Grow Your Own Sweet Potato Vine: Easy Propagation Guide

Alright, let’s chat about Sweet Potato Vines, shall we? These beauties are among my absolute favorite foliage plants, and guess what? You can easily have MORE of them!

Aren’t they just gorgeous? You have a rainbow of colors and leaf shapes to choose from! The best part? You can even keep the party going through winter by starting new plants from cuttings. Let me show you how!

Yes, you heard right! Propagating Sweet Potato Vines from cuttings is a piece of cake. Imagine having more of these beauties all summer long AND keeping that vibrant foliage cheering you up on a sunny windowsill during the colder months.

Think of all the possibilities for next year! And the best part? It won’t cost you a dime! These cuttings are also seriously adorable as houseplants – bringing a touch of summer indoors, all year round.

Okay, okay, I’ll confess – “Marguerite” and “Sweet Caroline” are my top picks. Those chartreuse leaves, the big, heart-shaped loveliness, and that incredible growth? Seriously, what’s not to love?!

But don’t think I’m playing favorites. I do have a few other varieties that I’m head-over-heels for, so stick around, and I’ll share some pictures!

And, because I’m all about making things easy for you, I’ve got a step-by-step video at the end showing you the best way I’ve found to make this work like a charm. Don’t miss it!

Related: Planting Sweet Potato Vines in White Metal Tubs

(Just so you know, this post contains a few affiliate links. If you click on these and buy something, I might get a little something to help keep the blog going, but it won’t cost you anything extra!)

Sweet Potato Vine Propagation: Let’s Grow Some Magic!

Listen, this is SO easy, even if you’ve never propagated anything before. You can totally do this! For the absolute best results, you want to start with healthy plants and a clean pair of garden snips. Oh, and you’ll need a glass of water!

We’re going to get started a couple of weeks before the frost shows up, or late summer. To snip your cuttings, simply find a leaf node (where the leaves sprout from the vine) and give it snip!

Getting Ready for Roots:

Now, you want to gently remove the leaves along the lower part of the vine where you’ll be placing it in water to root. Leave the leaves on the top of the vine, though!

Make sure to cut enough stem so that your cutting reaches the bottom of your rooting container once it is placed filled with water. (This will help keep them from falling out)

You’ll notice a little sap oozing out. No worries! Just give the stem a gentle swish in some water to clean it off before placing it in your container. A quick rinse will keep the water cleaner from the get-go, and happy water equals happy roots!

If you are hanging out with your cutting outdoors, keep it in a warm spot where it gets bright light (but not direct sun!).

Change the water in the container every week, or at least every other week, to keep it fresh. And always use room temperature water – nobody likes a cold plunge!

I personally love using a clear container so I can keep an eye on those roots as they develop, but you can use whatever you like. Totally your call!

One important tip: Make sure no leaves are submerged in the water. They’ll rot and cause you a bit of a headache.

From Cuttings To Houseplant:

During the winter, keep your container of cuttings in a spot that stays warmer than 50 degrees. Remember, Sweet Potato Vines are tropical at heart, so they love it when it’s around 70 to 75 degrees.

You can also just bring potted Sweet Potato Vine into your home, but I have found overwintering cuttings is easier. I’m trying bringing a potted plant in this year and I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!

See all those lovely roots? Those cuttings were taken only two weeks ago!

A Rainbow of Sweet Potato Vine Varieties:

During the summer, I love taking cuttings when I prune my sweet potato vines and use them in my other container gardens. I leave them in the smaller pots they rooted in and prune them as needed.

The bottom sweet potato vine in the image below is called “Tri-Color,” and it’s just gorgeous! I love the mix of green with touches of white and pink. It colors up even more when it gets a bit of extra sunlight.

Some Sweet Potato Vines are almost black, and I’ve even seen the purple-leaved varieties bloom with purple flowers! They are such showstopping plants.

Planting Time!

Alright, when it’s time to plant your new vines, grab a container filled with potting soil. Gently place the rooted cutting into the pot, fill it up to within 1/2 inch of the top with your favorite well-draining (but still moist!) soil, and give it a good watering.

If the new growth is a bit top-heavy, go ahead and prune it back a little.

If you’re planting outdoors, there’s no need to prune. Just plant it in a spot that’s been nicely amended with organic matter, and make sure the soil is well-draining to avoid any root rot issues.

Sweet Potato Vines are pretty chill – they can handle full sun to partial shade. They make a beautiful ground cover through the warm months. Some folks like to use a slow-release fertilizer, but I personally just add compost to my garden soil.

And guess what?! There’s a new 2024 ornamental Sweet Potato Vine that actually produces yummy, edible sweet potatoes! How cool is that? I plan on trying it out this year! You can munch on the other ornamental variety’s tubers at your own risk, but I’ve heard they aren’t the tastiest.

Now for the video!

Okay, here is that video I promised to show you the step-by-step: