Picture of sweet potato vines

[garden lady]

I need to get these in a better window, but they are starting to sprout. One is showing no signs, so may get rid of it and bought a different kind of sweet potato at the store last night because I saw a purple sprout on it. Five of them are orange flesh inside and the new has yellow flesh. I like both kinds, but growing for the vines.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yay for sprouts!

I don't know if this will work or not, but when you plant potatoes (in soil) they only need three "eyes" or so, so we often cut them into chunks. I wonder if you could cut each one in half?

 

[MaggieJ]

I believe you can simply pull off the shoots when they get a few inches long and root them in water. Or, for direct feeding, just cut them back and let them come again.

 

[garden lady]

I believe you can simply pull off the shoots when they get a few inches long and root them in water. Or, for direct feeding, just cut them back and let them come again.

I was planning on just cutting them back, but probably not going to get very much to eat because it is taking a long time to grow. I had some a few years ago and it seemed like they grew pretty fast.<br /><br />__________ Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:59 pm __________<br /><br />

I need to get these in a better window, but they are starting to sprout. One is showing no signs, so may get rid of it and bought a different kind of sweet potato at the store last night because I saw a purple sprout on it. Five of them are orange flesh inside and the new has yellow flesh. I like both kinds, but growing for the vines.

Might be able to. Just need to have about a 1/3 of it in the water, but then I would have more jars and running out of sweet potato room. Daughter already complaining. I am going to have to find an out of the way hidden sweet potato room. :mrgreen:

 

[Piper]

Sweet potatoes grow faster, the warmer it is. Could that be the reason?

 

[garden lady]

Sweet potatoes grow faster, the warmer it is. Could that be the reason?

Yes, house is a little cool right now. We use wood heat and too warm to start the fire and kind of cool in the mornings and night and I do not have them up on the sill close to the glass because my daughter does not think they are "pretty." I am going to put them on a table in a corner in a west window and hope the cats do not eat them.

 

[MaggieJ]

Grow a pot of wheat grass for the kitties and they will likely leave the sweet potatoes alone.

 

[nicnmike]

Many sweet potatoes are sprayed with a bud inhibitor that keeps them from sprouting. You might have better luck if you buy an organic one. We grew sweet potatoes one year at a research farm I worked at. They planted 'slips' which are basically unrooted cuttings.

 

[garden lady]

Grow a pot of wheat grass for the kitties and they will likely leave the sweet potatoes alone.

How much light does it need?<br /><br />__________ Sun Sep 30, 2012 1:30 am __________<br /><br />

Many sweet potatoes are sprayed with a bud inhibitor that keeps them from sprouting. You might have better luck if you buy an organic one. We grew sweet potatoes one year at a research farm I worked at. They planted 'slips' which are basically unrooted cuttings.

I have 2 not growing, so next time I go to the store I will get organic and see how they do. I have grown sweet potatoes and next year I will grow them again instead of white or red. They are expensive and we really like them.

 

[MaggieJ]

Wheat grass doesn't need much light. Any window sill will work fine for it.

 

[garden lady]

Wheat grass doesn't need much light. Any window sill will work fine for it.

My family is going to think I really flipped. Now I will have the sweet potato vines, wheat grass and saw the thread about the sprouted sunflower seeds, but it is worth it.<br /><br />__________ Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:42 pm __________<br /><br />16 days later. Three are growing, one is just now starting to sprout and 2 I will throw away and start new ones.

 

[skysthelimit]

I think sweet potato vines are very pretty. i don't heat the house enough to grow anything in the winter, but I'd sure like to try some next spring.