Problems with sweet potatoes
Identify what's wrong by where it appears and what you can see.
Where is the problem?
Start by selecting the part of the plant where you see the problem.
Start with the symptom
Or pick from the symptoms most often seen on sweet potatoes.
Common problems with sweet potatoes
The problems recorded on sweet potatoes, the most common first.
9 problems
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Fusarium wilt
Leaves yellow and wilt, often on one side first; inside the stem is stained brown. -
Poor drainage and waterlogging
Water that sits around the roots after rain. Plants yellow, stall and rot at the base. -
Rabbits, deer and other mammals
Plants bitten off cleanly or browsed, with droppings or footprints nearby. -
Root damage
Wilting and stalled growth with nothing wrong above ground. Roots have been cut, crushed or disturbed. -
Spider mites
Fine pale speckling on leaves, then yellowing and webbing. The mites are barely visible. -
Too much nitrogen
Lush, dark leaves and few flowers or fruit. Rich feeding pushes growth, not crop. -
Uneven watering
Dry then soaked: the swing that splits fruit and roots and rots tomatoes at the tip. -
Whitefly
Tiny white flies that rise in a cloud when you touch the plant. Leaves go sticky and yellow. -
Wireworms
Narrow, round holes bored through potatoes and root crops.
