Vardaman Sweet Potato Slips | Compact Orange-Fleshed Variety

Compact Sweet Potatoes with Orange Flesh

Vardaman sweet potato is a compact, bush-type variety with golden skin and rich orange flesh. Its more contained growth makes it a useful choice for gardeners planning raised beds or large containers, while the harvested roots lend themselves to roasting, baking, and frying.

Start with slips and watch them establish through the warm growing season. Give the roots loose soil, ample room, and consistent care, then lift your crop carefully when it is ready. Compact growth does not mean the plant needs no space or never produces trailing stems.

What You Receive

• Variety: Vardaman.
• Product: Bare-root sweet potato slips for planting, not seeds, potted plants, or harvested sweet potatoes.
• Pack options: Choose 4, 10, 30, or 100 slips.
• Growth habit: Compact, bush-type compared with longer-vining varieties.
• Harvest characteristics: Golden skin and orange flesh.

Arrival Care

Unpack promptly. Slips may arrive wilted or pale after transit and need careful handling while they recover; recovery is not guaranteed for damaged or decayed material.

• Inspect slips and check the root ends for moisture.
• If planting must be delayed briefly, wrap the root ends in moist paper towels without soaking them.
• Keep leaves and upper stems dry and provide airflow.
• Hold upright in a sheltered location at room temperature, away from direct sun, strong wind, and cold.
• Plant promptly when conditions are suitable and monitor closely during establishment.

Warm-Season Planting

Plant after frost danger has passed, when soil is warm and nights are reliably mild. Sweet potatoes need an extended warm growing season; use your local planting calendar rather than a single nationwide date.

Choose full sun and loose, well-drained soil. Prepare the bed before planting so developing roots are not restricted by compacted ground. Set the root end and lower stem into the soil, keeping leaves above the surface, then water gently to settle the soil.

For containers, choose a large vessel with ample root space and drainage holes. A compact top does not eliminate the need for room below ground. Avoid leaving containers or beds waterlogged.

Growing Care

Maintain even moisture while slips establish, then check soil regularly and water according to weather and growing conditions. Keep competing weeds under control and fertilize according to soil needs and local sweet potato-growing recommendations.

Inspect plants for pests and signs of stress. Growth, root size, and yield depend on warmth, soil, planting date, and care; container and raised-bed yields are not guaranteed to be equal.

Harvesting and Kitchen Use

Plan to harvest before frost damages the crop. Loosen soil carefully and lift roots gently to avoid cuts and bruising. Follow local extension guidance for curing and storage, keeping damaged roots separate for prompt use.

Wash harvested roots thoroughly before preparing. Roast, bake, or fry according to your preferred recipe. The slips supplied are planting material, not a ready-to-eat food product.