tuberous root system;
• creeper shoot;
• heart-shaped leaves decorated with a pointed end. Their length is from 3 to 14 cm;
• elongated seeds (up to 6 mm). They are located in an angular wooden box. Each seed is in a separate chamber;
• purple, yellow, or pink fruits.

Edible tubers form on the lateral roots. The flowering period begins in mid-July.

The height of morning glory sweet potatoes does not exceed 30 cm. Varieties recently bred do not form inflorescences. In decorative varieties, the length of leaf blades often reaches 15 cm. Their color can be either variegated or plain. Ripe tubers are small in size. Under favorable conditions, it grows rapidly. It is often used as a groundcover.

Varieties of morning glory sweet potato

There are quite a few varieties of this culture. They are classified, given the place of growth.

In the open ground, you can plant a variety of Margarita. In this case, the deciduous plant reaches 30 cm, the loop length is 2 m. There are no flowers, gardeners appreciate this variety for decorative leaves. If the climate is unstable, morning glory sweet potatoes are grown as annuals. In order to achieve rapid growth, an ampel plant needs to be pinched during the growing season.

The purple variety differs from other varieties by resistance to diseases and pubescence of the stem. The length of the latter reaches 8 m. Dark green leaves have a smooth surface. Terry inflorescences appear in early summer. They can be snow-white, pale pink, purple and red.

The list can be supplemented with an annual grade of Mina Lobata. The dense growing culture gives flexible shoots. The stem is decorated with dark green leaf blades, which are distinguished by three-bladed stems.

Unusual inflorescences appear in the sinuses. First, the spiky brushes are bright red, then they acquire a shade that varies from orange to snow-cream.

The list of decorative varieties of morning glory sweet potatoes is quite extensive.

All hybrids are divided into three categories:

• dessert;
• feed;
• vegetable.

The first group includes such varieties: Chestnut, Amish Red and Korean violet. The following grades have good taste: Amish Red, Beuregarde, Japanese, California Gold. The feed varieties include the Brazilian and White Bouquet. Desserts are distinguished by piquant features.

They taste like carrots, melons, bananas and pumpkins. Often they make wine and jam. Ipomoea sweet potato is replaced.

At home, you can grow quite a few varieties. Kumara Red loves warmth and light. To provide the latter, use additional sources. This variety produces yellow oval tubers. The stems are decorated with large size and splendor.

Burgundy is one of the earliest species. The tubers are red, the leaf blades are quite large. Bright inflorescences exude a pleasant aroma.

Rules of planting morning glory sweet potatoes

Ipomoea Batat is a culture that does not impose special requirements on the place of growth. Plants are moved to the open ground by the end of the last spring month. Boxes should be placed on the windowsills, which are located on the south or southeast side. A lot depends on the lighting at this stage. You should also pay attention to protection against drafts. Its absence will adversely affect seedlings.

Soil requirements

It should have neutral acidity, good air and moisture. Experienced gardeners prefer loamy and sandy loamy soils. If the acidity is increased, it is stabilized by lime. Before planting, they make a substrate, in which there is humus, sand and turf land. Garden soil in this case is useless. It has too few nutrients. When using such a soil, the likelihood of infection with parasites and diseases increases.

Seed preparation and seedling cultivation

Presowing preparation is quite simple. Seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are placed in the ground to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.

To save time, the seed can be placed immediately in volumetric pots and hanging pots. To create favorable conditions, the container in which morning glory is planted should be covered with a transparent film. Airing should be carried out daily. This will prevent condensation. It is removed after two weeks.

The air temperature in the room should vary from +18 to +25 ° С.

Planting morning glory sweet potatoes in the open ground

The time depends on climatic conditions. Usually the landing occurs at the end of May.

Soil is prepared in the autumn. The selected area should be dug up and fertilized with humus. When choosing mixtures for feeding, you need to be guided by the initial state of the soil. To improve it, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers are used. In the spring, it remains to plow up the earth and feed it with ammonium nitrate.

The ground before the procedure is watered with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Seedlings are placed in holes with a depth of about 15 cm. 30-35 cm are left between the sprouts. After planting, the soil is compacted and watered with warm water. Seedlings are covered with transparent containers. They are removed after the appearance of new leaves.

Care for morning glory sweet potato

Each culture needs regular agricultural practices. The main requirement is compliance with the thermal regime. Morning glory is ranked as a thermophilic plant. It should be watered moderately, but regularly. An excess of moisture is indicated by the appearance of white bubbles on leaf blades. Immediately after moistening the soil, it is necessary to mulch and loosen. Pruning is applied to sick, weak or dried shoots. Perennial plants after wintering are carefully inspected. Shoots that had to be removed during processing can be used as cuttings.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

To provide the plant with good nutrition, it is necessary to introduce mineral and organic mixtures into the soil. A universal fertilizer is wood ash. For 10 liters of liquid, only 1 cup of the main ingredient is required. When using the complex should be guided by the attached instructions. Experts do not recommend the use of nitrogen-containing mixtures during the flowering period.

Winter glory morning glory sweet potato

In the fall, culture should be kept in a warm room. Air temperature should not be less than +25 ⁰С. Extra lighting is becoming a necessity. Before wintering spend autumn pruning. Leaving the plant in open conditions is strictly prohibited.

Propagation of morning glory sweet potatoes

Ipomoea Batat can be obtained by:

• seed. This method is only available to experienced growers. The germination rate is unlikely to be high, which is why it is considered too complex. It is most often used by breeders;
• tubers. Planting is carried out after the root crops acquire seedlings;
• cuttings. There must be at least 2 internodes on the shoot. After separation, the process is placed in water. After 5-7 days, roots will appear on it. At the next stage, you can proceed with the landing of morning glory.

Mr. Dachnik recommends: the beneficial properties of morning glory sweet potato and its use

The plant contains many useful substances. Vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, micro and macro elements - the list is quite extensive. Starch obtained during processing is often used in medicine. It can help in the presence of disorders in the digestive tract and the immune system. Ipomoea sweet potato varieties are popular in cooking and livestock.

Tubers and other edible parts should not be eaten by pregnant women and nursing mothers. The same applies to people who have diseases of the digestive system. Ipomoea sweet potatoes can be planted next to petunia, ornamental cereals, europhobia, purslane, lobularia. Through this plant decorate garden paths, gazebos. Caring for morning glory will not take much time.

Watch the video: Growing Ornamental Sweet Potato Vines (April 2024).