- Mow sweet potato vines once they have reached maturity and preparations for harvest are underway. "A rotary or flail-type mower is used to mow the vines at the base. Vines are then either removed or rolled into adjacent rows before harvesting," according to crop production guidelines published by the University of Hawaii.
- In colder climates, harvest sweet potatoes as soon as the first frost kills the vines. In warmer climates, harvesting may occur between 100 and 140 days after planting. As vines may often grow to 30 feet or more, stretching across a good stretch of land or garden, the removal of these vines requires both effort and care.
- As the sweet potato vine is technically classified as a weed, those who don't wish to remove it via mowing or hand may use weed control pesticides to kill the vine. However, removal of the dead vine will still be necessary. An occasional sprinkling of salt on the stubs of the growth also helps to subdue its growth.
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