How to Make Sweet Potato Vine Cuttings

Ornamental sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) are grown for their striking foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers. They come in a variety of colors, including a variegated leaf cultivar called "Tricolor" and "Margarita," with chartreuse leaves. They grow year-round in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11 and as an annual elsewhere. Ornamental sweet potato vines must be grown from cuttings to faithfully reproduce the favorable characteristics of the cultivar. The cuttings will root quickly if taken in late spring after the weather warms, but you must take the cuttings from the tips of the vines to ensure success.


Water the sweet potato vine to a 5-inch depth the night before making cuttings to ensure the stems and foliage are well hydrated. Run a garden hose at the base for five minutes rather than spraying from above to prevent bacteria growth on the stems.


Wipe the blade of a utility knife or a pair of pruning shears with a cotton ball or clean paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol. Let the blade air dry, then wipe it with a dry paper towel to remove any alcohol residue.


Choose a healthy, vigorous stem on the sweet potato vine. Find one with healthy young foliage at the tip and a pliant stem. Avoid stems with obvious damage or signs of fungal infections, such as blackish residue or soft, weeping spots.


Measure back 6 to 8 inches from the tip of the stem. Make a cut 1/8- to 1/4-inch below a set of leaves using the cleaned and sanitized utility knife or shears. Make the cut straight across, rather than angled.


Place the sweet potato vine cutting in a warm, shady spot for 48 hours to harden, which will lessen the risk of transplant shock later on. Wrap the cutting in a barely moist paper towel. Mist the paper towel with water periodically so it never fully dries out.


Fill a 6-inch pot filled with a mixture of equal parts perlite, coarse sand and sterile compost. Poke a planting hole in the center that is equal to half the length of the sweet potato vine cutting; for instance, a 6-inch-long cutting requires a 3-inch-deep hole.


Remove the leaves from the bottom one-half of the sweet potato vine cutting. Insert the bottom end into the planting hole. Press the perlite mixture snugly against the stem to increase contact and eliminate any trapped air pockets.


Place the potted sweet potato vine cutting outdoors under light shade or indoors on a warm, bright windowsill with filtered light. Maintain constant moisture in the soil but do not allow it to become soggy since the cutting will rot.


Test for roots four to five weeks after potting the sweet potato vine cutting by gently pulling on the base of the stem. Feel if the vine cutting is firmly attached in the perlite mixture, which indicates that it has successfully rooted.


Transplant the rooted sweet potato vine cutting into a permanent container or bed two weeks after rooting. Acclimate it to normal outdoor conditions for one week before transplanting to prevent heat and moisture stress.