Best conditions for Sweet potatoes

I've never grown potatoes and would like to try sweet potatoes. I'm assuming they are similar in their preferences? What do you all think about planting them in hummus on the edge of an evergreen forest? Or do they need a lot of sun? I don't have access to hay, straw or similar fluffy materials. Lots of branches, brush, clay heavy soil.

Sonja,

You would think that potatoes and sweet potatoes are closely related plants, but they are actually have quite different needs, characteristics and growth habits.

Firstly, sweet potatoes grow a vine as opposed to a bush.  Secondly, sweet potatoes just love high heat where potatoes are a cool weather crop.  Potatoes require fairly high soil nutrients, but sweet potatoes can grow on very poor, sandy soil.  A potato plant typically produces 3-5 fist sized spuds where a sweet potato can grow a tuber larger than a football—I have grown them that large before, but when they get that big, you might consider eating paper before eating that potato as it gets really starchy.  Finally (I could go on but I will stop here), while both have their pests, I think everything likes to eat sweet potato vines.  I have planted sweet potatoes several times, but typically the deer get them first.

Sonja, if you want to plant sweet potatoes, they might be the perfect permaculture plant—just protect them from pests.

Eric

Thanks, Eric, that's very helpful.

I love sweet potatoes and 'm somewhat allergic to potatoes, so have to limit them, so the difference makes sense.

I have an area that I think would work well for them. I'm just starting to work on improving the skill there, but I also have a small herd of deer that I'm trying to discourage from considering everything their buffet so I think this year, I'll plant something else.