How to Use Horse Manure for Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato vines are grown for the sweet tubers that grow at their base. Like most potato vines, sweet potatoes are hardy growers if given the right environment and care. They require some good nutrition at the start, so using horse manure is a good choice. Take a couple precautions when using horse manure for sweet potato growing. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Age the horse manure for two to three weeks to allow it to mellow into fertilizer or combine it with dead leaves, grass, or shavings to form compost for the sweet potatoes. Allow organic material to age for two to three weeks before using it.
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Plant sweet potatoes at least four weeks after the last frost. Mix the horse manure fertilizer or horse manure compost into a sandy planting soil. Add an organic fertilizer to the mix if the horse manure is being used as compost. Conversely, add an organic compost to the horse manure if it's being used as fertilizer.
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Water sweet potatoes deeply once a week. Sweet potatoes require no additional fertilizer and should ripen in 120 to 150 days.
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Tips & Warnings
Start sweet potatoes in a glass of water for successful sprouting.
Sweet potatoes are most successful at temperatures of 75 to 95 degrees F.
Fresh manure and lime will cause scabs on potatoes. Always allow manure to age before you use it.
