Sweet potatoes are warm-season plants with long, vining vines and sweet tasty tubers. They are technically perennials, but because of their warm-weather requirements, they are commonly planted as annuals.
Sweet potatoes require between 100 to 150 days of hot weather to mature above 65° F, but quite easily up to 100° F, depending on the variety, therefore they must typically be started early during the spring indoors.
What plants grow nicely with your sweet potato vines once they have been planted in the garden? Companion plants aid in the growth of neighboring plants and provides several herbal health advantages. Find out which companion plants to include in your garden to help these tubers thrive.
Potatoe origins evolved over time in the Bolivian and Peruvian mountains almost around fifteen thousand years ago, when humans just arrived.
The following are the twelve companion plants of sweet potato and you must grow your sweet potatoes in the vicinity of these plants to get the best results.
- Spinach
Spinach will act as a very effective cover plant, which can make the best companion plant.
- Garlic
Garlic can ward off pests having their potent aroma with them.
- Root vegetables
Horseradish can be one root vegetable having pest-resistant qualities. Radishes can boost pest resistance. It can also repel flea beetles. Beets, turnips, and parsnips also operate in similar manner.
- Bush beans
These are legumes that can increase the yield of your sweet potato.
- Pole beans
These pole beans will help boosting nitrogen absorption.
- Peas
Also, peas can help sweet potatoes to absorb nitrogen.
- Basil
This plant can repel damaging flies and hornworms.
- Herbs
Thyme is a plant that will attract hoverflies, which devours aphids that are harmful to plants. Sweet potato vines also benefit from the presence of chives, dill, borage, oregano, and summer savory. To keep the nasty sweet potato weevil at bay, plant these scented herbs nearby.
- Alyssum
These sweet alyssum flowers will serve as a certain ground cover plant and also attract beneficial insects such as wasps.
- Yarrow
Yarrow can attract pollinators to the garden.
- Nasturtium
Such bright orange flowers will be excellent at repelling any Colorado potato beetles.
- Marigold
Marigolds are quite effective at repelling various sweet potato pests, which can destroy the root system of the plant.
What you should not plant next to your sweet potatoes
The most serious issue with planting sweet potatoes close to them is their proclivity to spread. As a result, squash is a plant that should be avoided when planted next to your sweet potatoes. Both are vigorous growers and aggressive spreaders, and planting them together will result in a space battle in which both may be weakened.
The following few crops will not make good co-plants, particularly for your sweet potatoes. You must avoid planting the following crops near the sweet potatoes.
- Sunflowers
These flowers will increase the potato blight risk.
- Squash
Squashes are similar to pumpkins that compete with your sweet potatoes for nutrients and space.
- Tomatoes
Planting tomatoes nearby sweet potatoes will increase the possibility of your plants to contract harmful diseases.
