GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

12-02-2003, 07:25 AM

In article ,
(Dan D.) writes:

I had 3 different varieties of decorative sweet potato vines
in hanging pots last season. When frost was right around
the corner last fall I emptied the pots and found a sweet potato
in each pot. I've left them laying on a shelf in my basement and
they seem OK. At least they are firm and not moldy.
I want to get sprouts from them for this year if I can.

How do you root a sweet potato??
Do I cut them in half and stick the cut end in a saucer
of water??
Do I stick toothpicks in them and suspend them in the top
of a jar full of water??

I think we did this as children but sheesh that's 45 years ago
and I can't remember the details.

The easiest thing to do would be to repot them in the pots they came from, or
somewhat larger ones if you wanted to leave room for more of them, and start
watering them when they get active.

A friend showed me how to culture them a while back as hydroponics. For
that he saved some widemouth jars that he suspended in the south facing window
with twine (like macrame) and then he suspended common store variety sweet
potatoes over them with just the slightest bit of the tuber in the water filled
jar. If you are not into macrame you can use tooth picks to suspend them, and
adjust the watering so that they don't get too wet. In no time at all he had a
living window covering.

I think that you would likely do better, in terms of propagation, in the
ground though.
Dave

paghat writes:

To root for a sweet potato, you hold it upward in your hand & cry out in
its presence: "Hip hip HOORAY. Hip hip HOORAY."

--

You go Girl!

David Giunti email: unity
What is the question? Gertrude Stein's last words
No one mouth is big enough to utter the whole thing. Alan Watts

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